2001 dawn of man and space station docking with Alex North

[mzhivago925]

I don't think that the music for the dawn of man fits with the scene or is even good (although I did like Alex North's score for Spartacus) but am I the only one who thinks that the music for the docking sequence is better than the blue danube? The only reason that so many people think that the blue danube works better is because they can't imagine 2001 another way. If Kubrick had used North's music people wouldn't be complaining and saying that he should have used classical music.

[jatroup12]

Not knocking you attempt at creativity, but with all due respect, I think you just painted over the Mona Lisa. Original score, timeless, classic, spot on.

[TheGojira84]

@jatroup12 Uh this actually was the original score technically.

[OffDWallNotDRack]

I think this score works just fine, it's a good score, but it's a product of it's era, and that's where the real problem is. 2001 is a movie that transcends time and space; literally, so you need a score that is equally universal. The final product is truly timeless, which is why the movie still holds up today, and isn't just cast aside as an old movie.

[mornnb]

@OffDWallNotDRack Eh? This is probably the most atypical score of any 1960s movie you will find. Infact it sounds more like 1980s classical music than it sounds like 1960s film music, the Docking sequence.

[RogueRotting360]

@mornnb Which 80s classical music would you say it sounds like?

[mornnb]

@RogueRotting360 The docking music, sounds like contemporary minimalism, like for example John Adams.

[mornnb]

@RogueRotting360 The docking music, sounds like contemporary minimalism, for example John Adams.

[RogueRotting360]

@mornnb Yes, but the harmonies are pure North. Extended chords derived from jazz. Could almost be the introduction or interlude of a 50s or early 60s pop song.

[sclogse1]

No music is necessary in this scene until the arm comes down...and this music makes you think of the room it was recorded in. Fanfare this music doesn't need...but notice the organ hum at 1:18, to relate it to Zarathustra...

[mogajones]

They did the recording too slow. I have a recording of ther original score, not the re-recording, and its so much better.

[smulinsa]

ahh the wookies

[LadySierraSays]

At times I feel as tho I would like to do the same thing to some of Starbucks Barista's that keep screwing up my drink order , LOL !!! Best movie ever !!!!

[tretrioeciii]

Very interesting choices. It's almost like seeing it again for the first time...... Well I guess it is the first time seeing like this.

[CrazyDave746]

dude, the reason for the original music on the ape scene, was exactly for the ape scene, you can't change it. you can't beat that music that shows the dawn of weapons.

[thebbcamerican]

I know the docking sequence is all North, but what other segments are from Dragonslayer?

[mornnb]

North reused docking sequence music in Dragonslayer, and as this scene is longer than the one North originally scored...

[houghhill]

I think most would agree that North's score cannot compare to the likes of Strauss and Ligeti, and Kubrick's choice of music was spot on and immortalised the film. That said, some good music here and I don't understand why he couldn't have used at least some of it.

[breerex123]

sucked

[archangel72367]

It does sound like Planet of the Apes, but you do have to wonder how we would be reacting if Kubrick had used North's score. I kind of like it because it is different, so it is new. But artistically it sounds diravitave of the 60's and early 70's stock music. Since the score has come out I have heard parts of North's score in Dragonslayer among others.

[mornnb]

Don't agree there, I think it is remarkably modern sounding music for 1968. The docking music actually sounds more like something by John Adams than something from the 60s.

[archangel72367]

I have since listened to the Planet of the Apes soundtrack and i recant my former view about it sounding similar to that peice...It sounds nothing like that, but I do hold that it sounds of that era. And if you meant John Williams, I couldn't disagree more. Williams uses more in the way of themes, and with North there are "passages" here but nothing in the way of a theme . Its very similar to Goldsmith's first attempt to score Star Trek: The Motion Picture. (re STTMP sp ed dvd)

[mornnb]

There are plenty of themes in 2001 and TMP. Just not every where! And there is more to music than melody so this is actually a good thing.

[archangel72367]

I would agree to a point. In a movie as just a movie there is little else needed from music...but a cinamatic event as art, yes there should be more than just melody. Thank you for the stimulating conversation. :D

[gabrielcrimson]

@mornnb I would agree with archangel there's something dated about this score that i don't think would have been as timeless as the score used.

[ge1org1e]

Far to bombastic but I guess I can only say that in regard to orignal. There is no mystery in this piece of music.

[YawnGod]

For the greatest scene in the history of cinema, the music is simply, just not epic enough. Just...not...no. No.

[llllll0o]

so classic, thanks.

[soccom8341576]

The music is not philosophical enough. It sounds like Nazis stomping around.

Try Again.

Don't get me wrong, Alex North is very talented. The fact that it didn't fit Kubrick is not really his fault. It's really for the common good that he realized it didn't really fit.

[Zunderberg87]

You're right..in parts it sounds a lot like John Williams. And in my opinion its just too noisy for the scenes..it characterizes 2001, that it has a mysterious mood..silence is an important tool for Kubricks piece.

