It is puzzling, given the space devoted to the contributions of Doug Trumbull and the access Benson had to Trumbull, that no mention is made of Trumbull’s own film, 1972’s Silent Running. This is a valuable contribution to the literature on 2001 that provides considerable detail and insight into the film, including original research and many anecdotes and interviews not previously published. Review #3 Audiobook Space Odyssey by Michael Benson Film students, film lovers, and fans of 2001 from the casual to the hardcore will all want to pick this one up. Although far from the first (and almost certainly not the last) book to be written on Kubricks magnum opus, this is so far by my reckoning, at least the most essential. The shooting of 2001 was a protracted and sometimes brutal affair, and all due credit to Benson for not flinching from some of the less salubrious aspects. There is a lot of meat to this book, and precious little fat. So many facets of the production are covered, including the lengthy writing (and re-writing) process, prep, design, special effects, costume/wardrobe, stunts, sound, music, and so much more. Its all here, from first concepts to finished film and its aftermath. Drawing upon exhaustive research, author Michael Benson takes the reader behind the scenes of arguably the greatest science fiction movie of all time. If, like me, you are an unabashed fan of 2001: A Space Odyssey then this book is required reading.
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