I'm watching this last night again, with a good buzz going. UHD Dolby Vision. It's the gift that keeps on giving. There's always something new to see. A true masterpiece. This is about the monolith propelling ape-man toward humankind, and then empowering computers to go beyond humankind. Basically, we don't know what the hell's going on with the universe, and it's okay to devise your own interpretation. I'm glad that I'm alive to have enjoyed this film.
Saw it on release and am now watching my DVD of it for the 4th or 5th time. ( I had just watched Barry Lyndon on TCM and thought it time to watch 2oo1. Funnily enough, Leonard Rossiter is in both movies). Visually and musically (the score) the movie is stunning. I thought the opening scenes were overly long. The meaning is mysterious, but I have long thought that the Monolith is a version of the God hypothesis (an explanation as to how we (Sapiens) came to be 'What a piece of work is man..) On my latest computers I wonder why that red seeing eye thing appears on the center of my screen when I open Windows 10. I want to say, is that you Hal? I once had the Alex North soundtrack cd, sorry I no longer have it to check it out. A bit of it is on You Tube
For what it's worth it's currently free on tubi. Great slow moving spectacle. Not especially compelling, though.
Saw it in 1968 and loved it. Just bought the Blu-Ray and watched it last night. The film still holds up, doesn’t seem dated at all. Over the years I’ve tried turning younger people on to it and I always get the same response-Boring! I want to strangle them. I no longer waste my time.
I think perhaps if you had seen it in 1968, you would have found it completely compelling. Time has a way of diminishing the significance of cinema in historical retrospect. Audiences don't tend to have the patience for considering the context of the times. But yeah, still slow-moving in parts.
Saw a somewhat scatched 70mm print in a cinema in Madrid in July 97 and finally got it. The most sublime experience I have ever had in a cinema.
Movies that blew away the competition in the sixties Sound of music The graduate 2001 Butch Cassidy and Sundance kid. It amazes me 2001 was so big. I think of movies as date nights and I am stunned it was so popular. I saw it in 1973 at a midnight movie (After partying I was 18 ) . I fell asleep during stone age part. I woke up with the loud computer beeping sound I watched it a few years later. Deliberately slow paced it is unique. I would show clips to 8th grade students . They had lots of questions . The hominid with the first tool the ending or the part showing no sound in space when the guy is getting back in the spaceship when HAL has locked him out. I believe someone said it's an art film in this thread. That makes sense to me.
That Alex North score is totally and completely and absolutely wrong. WRONG. It's not in the film and has never been part of the film. It is NOT the 2001 score.
Man, I absolutely love 2001. It wasn't my first Kubrick, though - that honor belongs to "A Clockwork Orange" which my older sister got me when I was 14 years old (she would often do that with personal favorites of hers... thanks to her, I watched "Trainspotting" as well. These days, sadly, her multiple sclerosis is forcing her to stay at the hospital most of the time). But I digress. About 2001. First saw it when I was 19. From the eye-watering (to me) "Blue Danube" scene onward, I was sold. What a fantastic achievement in cinema. Absolutely one of the art form's high watermarks. Coincidentally, I revisited "Barry Lyndon" a few days ago. That one is similarly astonishing and breathtaking, if you ask me. Kubrick was a genius. Simple as that.
He's my favorite director without a doubt. My 4 favorites of his are in a row: Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001 and Clockwork Orange.
Great movie. Saw this when I was in high school, probably 71 so it must've been on tv. So much of it I didn't really get. Right after seeing the movie I read the book and understood what the heck was going on. It's much more enjoyable to watch when I know what's going on.
I love this movie, but, when it came out it did OK financially but took many re-releases to get the bank it made eventually. Family,friends, my parents and most critics including my 8 year old self thought it was boring as heck. As the years went on about 1973 or so I went with my Mom to see it again and slowly we all learned to admire it. As more years went on we loved it. It's not for everyone as was said in this thread. Kubrick has been made into a God these last few decades. I don't get it. All I remember is that he was frequently critiqued poorly by the press and loved by industry tech guys and nerds which I am one, sometimes, and we all grew to love his style. It is weird but the only film that was constantly talked about in my family and neighborhood gatherings was "Spartacus" and he was basically a director for hire. Great 4k, in fact all his 4k releases are wonderful. We all have different opinions and experiences so that's all. He was amazing. John M.
Purchased the Arthur C. Clark book, novella, and a making of guide around the mid '70s and understood things better. The thing that grinds at me is must a moviegoer go to this much effort to understand a piece of film art? I enjoyed the treasure hunt sort of speak but my elders had no time for such a trek. John M.
