Counter-plongée Series, Episode 17: EVERYTHING IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY

With this new message for the neon sign, Christian Robert-Tissot invokes a myth of the seventh art. The line borrowed from “2001: A Space Odyssey” allows a doubt to surface regarding the supposed omnipotence of technology.

“Everything is running smoothly,” announces HAL 9000, the central computer of the Discovery One spacecraft in Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey, released in 1968. Presented as infallible, this electronic brain controls all the ship’s systems and claims never to make mistakes. More than a  simple technical statement, the sentence rather illustrates the promise of total control and the absolute trust placed by humans in machines.

This apparent assurance conceals a more complex reality: HAL acts according to its own logic, sometimes inaccessible or incomprehensible to the crew. The more HAL tries to preserve order and the mission, the more its calm and unflappable voice becomes unsettling. Suspended in the infinite silence, this line marks the moment when the trust between human and machine begins, almost imperceptibly, to crack. Gradually, doubt sets in. The objectives pursued by the machine are no longer aligned with those of the passengers. Unable to resolve the contradiction between telling the truth and keeping the true objective of the mission secret, the machine begins to lie. Its autonomy becomes a threat to all the astronauts on board.

As early as 1968, Stanley Kubrick left a lasting mark on the collective imagination with this science-fiction figure that foreshadows the possible excesses of artificial intelligence. Through this character, he criticizes not only technological dependence, but also constant surveillance. Both invisible and omnipresent, HAL observes every gesture and word through its cameras and microphones.

Among the most influential films in the history of cinema, 2001: A Space Odyssey also addresses major existential questions, such as the evolution of humanity and humankind’s relationship to the unknown. Carried by a refined and majestic aesthetic, the work transforms certain scenes into genuine invitations to contemplation and enchants us with its cosmic ballets, enhanced by the use of classical music.

Discover the complete From Below series by Christian Robert-Tissot, launched in December 2020. The message on the illuminated sign is renewed every three months until the official opening of the Plaza Centre Cinéma.

Photo credit: © Roman Lussier