Also Sprach Zarathustrais one of the most famous pieces of classical music repeatedly used in film, with many phenomenalmoviescenes getting amazing use out of the piece.Also Sprach Zarathustrais an orchestral arrangement composed by Richard Strauss, named after the work of famous German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche of the same name. The song became famous for its first few notes culminating in a triumphant crash of fanfare, used inStanley Kubrick’s iconic film,2001: A Space Odyssey.
For the most part, the following cinematic uses of the song have been comedic in nature, parodying Kubrick’s work. But the best uses ofAlso Sprach Zarathustrafully capture the sheer awe and grandeur the opening moments of the song inspire, spurred on by Nietzsche’s joyful realization of sudden clarity embodied by the epic arrangement.Now irrevocably linked toscience fiction films set in space, it’s no wonder that the BBC used the song in their live broadcasts of the Apollo missions.
10WALL•E
Released In 2008
The legendary animation studio Pixar has ventured into space only a handful of times, butWALL•Eis easily their crowning jewel when it comes to creative science fiction.The dialogue-sparse first half of the film is easily more memorable, following the adorable garbage-bot WALL-E as he tirelessly works through a post-apocalyptic Earth, dreaming of a more romantic future.However, when WALL-E follows his new love interest EVE into outer space, an homage toAlso Sprach Zarathustrabecomes much more prescient.
It’s small jokes like this that helpWALL•Eremain one of the best Pixar films ever made.
WALL•Erolls the title song when the ship Captain becomes the first human to stand on his own two feet in centuries, highlighting his momentous achievement with an equally momentous musical arrangement.Allegedly, Pixar included this musical reference in test screenings as a joke, but the audience reaction was so positive that they opted to include it in the final edit of the film.It’s small jokes like this that helpWALL•Eremain one of thebest Pixar filmsever made.
9Zoolander
Released In 2001
At first glance, the comedy duo rompZoolander, featuring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, wouldn’t seem like a timely place to include a song as weighty and orchestral asAlso Sprach Zarathustra.Telling the story of a dimwitted male fashion model who is flung way in over his head in a dangerous conspiracy to assassinate a world leader,Zoolanderis laden with great gags, including a reference to2001: A Space Odyssey.It’s important to remember thatAlso Sprach Zarathustrasounds several times in Kubrick’s epic, including the infamous “Dawn of Man” segment.
Zoolanderhomages2001: A Space Odysseywhen Derek and Hansel attempt to put their meager brain cells together to figure out Mugatu’s computer.As they strain themselves in the effort, they slowly devolve into becoming more and more feral and ape-like alongside the swells ofAlso Sprach Zarathustra’s opening notes. The effect is a hilarious reference that culminates in Hansel smashing the infernal machine with a bone, just like the apes discovering tool use in the “Dawn of Man” segment.
8Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
Released In 2005
Another surprising film to reference the earlier moments of2001: A Space Odysseyvia its music is the early 2000s remake ofWilly Wonka and the Chocolate FactorytitledCharlie and the Chocolate Factory.Tim Burton’s edgier take onCharlie and the Chocolate Factoryincluded one of Johnny Depp’s best performances as Willy Wonka, retelling the classic Roald Dahl story once more through a more modern lens.
In updating its humor, the film included a few tongue-in-cheek references to popular culture.
Among these references included yet another nod to2001: A Space Odysseyvia the score.While entering Willy Wonka’s cutting-edge TV room, Charlie, Grandpa Joe, and Mike Teavee witness a massive chocolate bar being beamed into a television, accounting for the smaller size of the screen that the bar would be translated to. The appearance of the massive treat bears a striking resemblance to the infamousmonolith from2001: A Space Odyssey, and the film acknowledges this via the soundtrack.
7The Big Bus
Released In 1976
1976’sThe Big Busis a rare film that might be most famous for its use ofAlso Sprach Zarathustra, with its inclusion in the score easily being its standout scene. The little-known action comedy is a parody of the disaster films that were popular at the time such asAirportandEarthquake.The plot revolves around the cross-country trip of the so-called “Cyclops”, a massive nuclear-powered bus of epic proportions.
The Big Busgets use out ofAlso Sprach Zarathustrawhen the titular vehicle is rolled out from its massive custom garage for the first time.As the impressive chassis of the Cyclops gradually unfurls, its length seems to never end in a shot evocative of the famous Star Destroyer opening shot ofStar Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.The song helps to emphasize the staggering size of the bus, even if it is ultimately played for laughs.
6Barbie
Released In 2023
Of course,Zoolanderisn’t the only film to make comedic reference to the “Dawn of Man” segment of2001: A Space Odyssey.Barbieis one-half ofthe beloved “Barbbenheimer” duoto storm theaters in 2023, telling a gut-bustingly funny fairytale about the famous Mattel doll coming to life and ruminating on her place in the world.The film opens with a hilarious parody of the opening of2001: A Space Odyssey.
The score even replicates Kubrick’s famous edit of the bone flying in the air becoming a space station, pulling a similar trick with a baby doll and theBarbietitle.