[harp0marx]

North is no Strauss

[Sukyhoi]

I think the music plays extremely important role to the concepts behind this film. Not saying North's score ain't good enough, but i'm sure if you watch the same extract from the original film, you can really tell the difference. I think Kubrick made a right decision not to use North's score.

[nmatech]

Aw, come on!

[subkontrabasklarinet]

If Kubrick had decided to use North's score, it would be funny to read comments how can one dare use Strauss' music instead. :-)

[wayward4now]

The audio wrecks it. Totally terrible. Sorry, this sucks.

[madlutist]

Well, there's a reason Kubrick decided to drop North's score. Depressing as it might be for North.

It's too involved for Kubrick. He tended to like music that didn't interact too directly with what was going on, which is why preexisting piece worked so well.

All of Kubrick's films use almost entirely preexisting pieces for the scores. I get the feeling he liked the dissociative effect... an effect which is probably part of the reason he's as famous as he is.

[gimmicka]

the music is killing this video. any chance you can uplaod the original version?

[anglasrabines]

Olvidable.

La banda de North es demasiado trepidante para El Amanecer del Hombre, y parece un comercial de los años sesenta, para la parte Espacial.

Díganme, sinceramente... qué música tiene más personalidad, la banda sonora de North, o el Danubio Azul?

Kubrick hizo lo correcto al quitar la banda de North.

Quiso hacer de su película algo atemporal, inmortal, con obras maestras de la música de la humanidad.

[dion82]

Para empezar, la música que suena no es la que North compuso para esta escena. Esto es el Main Title, e iba a ser empleado en los títulos de crédito. Antes de criticar una absoluta obra maestra como es la banda sonora de North, por lo menos infórmate un poco.

[THORDEN86MX]

el enfasis esta en Atemporal, 2001 no envejece, como la musica que Stanley Kubric escogio finalmente, una musica que nunca envejece, la parte del amancer del hombre con musica de North, juraria que la cortaron directamente del planeta de los simios, y la coreografia espacial con la musica de North, hace que imaginemos las naves como juguetes colgados con hilitos, la musica de North es buena, pero no retrata la grandeza y la magistralidad que Kubrick queria, no por nada es mi pelicula favorita

[DeJay14]

this makes me laugh

[GeminiSpacecraft]

i giggle everytime the bone flies into space :D

[ExpandedFilms]

OMG, for what reason did this guy called North edited this masterpiece and made a crappy piece of shit out of it? FOR WHAT REASON????

[larrypearce2]

Yes. This music totally sucks balls! Believe it or not, this is the original score which Kubrick decided to ditch at the last music in favor of the music we all know and love. For some reason, this Alex North guy was a well respected Hollywood composer best known for the crappy musical scores of such films as "Cleopatra", "Fall of the Roman Empire", and "Dragon Slayer" (his last film). Bombastic discord was is trademark.  Pretty piss poor if you ask me.

[Beamshipcaptain]

I totally agree. Ron Goodwin would have been a n excellent choice to score 2001, or Jerry Goldsmith, or living legend John Williams.

[Jastrzab78]

You stupid dick this musik in that movie is blasphemy!

[miriyaa]

Stupid, the music of that film was the best god dawn music i've ever heard!

[internet1965]

WOW! Blasphemy! If there is a hell....

[mornnb]

Kubrick committed the blasphemy!

[DrWetti]

Thanks a lot for this interesting music variation by Alex North. I know that he was the official composer of 2001, but now I know, too, why Stanley does not use this music. North´s score was brillant in the epic movie "Spartacus", but not good enough for the best film, that was ever made - 2001 !!

[Beamshipcaptain]

Alex North sounds like all the music from all the other sci-fi flicks of the 1960s. Best Sci Fi scores were Louis abd Bebe Barron (FORBIDDEN PLANET), Leonard Rosenman (FANTASTIC VOYAGE-1966), and the late Jerry Goldsmith (PLANET OF THE APES-1968). This music is as forgettable and regrettable as the John Barry's score for THE BLACK HOLE(1979).

[larrypearce2]

Doesn't so much sound like all other sci fi scores of the 60s so much as all of Alex North's other scores. North always sounds like North. Would place Lalo Schiffrin's Score for THX 1138 over Leonard Rosenman's score for Fantastic Voyage any day. Rosenman is as hacky as Alex North in my book. Rosenman has the the honor of composing the worst score of all time for a fantasy film for the 1978 rotoscoped (traced) "Lord of the Rings" which he then ripped off for "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home". OMG

[Beamshipcaptain]

I disagree. Lalo Schifrin usally rocks, but Leonard Rosenman's score for FANTASTIC VOYAGE was some of the bes scoring I've ever heard, along with Jerry Goldsmith's groundbreaking scores for PLANET OF THE APES, and the season II opener of VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA ("Jonah and the Whale"). Rosenman also did avery nice score for BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES. There is not much that is memorable about this score, in my humble opinion. Ron Goodwin would have been an excellent choice for 2001.

