Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), meanwhile, took Metropolis’ fear of technology and turned it into a chilling study of dehumanization. Like Metropolis, Modern Times, and Forbidden Planet before it, 2001 warned of the dangers of mechanization; unlike those films, it went so far as to predict mankind’s eventual destruction by computers. Earth at the beginning of the 21st century is run by computers, a sterile world devoid of compassion or any other emotions. The faceless humans interact with each other as if they were the computers; technology has stripped them of their humanity. The computer HAL, meanwhile, is by far the most“human” character in the film. (HAL is an acronym derived from the words heuristic and algorithmic; conveniently, its letters, when each is pushed forward one space,also spell “IBM.”) HAL expresses happiness, sadness, and jealousy better than the astronauts who are his shipmates. He also has the self-defense mechanisms of a human, killing the as tronauts when he fears they intend to disconnect him, then desperately begging one of them to leave his circuits intact. In addition to its indictment of technology, 2001 echoes Modern Times in proving how unnecessary words are in cinema. The vast majority of the film lacks dialogue, instead relying on classical music and dazzling imagery to make its points.
Though George Lucas’ Star Wars (1977) shares 2001’s visual conception of space travel, it is diametrically opposed to Kubrick’s film in almost every other way. Instead of relying on intellectual pretension and ambiguity, it hearkens back to the Flash Gordon serials’ sense of wonder and nonstop adventure. Like 2001, Star Wars’ most “human” characters are its robots, C3PO and R2D2, but Lucas shares none of Kubrick’s fear of technology. His robots are lovable instead of threatening, and he clearly sees technology as a positive expression of mankind’s creativity.
Though the prologue claims it takes place “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” Star Wars is clearly a vision of the future in the science fiction tradition. However, Lucas drew his inspiration not just from science fiction film and literature, but from a much wider array of sources. Almost every element of the film is derivative, so that, as Roger Ebert wrote, “Star Wars taps the pulp fantasies buried in our memories, and because it’s done so brilliantly, it reactivates old thrills, fears, and exhilarations we thought we’d abandoned.” Lucas admitted that certain elements in his film were inspired by science fiction classics like Flash Gordon, Forbidden Planet, and 2001; however, he also adapted material from samurai films (Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress) and westerns (John Ford’s The Searchers). In addition, the strange creatures in Star Wars bear a striking resemblance to those in The Wizard of Oz. While writing the screenplay, Lucas also came home every weekend with stacks of science fiction magazines and comic books, which, Pauline Kael wrote, makes the film seem “like a box of Cracker Jacks that’s all prizes.” In addition, the film contains recognizable elements of Greek mythology, eastern philosophy, and Judeo-Christian religion. The result, incredibly, was the most successful motion picture in history. By incorporating elements from every imaginable corner of popular culture, Lucas created a futuristic universe that surpassed any in film history.
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