Barbieuses a nearly identical set to2001: A Space Odysseyin its opening moments, although the apes are replaced with young girls and the monolith is replaced with Barbie herself.Of course,Also Sprach Zarathustraswells in the background and Barbie blesses the girls with knowledge just as the monolith does, freeing them from the shackles of pantomime motherhood via baby dolls with an innovative new option for play. The score even replicates Kubrick’s famous edit of the bone flying in the air becoming a space station, pulling a similar trick with a baby doll and theBarbietitle.
5Everything Everywhere All At Once
Released In 2022
Despite having a heartfelt message and some shockingly engaging martial arts choreography,Everything Everywhere All At Onceis fundamentally an absurdist comedy at its core.The film centers on Evelyn, a woman whose life is falling apart only to be thrust into an interdimensional conflict spurred on by an evil, nihilistic version of her daughter bent on destroying all of reality. At one point, Evelyn finds herself in a strange parallel reality in which humans with hot dogs for fingers have become the dominant life form on the planet.
The film punctuates the absurd situation with an off-key rendition ofAlso Sprach Zarathustraplayed on out-of tune instruments, highlighting the bizarre universe even further. Of course, the scene also provides an origin story that homages the reliable “Dawn of Man” segment of2001: A Space Odysseyas a hot-dog-fingered ape beats a normal-handed one to death. Many films have parodiedAlso Sprach Zarathustrato the point of no return, butEverything Everywhere All At Onceprovides a new comedic angle for the iconic song.
4Ghostbusters II
Released In 1989
Ghostbusters IIsits at a contentious spot amongthe manyGhostbustersmovies,but it can’t be said that the disappointing sequel didn’t at least have some good ideas for gags. The original Ghostbusters' second cinematic outing sees them go up against Vigo the Carpathian, whose plans force the Ghostbusters back into action after being disbanded for years. While its use ofAlso Sprach Zarathustrais far more subtle compared to other comedies, it’s a charming beat in an otherwise middling franchise entry.
Picking up their proton packs and turning them on for the first time in years, the Ghostbusters hum the iconic opening perfect fifth notes ofAlso Sprach Zarathustra. Drawing a humorous parallel between Ray’s name and the solfège system used to name notes (as in, “do re mi fa sol la ti do”), Peter sings “Do” as Ray sings “Re”, only for Egon to misunderstand and triumphantly complete the notes with his own name.It’s a fun bit of banter that makes light of the importance of the moment, as the Ghostbusters are wont to do.
3The Substance
Released In 2024
Breaking new ground as one of the fewOscar-nominated horror movies,The Substanceis just as funny as it is disgusting. The film centers on Demi Moore’s character, Elisabeth Sparkle, an aged star who has become insecure about her fading looks. To maintain relevancy, she begins using the dangerous “Substance”, which allows her to split her time between a younger beautiful body, “Sue”, and her original self.
It isn’t long before the misuse of The Substance merges Elisabeth and Sue into a nightmarish Cronenberg monster referred to by the title cards as “Monstro Elisasue”.As the multi-headed, many-limbed abomination shuffles out to the world stage,Also Sprach Zarathustrarings ominously, a notable deviation from the film’s typical driving electronic OST.The epic arrangement helps tout Monstro Elisasue’s horrid transformation as something worthy of awe, a point-of-no-return in body dysmorphia.
22010: The Year We Make Contact
Released In 1984
Despite how ground-breaking and well-known the original film is, few audiences are even aware that2001: A Space Odysseyeven has a sequel,2010: The Year We Make Contact.Based off of the original novel’s sequel,2010: Odyssey Two, the film takes place not long after the events of the first film.The plot follows a joint crew made up of Soviet and American astronauts headed into space to determine what became of the originalDiscovery Onemission.
With unfairly mixed reviews, the follow-up film more closely examines the themes of transhumanism that were only implied in the original.Of course,Also Sprach Zarathustramakes a triumphant return in the film’s climax, in which a group of monoliths manages to turn Jupiter into a new star.This, in turn, causes the icy moon of the gas giant, Europa, to become a lush jungle, which is dutifully watched over by yet another monolith.
12001: A Space Odyssey
Released In 1968
Of course,Also Sprach Zarathustraowes all of its pop culture relevance to the original2001: A Space Odyssey,which heavily utilized the tune throughout. Kubrick’s space opera epic tells a tale of human evolution in four parts, as its characters go from frightened animals barely able to smack together two pieces of bone to intrepid astronauts exploring the outer limits of human sensation. Kubrick’s use of classical music in the score is almost more important than the film’s sparse dialogue.
It’s no accident that Kubrick used a song inspired by the works of Friedrich Nietzsche for the triumphant moment in whichthe mysterious Star Childis revealed. Nietzsche often spoke about a sort of advanced final stage of human development, referred to as the Übermensch. WithAlso Sprach Zarathustra,Kubrick gives his take on what the Übermensch might look like with a grandeur only that song in particular can provide, inspiring the song’s use in countlessmoviessince.
