Alex North's 2001: What might have been (Part 1)

[EnzoTheBaker]

Film historians have found Alex North's scribbled notes in his diary regarding his score. This piece was titled, "Inferior."

[Capcanuk99]

the soundtrack used in th final film was never a "temp track". It had always been Kubrick's intent to use that music. He fought tooth and nail against the studio about using Alex North's score. Unfortunately, North had no idea that he was composing music for a lost cause. Kubrick was an ass in this case.

I think North wrote a gorgeous score (at least, part of one) for the film, and it would have been interesting to see exactly where it fit into the film.

[sendpocky]

@Capcanuk99 Heh, the better question is, when was Kubrick not an ass? But seriously, you're raising some great points. I'm no film editor, so I had no real insights as to where the music and film would flow together. However, North gives rather specific titles to each of the tracks: "Main Title, The Foraging, Eat Meat and Kill, The Dawn of Man, Space Station Docking," etc., so I worked with rough ideas as to where things would match.

[lactoseme]

Excruciating.

[jp235]

Hard to know what to think of this. It's perfectly good music, but the Richard/Johann Strauss pieces have become so inextricably linked to the film that it's hard to give North's soundtrack a fair chance.

That said, I can't imagine this soundtrack ever becoming so iconic as the Strauss pieces, so for that reason, I think Kubrick made the right decision. I love the comparison of how the docking procedure is like a waltz between two partners, and that sense is lost in this soundtrack.

[mornnb]

Don't you think this music much better reflects the free flowing weightlessness of space? Not to mention, it's just better music than the Strauss, prettier.

[sendpocky]

In a word...no. :p But that's why I loved to try to put this together--just to show what might have been, and to really show how a soundtrack can fundamentally change our perspectives of a film.

I will say, it still makes me giggle that I put this together for a paper almost five years ago, and there are *still* people watching and commenting! Thanks to everyone for your thoughts.

[sendpocky]

I must admit, I agree with spacecowboy and Vlessgorian. There's just something about the juxtaposition of the music to the images that doesn't seem to settle with me--in a word, it's too generic, and could go with just about any other movie.

[sovietsentinel]

@sendpocky I agree. It doesn't seem to resonate, as if there's too much going on. It's pretty, sure, but not awe-inspiring. Personally, I would miss the Monolith music the most... "eeeeeEEEEeeeeEEEEeeEeeEEOOOOO­OOOooooOOOOOoOOOOOOOO"

[spacecowboynj]

Thank God he stuck with the Strauss fill-in music from his test reel footage and not this. This belongs in "Logan's Run," "Silent Running," or "Superman" and it would have destroyed "2001." It would be worse than replacing the "Star Wars" score that opens all the scrolling credits to those movies with Vivaldi.

[Capcanuk99]

@spacecowboynj

the problem here is that it is conjecture on the part of whoever posted this video. We don't KNOW where the music was meant to sync exactly.

[tripsadelica]

The title sequence music is really very good and should have been retained, IMHO. As to the other music, I think North was really not a "SciFi" man.

[Vlessgorian]

I'm glad Kubrick did not use this soundtrack in his movie...