admittedly,kubrick had one of thelargest budgets ever for a film of this kind,but, inmyopinion, much of the movie's power and appeal was achieved through relatively inezpensive means. For exaple, the musical score,whicg was adapted in large part from well-known classical compositions, was reinforced by the use of almost kaleidoscopic visual effects, especially during the space travel seqences. Spectacula camera work was edited to correspond to the ebb and flow of the music.
Ater 2001, dominant theme of science fiction films shifted from the adventures of space travelTo the probiems created on earth by man’s mismanagement of the natural environment and the abuse of technology by a totalitarian state, Overpopulation and the accompanying shortages of food prompt the state to impose extraordinaryc controls on its citizens. No fewer than twen-nine films were made around this theme in the years between 1970 and 1977, including Survivors and Chronicles.
in the opinion of this reviewer, until Star Wars was released in 1977, science fiction films were reduced to shallow symbolism disguising to a greater or lesser degree a series of repetitive plots. But Star Wars was different. It offered us a return to imaginative voyages in space and confrontation with intelligant life on other planets. Unlike the other science fiction films of the decade, Star Wars presented technogy as having solved rather than aggravated ecological problems. The special effects created to simulate apecd vehicles hurtling through the blackness of the universe were reminiscent of the artistic standards set by 2001.