Iconic ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ suit to go under the hammer - Hindustan Times
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Iconic ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ suit to go under the hammer

New York | ByAgence France-Presse | Posted by Saumya Sharma
Jun 30, 2020 10:39 AM IST

The ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ spacesuit believed to have been worn by Dr. David Bowman when he “killed” HAL in the groundbreaking 1968 film goes on the auction block next month.

The elusive ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ spacesuit believed to have been worn by Dr. David Bowman when he “killed” HAL in the groundbreaking 1968 film goes on the auction block next month.

The spacesuit is especially sought after because it is believed to have been used in one of the film’s most iconic scenes.(Instagram)
The spacesuit is especially sought after because it is believed to have been used in one of the film’s most iconic scenes.(Instagram)

The highlight of a Hollywood and space exploration memorabilia show that’s set for July 17-18 in Beverly Hills, the spacesuit is conservatively estimated to fetch between $200,000 and 300,000.

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It’s a rare artifact from the classic by filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, who is thought to have destroyed most of the props and wardrobe from ‘2001’ -- widely regarded as one of most influential films of all time -- to prevent their use in other productions without his authorisation.

According to Jason DeBord -- chief operating officer of Julien’s Auctions, which is hosting the event -- the only other significant piece from the film to go up at auction was the Aries 1B Trans-Lunar Space Shuttle, which in the movie transported Dr. Heywood R. Floyd from the International Space Station to the moon.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences -- the organisation behind the Oscars -- snagged that prop in 2015 for $344,000.

The spacesuit is especially sought after because it is believed to have been used in one of the film’s most iconic scenes -- when Bowman destroys HAL 9000, a sentient computer that is killing the astronauts onboard to uphold its programmed mission.

Auctioneers believe this particular costume was used in that scene because its helmet has a base green layer of paint, the colour of the helmet worn by Bowman, who was played by Keir Dullea.

The near complete spacesuit was likely worn by other actors as well, as the helmet also has layers of white and yellow paint.

 

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Now on Julien's Live! Julien's Auctions is proud to present a nearly complete spacesuit from 2001: A Space Odyssey, a highlight of our "Hollywood: Legends & Explorers" auction taking place in Beverly Hills and live online at Julien's Live on Friday, July 17th and Saturday, July 18th. As one of the most culturally significant artifacts that we've ever brought to auction, this spacesuit - with its iconic, multi-scene and color helmet and original MGM shipping crate - was made for and used in Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey (MGM, 1968), which won many Academy Awards and is regarded as one of the most important films ever produced. The spacesuit is an amalgamation of components worn by different actors and in many scenes throughout the film. This is highlighted by a helmet featuring four distinct layers of paint (a base of color of white, then green, then yellow, and lastly in its present color of white), indicating that it was used in different scenes by multiple actors and representing a number of characters . If you can't make it out to Beverly Hills to bid in person, you can still watch all the action as well as bid online at www.JuliensLive.com! Learn more at www.JuliensAuctions.com. LIVE AUCTION LOCATION Julien's Auctions Beverly Hills 257 N. Canon Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90210 LIVE & ONLINE AUCTION DAY 1, FRIDAY JULY 17th Hollywood: Legends & Explorers Session I: (Lots 1-259) 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time Hollywood: Legends & Explorers Session II: (Lots 260-494) 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time DAY 2, SATURDAY JULY 18th Property From The Estate Of Nolan Miller (Lots 495-622) Property From The Collection Of Steve Martin (Lots 623-780) Session III: (Lots 495-780) 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time Hollywood: Legends & Explorers (Lots 781-896) 2001: A Space Odyssey Costume (Lot 897) Street Art: (Lots 898-909) Session IV: (Lots 781-909) 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time #JuliensAuctions #Auction #SpaceOdyssey #StanleyKubrick #SpaceSuit #HAL #SciFi #ArthurCClarke #1960s #60s #Costume #Iconic #ScienceFiciton #Hollywood

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Along with the helmet, the suit includes boots and an MGM shipping crate.

The piece was auctioned off in 1999 and has been in controlled storage for two decades.

“It just sort of fell off the face of the earth,” DeBord told AFP. “It’s kind of magical, because it’s sort of a lasting artifact of the filmmaking process.”

He said film buffs are hoping to track down a production plan of the Oscar-winning film to “align the different layers of paint with the shooting schedule, and possibly even get a little more specific about where it might have been used in the film.”

‘2001’ received four Academy Award nominations and won for visual effects, an accolade for its pioneering techniques that included accurately portraying space flight.

In 1991, it was added to the National Film Registry, earmarked for preservation by the Library of Congress.

Among the more than 900 items going up for auction at the same event are the pilot control stick Neil Armstrong used on the Apollo 11 flight to the moon -- estimated to go for $100,000 to $200,000 -- and an Apollo-era spacesuit glove designed for Armstrong, estimated at $10,000 to $20,000.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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