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IMDb > 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey
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2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) More at IMDbPro »

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Lawrence of Arabia (1962) -- AFI's 10 Top 10 - The 10 Greatest Films in 10 Classic Genres
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) -- Mankind finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, artifact buried on the moon and, with the intelligent computer HAL, sets off on a quest.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Stanley Kubrick (screenplay) &
Arthur C. Clarke (screenplay)
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Contact:
View company contact information for 2001: A Space Odyssey on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 April 1968 (USA) more
Tagline:
Let the Awe and Mystery of a Journey Unlike Any Other Begin more
Plot:
Mankind finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, artifact buried on the moon and, with the intelligent computer HAL, sets off on a quest. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(28 articles)
Blade Runner Named Top Sci-fi Movie
 (From WENN. 5 August 2009, 5:11 AM, PDT)

Berlin Film Fest To Spotlight 70mm Classics
 (From Studio Briefing - Film News. 30 October 2008, 2:37 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Cosmic Art more (1314 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
How the Solar System Was Won (USA) (working title)
Journey Beyond the Stars (USA) (working title)
Two Thousand and One: A Space Odyssey (USA) (alternative spelling)
more
Runtime:
141 min | 160 min (premiere cut)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | DTS 70 mm (2001 re-release)
Certification:
Spain:T | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2007) | New Zealand:PG | Malaysia:U | Argentina:13 | Israel:PG | Canada:PG (Alberta) (2009) | UK:12 (blu-ray) (2009) | Australia:G | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (1969) | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | USA:G | West Germany:12 | Ireland:G | Brazil:Livre

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The phrase "See you next Wednesday" is heard for the first time during the scene in which Poole receives birthday greetings from his parents. The phrase would become a trademark of director John Landis who would use it in many of his movies. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the 70mm version you can see passengers moving inside the illuminated windows of the Pan Am space shuttle enroute to the space station. However, the following interior shot shows that Dr. Floyd is the sole passenger. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Aries-1B stewardess: Here you are, sir, main level please.
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Thus Spoke Zarathustra more

FAQ

I just watched '2001: A Space Odyssey,' and I didn't really understand what was happening. How can I understand the film better?
Were those actual apes in the Dawn of Man sequence?
Why doesn't Dave's pod fly off into space when the hatch blows?
more
171 out of 256 people found the following comment useful.
Cosmic Art, 6 February 2005
10/10
Author: Lechuguilla from Dallas, Texas

Mankind's Self awakening is the theme of "2001: A Space Odyssey", a process that unfolds along a space-time continuum. We "see" our primordial past, and we "infer" a cosmic future. The powers of intuition thus become the doors of perception, in our ongoing collective journey.

From this transcendental perspective, a conventional, egocentric plot seems superfluous. Our frenzied conflicts and self-important dialogue are consumed in evolutionary change, and are irrelevant in a cosmos that is vast beyond comprehension. It's a tough lesson for a vain and aggressive species. Not surprising then that some of us huff and puff about the film's slowness and minimal story. For perceptive viewers, the remuneration is an inspirational sense of wonder and awe.

In this film, which is mostly visual, geometric symbols guide our intuition. Circles and arcs represent nature. Right angles represent conscious intelligence. Some people think the sleek, black monolith is a Von Neumann probe. Maybe. Without doubt, the monolith is a visual metaphor for an extraterrestrial intelligence whose physical form is never shown. Mystery is more profound than explanation.

"2001 ... " is unique among films in content and scope. The cinematography is out-of-this-world, the special and visual effects are breathtaking, and the classical music is sublime. I rarely use the word "masterpiece" to describe a movie. But Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" is art in the highest sense, like Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", or Vincent Van Gogh's "The Starry Night".

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Other movies that make you think? superdaveydavedavid
did anyone else find the movie slightly scary? gregyb-92
The decor in the space station...I have found it! jamie147
Please Help! Need questions answered for college paper n_cullen14
Last meal steve-544-31268
Watched it for the first time today adamjoshjay
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