The film 2001: A Space Odyssey was directed by Stanley Kubrick and released by MGM Studios in 1968. In this film Kubrick uses the rule of thirds throughout the entire film. The technique can be seen in nearly every single shot. In many of the shots it is blatantly obvious and in others it is subtler. At the beginning of the film there are many images that are essentially “still” photos although they were probably videotaped shots. Some shots show flat lands for miles while others show odd rock formations. Even in some shots where there are apes, Kubrick uses the rule of thirds both with the background and with the placement of the active characters in the film. Nevertheless, in nearly every single one of these shots, one can clearly see that the rule of thirds is being used.

     The use of the rule of thirds in these shots creates an interest and curiosity about the scene. The viewer is intrigued by what they are looking at. And it also gives the view a more realistic feel in that it creates an additional element of knowing that there is more that cannot be seen within the confines of the screen. When Kubrick shot these scenes he wanted to lead the viewers’ eyes and create a sense that there is more to be seen than many of us would usually think about being there. The rule of thirds is most prominently and clearly used in the first part of the film in the “Dawn of Man” sequence. I only noticed a few scenes where the rule of thirds was not clearly noticeable.

     The use of this rule of thirds is extremely important in this film. The perspective that the viewer gets while watching this film leads them to think about things on a larger scale, it is wetting their appetite to explore and discover the unknown. While the plot and storyline of film itself possesses much symbolic meaning, the visual messages that the viewer sees also helps immensely with strengthening this conveyance.

     This film is a landmark film for many reasons. But one of the most important, I believe, is the use of the rule of thirds. This rule is used to some extent in nearly every single film. Some films are subtler with it while others are more obvious. In this film, the use of this rule adds immensely to the meaning and message this film is trying to convey. Even in the still images that we see in the beginning of the film, the viewer is still intrigued and curious about what they are seeing simply because of the way that Kubrick has set up the shot. He is leading the eye and forcing it to look at something somewhat familiar in a new way. By forcing the eye to read the image differently, the viewer is forced to think differently about what they are seeing and then interconnect that with the other elements of the film including the music, sound effects, story line, visual effects, and other parts of the film that complete the meaning that is being conveyed.