STANLEY KUBRICK’S 2001 SPACE ODYSSEY: MESSAGES?
My friend Jay Weidner wrote an excellent "alchemical" analysis of Kubrick's classic film adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's "2001: A Space Odyssey" here, and, though long, it is an article well worth reading (because for one thing, it forms the backdrop for my comment below):
All done? OK. Now ponder the following image of the satellite from the beginning of the movie, sent to me by a friend.
Assuming the picture has not been photo-shopped, is Kubrick sending more messages here? Notice anything peculiar about that spacecraft? Look closely again. There is a clear depiction of the then West German flag, and boldly emblazoned on the side of the craft is an Iron Cross, symbol of the (West) German military, the Bundeswehr. I could accept the occurrence of only one of these symbols as some sort of "production accident" but two seems to me to be pushing the boundaries of coincidence.
The question is, is Kubrick sending messages here? Or is it just a typical Hollywood way of trying to "internationalize outer space" in a brotherhood of love and harmony that just happens to include the German Bundeswehr? Well, let's assume that Kubrick IS (or I should say, WAS) trying to send messages here. If so, the question is, what were they? Given Weidner's extensive and thorough alchemical analysis of the esoteric symbolism contained in the movie, and the discovery of a monolith on one of the Moons of Jupiter, perhaps Kubrick is subtly trying to say that someone (the Germans?) discovered something out there long before the rest of us were made aware of it.
And let's not forget one other thing... In Clarke's original 2001, the moon on which the monolith was discovered was not Earth's nor any of Jupiter's moons...
Can anyone say Iapetus? George Lucas? Cassini?
The coincidences pile up here, and they are disturbing. At the minimum, I believe we may be looking at a classic case of "synchronicity," and at the other end of the spectrum, maybe we are, after all, being sent "messages."
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Hello everyone.
I apologize that my comment will be way off topic here.
The first time I saw Odyssey 2001 was in 1985, I was only 5 at the time and you can guess that for a child of 5 this movie was almost frightening. However there was one particular detail that captured my childhood imagination – this very spacecraft pictured here.
With it’s tank-like configuration, a turret mounted on a top of the main body and a cannon-like tube sticking out of the turret, I had no doubt in my 5 year old mind that it was a war ship. (or a satellite) With it’s cannon pointed at Earth’s surface the craft’s purpose was even more clear to me.
As a child influenced by, let’s say, more fighting-oriented toys and action movies, I imagined and later written numerous stories revolving around this very craft, “Star Hammer” as I named it and created dozens of models using LEGOs. My imagination was later fueled further after watching 2010, where the Cold War suddenly get’s hot. In my childhood stories this craft plays a key role in the escalating conflict.
Its the memory of those childhood dreams that brought me here on this site, nostalgia if you will. I find it amusing how I never actually noticed the Bundeswehr insignia until I came to this site, and I’m glad that my childhood theory about the purpose of this craft in confirmed, kind of. As a kid I heard a lot of counter arguments about it’s purpose, that it could be communication satellite or any other non-action-like role craft, but I stayed firm in my believes.
Again, I apologize for going off topic, please forgive an old sci-fi enthusiast his moment of nostalgia.
Is there any suspicion of foul play in Kubrick’s death, or did he die of natural causes… heart attack….
I think it’s strange that Richard C Hoagland’s “heart attack” and Stanley Kubrick’s death all happened in the same 48 hour period….very interesting indeed.
Jay has some interesting stuff on his website…I’m familiar with his name so I must have read some of his articles before…
I see he writes alot about Fulcanelli…
An interesting tidbit: Many people know that Fulcanelli was the pseudonym of Jean-Julien Champagne. What most people don’t know is that, while Chamapgne put out “Mystery of the Cathedrals”, it was actually penned by Rene Schwaller de Lubicz as a young man. Schwaller refused to allow Champagne to publish it under his own (Schwaller’s )name at the time it was written, but Champagn published it many years later under the name “Fulcanelli.” Hence, it is really Schwaller’s juvenalia.
I’m glad you put the picture to good use Dr Farrell!! It’s so weird and to read the review and comments – what did he know and when did he know it? We all know Mr. Kubrick slaved over all details of all his films from A-Z and in my opinion this can’t be accidental.
Kind Regards
Iapetus is so cool!
Has anyone ever read about ‘architectural spheres’ in the Urantia Book?
http://urantiabook.org:5631/query.html?qt=architectural+spheres&col=fefsite&submit=GO%21
P.S. Some of the material also appears here:
http://www.jayweidner.com/Disclosure1.html
While you’re at it, I’d love to hear your comments on Jay Weidner’s interview on Coast to Coast AM. He spoke about the Puranas, and some mind-blowing stuff they contain: Aryans, Vril, Mars, subterranean myths. A most amazing few hours. I can’t wait for more.
http://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2010/04/12
hey know whats NOT cool at all? the vancouver downtown public library the one built/finished on may 26th/ 1995 is actually (if you look at the aerial postcards is THE TOWER OF BABEL…….not the coliseum in rome… wonder what thats all about?
Saturn (the original destination) – Chronos – Satan. The snake in the Kabbalistic “Tree”. The false technological passage (as distinct from the true “passover”) of the first murderer, and the soul’s death evinced by the emotionless characters of the film.
WOW! I’ve always loved this film from a cinematic perspective and am now seeing it in a totally different light. Jay Weidner has left me slightly (ok totally) dumbstruck with his brilliant essay. I’ll be watching 2001 again tonight with this perspective in my head.
Kubrick was a genius and his medium was films.
I’ll keep my hand near the pause button when the sattelite pops up at the beginning of the film.
Great post.
Thanks Joseph.
Hang on hang on I totally agree that 2001 is laced with esoteric and philosophical meaning — particularly the part about something found on the moon and the quote from heywood about people not ready for the truth Etc etc BUT I think the flags can be explained by air fix models and the stickers one got at this time — stickers such as the iron cross etc etc for a grey meschershmitt etc etc — I’m guessing these spaceship models were built from air fix kits etc etc
I recall reading somewhere, about some little spheres found maybe
central America maybe somewhere else and older, that were
dismissed as some sort of child’s toy.
they looked exactly like Iapetus
When RCH’s “Moon With a View” details some startling facts about Saturn’s moon Iapetus concomittant with your post above, as well as pertinent information in “Dark Mission,” it makes sense, in a most disquieting way. For quite a few years, Hoagland has often asked the question re quite a few: “what did they know, and when did they know it?” Subtle disclosure comes in such ways because people, being people, want to TELL US SOMETHING; perhaps just to be able to sleep at night with a clear conscience.
Nothing new here, alas.
In the Clarke book it is explicitly stated that the Earth orbit is littered with military satellites bearing weapons, poised for mutually assured destruction, and belonging to the existing superpowers and their allies. This concept was included in the film, although its payoff — the Star-child returning to Earth and destroying those weapons — was, in the end, not.
The markings of this particular satellite, the flag and cross of the West German airforce, were even more obvious in the 65mm prints, and are now on Blu-ray, and have always been accepted as part of the film’s story, not as any kind of hidden messages. Check the sequence out, all the vessels in it bear some sort of insignia relevant to the Cold War.
Thanks Sever for the good information.