Last night I had the privilege of seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey on 70mm. It was great, it always is. There are a few things that stuck  with me from the viewing. It is an exceptional film, there is no denying it. The film is revolutionary. It is extraordinary. And it offers the audience a window, or possibly a frame with which to view an interesting sequence of events.

The film manages to show the audience a great deal, however it does not seem to tell the audience very much… It is an interesting notion; showing and telling. One that I am coming to believe is heavily influenced by the coverage provided. It is a sophisticated skill, to be able to communicate a message without telling someone what it is (in cinema and in other forms of media, even in spoken communication between 2 parties). It feels as if the coverage employed by Kubrick seeks largely to distance the characters from the audience. There are minimal mid-shots used. The harsh contrast of the long shots with the long, wide angle lens and the extreme close-ups is jarring. It is expressive. It asks the audience to connect ideas and feelings with concepts that are not made overt in the film. The characters never truly reveal what is going on – one has to read into that.

A question that seems pertinent at this point in time is what is the link between coverage and the notion of cinema as a frame or cinema as a window…?