[larrypearce2]

Really? I'll have to re-listen. Rosenman for me is usually underwhelming at best. Kubrick's choice however was a brilliant move for a groundbreaking film: both sublime and ironic. North's music for the space flight sequence is particularly odd. Sounds real dated like from a 1950s educational film. But hind sight is always 20/20. Some people love North's score though.

[Beamshipcaptain]

Yup. Kubrick was a real genius. North's score, like popular-music of today, is instantly forgettable. Just my humble opinion, for what its worth.

[archangel72367]

Whoa...I agree with everything up until the comment about John Barry...While I do agree that Barry's "signature" seems to border on derivative, it is more "thematic" than anything North created.

In my humble opinion.

[Beamshipcaptain]

Listen to Barry's score on the DVD of Disney's THE BLACK HOLE in 1979, and you'll see what I mean. I saw 2001 in 1968 in its road show CINERAMA glory in Manhattan. It transformed me, as the Apes and Dave Bowman were transformed at the end of the movie. I knew what I wanted to do with my life. And I succeeded!

[archangel72367]

Well congratulations. Not many ppl have that kind of revelation with anything.  Musically the Barry score for Black Hole is very symphonic, maby the fault was in the editing and syncing the music with the images; or maby just didnt fit. While I do like both scores I still prefer Barry's...so lets just chalk that up to personal taste...:D

[Beamshipcaptain]

Compare John Williams Music for Star Wars, Close Encounters, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, and SUPERMAN, and compare it to Barry's score for THE BLACK HOLE (Buena Vista, 1979). Other side of the coin, Barry's score for GOLDFINGER, THUNDERBALL, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, and especially ON HER MAJESTY's SECRET SERVICE (1969) were phenomenal and outstanding. Il LOVE everything Jerry Goldsmith has ever done, with the possible exception of STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (1979).

[panamared75]

EPIC FAIL. Textbook example of just exactly how much the music and score of a movie impacts the final product and reception by an audience. Kubrick would of definately screwed the pooch, in my opinion, if he would've went with Alex North's piss poor score.

[bally28]

hmm music sounds abit dated, with this score i expect to see david niven or peter sellers's head pop up on the screen. i think Kubrick made a most excellent choice and i admire him for being waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of his time.

[bally28]

just to add, i'm not being negative here, i own this cd, bloody great listen on its own..but Spartacus is the best for me.

[olpeso]

sounds a bit too like lassie

[pspboy7]

Fail. Blue Danube owned this version.

[chopinunbound]

Thanks. I've been curious about what North's score would have like in the movie. Looks like Kubrick made the right choice.

[BillyIsATwat23]

@chopinunbound

But remember this isn't necessarily how it would have looked/sounded if Kubrick had kept the North's score (which, incidentally, as a stand alone CD is a very interesting piece of work), it is an approximation made by a fan 40 years after the event.

We will never get to see/hear a true North 2001 so we can not make judgments as to if the movie would have suffered/been improved by it...

[mornnb]

This is the original soundtrack as opposed to temp track. ;)

[SellawEvets]

The piece that begins at the 8:28 mark, is that available on CD? I have the Varese Sarabande CD "Alex North's 2001".

[BlueCougar]

That's the beginning of the same cue, which was cut off in this video.

[larrypearce2]

Alex North was a great composer for over blown costume epics, but this is totally wrong and weird as hell. 2001 would not be the classic it is today with this bombastic farting as its music score.

[ksgates99]

Pretty stupid!! The least you could have done was to keep the orginal sound track! Why change it to something that doesn't even fit the mood!!

[BlueCougar]

Did you read the title of this page? That was the whole point of this post!

[bennihana123]

Blue Danube > Alex North

[rogerpenna]

I cant believe the clip author removed the original music score...

[dion82]

The only original music score is by Alex North. And I feel it fits perfectly the movie, but we are too used to the classical tracks.

[SellawEvets]

I LOVE the space station docking music, it sounds so "heavenly"!

[pj1860]

"Although he and I went over the picture very carefully, and he listened to these temporary tracks (Strauss, Ligeti, Khatchaturian) and agreed that they worked fine and would serve as a guide to the musical objectives of each sequence he, nevertheless, wrote and recorded a score which could not have been more alien to the music we had listened to, and much more serious than that, a score which, in my opinion, was completely inadequate for the film." Kubrick on this score...

[UrsusArctosT34]

Can you tell me where you found Kubrick's remark? I'm curious to know more about the North score.

By itself, the North score is a good movie score. But for 2001- no, it doesn't fit at all.

[Jockolantern]

Kubrick could not have been more wrong. While his use of classical music in the film has certainly become iconic, it has never sat well with me and is, quite honestly, obnoxiously distracting. Concert works were written for the hall, not film. North wrote a tremendous score: daring, expressive, colorful and completely in character with Kubrick's eclectic vision. It's a shame Stanley rejected such a magnificent compositional achievement and used his bland, by-the-books temp track instead.