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1. Stanley Kubrick viewed this film and [it] was used as a template for the special effect shots used in his 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). He used the same panning camera effect for creating his planets. He even hired narrator Douglas Rain to voice the computer HAL.

   — IMDb

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   After this work, co-director Colin Low worked with Stanley Kubrick on 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick chose Universe narrator Douglas Rain as the voice of the HAL 9000 computer and also hired Wally Gentleman, who did optical effects for the NFB documentary, to work on 2001.

   According to Kubrick biographer Vincent Lobrutto:

   “As the film unspooled, Kubrick watched the screen with rapt attention while a panorama of the galaxies swirled by, achieving the standard of dynamic visionary realism that he was looking for. These images were not flawed by the shoddy matte work, obvious animation and poor miniatures typically found in science fiction films. Universe proved that the camera could be a telescope to the heavens. As the credits rolled, Kubrick studied the names of the magicians who created the images: Colin Low, Sidney Goldsmith, and Wally Gentleman.”

   NASA alone ordered over 300 prints of the film. By 1976, the NFB had sold over 3100 copies of the film, and it was one of the most widely distributed educational films ever made.

   — Wikipedia

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   In that light, it’s interesting also to hear the deep, booming drums at the beginning of both films.

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   • Thanks, Oppo!

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