2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

Stanley Kubrick (screenplay) and
Arthur C. Clarke (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

11 April 1968 (Japan)

Genre:

Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Let the Awe and Mystery of a Journey Unlike Any Other Begin

Plot:

Humanity finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, object buried beneath the Lunar surface and, with the intelligent computer H.A.L. 9000, sets off on a quest.

Plot Keywords:

Monolith | Computer | Evolution | Moon | Astronaut

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 12 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Keir Dullea	...	Dr. Dave Bowman
Gary Lockwood	...	Dr. Frank Poole
William Sylvester	...	Dr. Heywood R. Floyd
Daniel Richter	...	Moon-Watcher
Leonard Rossiter	...	Dr. Andrei Smyslov
Margaret Tyzack	...	Elena
Robert Beatty	...	Dr. Ralph Halvorsen
Sean Sullivan	...	Dr. Bill Michaels
Douglas Rain	...	HAL 9000 (voice)
Frank Miller	...	Mission Controller (voice)
Bill Weston	...	Astronaut
Ed Bishop	...	Aries-1B Lunar Shuttle Captain (as Edward Bishop)
Glenn Beck	...	Astronaut
Alan Gifford	...	Poole's Father
Ann Gillis	...	Poole's Mother
Edwina Carroll	...	Aries-1B Stewardess
Penny Brahms	...	Stewardess
Heather Downham	...	Stewardess
Mike Lovell	...	Astronaut
John Ashley	...	Ape
Jimmy Bell	...	Ape
David Charkham	...	Ape
Simon Davis	...	Ape
Jonathan Daw	...	Ape
Péter Delmár	...	Ape (as Peter Delmar)
Terry Duggan	...	Ape Attacked by Leopard
David Fleetwood	...	Ape
Danny Grover	...	Ape
Brian Hawley	...	Ape
David Hines	...	Ape
Tony Jackson	...	Ape
John Jordan	...	Ape
Scott MacKee	...	Ape (as Scott Mackee)
Laurence Marchant	...	Ape
Darryl Paes	...	Ape
Joe Refalo	...	Ape
Andy Wallace	...	Ape
Bob Wilyman	...	Ape
Richard Woods	...	Ape Killed by Moon-Watcher (as Richard Wood)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Martin Amor	...	Interviewer (uncredited)
S. Newton Anderson	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Sheraton Blount	...	(uncredited)
Ann Bormann	...	(uncredited)
John Clifford	...	TMA-1 Site Technician #2 (uncredited)
Julie Croft	...	(uncredited)
Penny Francis	...	(uncredited)
Jane Hayward	...	(uncredited)
Kenneth Kendall	...	BBC-12 Announcer (uncredited)
Vivian Kubrick	...	Squirt - Floyd's Daughter (uncredited)
Marcella Markham	...	(uncredited)
Irena Marr	...	Russian Scientist (uncredited)
Krystyna Marr	...	Russian Scientist (uncredited)
Kim Neil	...	(uncredited)
Jane Pearl	...	(uncredited)
Penny Pearl	...	(uncredited)
Kevin Scott	...	Miller (uncredited)
John Swindells	...	TMA-1 Site Technician #1 (uncredited)
Burnell Tucker	...	TMA-1 Site Photographer (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Kubrick

Writing credits
Stanley Kubrick		(screenplay) and
Arthur C. Clarke		(screenplay)
Arthur C. Clarke		(story "The Sentinel") uncredited

Produced by
Stanley Kubrick	....	producer
Victor Lyndon	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Unsworth		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ray Lovejoy		(film editor)

Casting by
James Liggat		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Ernest Archer
Harry Lange
Anthony Masters		(as Tony Masters)

Art Direction by
John Hoesli

Set Decoration by
Robert Cartwright		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup
Colin Arthur	....	special effects makeup artist (uncredited) (ape masks)
Carol Beckett	....	key hair stylist (uncredited)
Graham Freeborn	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Kay Freeborn	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Alice Holmes	....	key hair stylist (uncredited)
Richard Mills	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Charles E. Parker	....	makeup supervisor (uncredited)
Mibs Parker	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)
Hugh Richards	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Muriel Rickaby	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Daphne Vollmer	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Ronnie Bear	....	post-production manager (uncredited)
Clifton Brandon	....	production manager (uncredited)
Eddie Frewin	....	unit production manager (uncredited)
Robert Watts	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Cracknell	....	first assistant director
Richard Hoult	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Richard Jenkins	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Brian Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Martin Atkinson	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Frank Bruton	....	property master (uncredited)
Wally Bull	....	master plasterer (uncredited)
Chris Burke	....	stand-by painter (uncredited)
R. Burton	....	engineering draughtsman (uncredited)
Roy Cannon	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Roy Carnon	....	scientific design specialist (uncredited)
Reg Carter	....	stand-by carpenter (uncredited)
Peter Childs	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
John Fenner	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Alan Fraiser	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Dick Frift	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Anna Garrett	....	art department typist (uncredited)
Henry Gomez	....	stand-by plasterer (uncredited)
John Graysmark	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Les Hillman	....	moon construction engineer (uncredited)
Jack Holden	....	set dresser (uncredited)
James Holmes	....	stand-by stagehand (uncredited)
Tommy Ibbetson	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Bill Isaacs	....	production buyer (uncredited)
P. Jarratt	....	engineering draughtsman (uncredited)
Theresa Kendall	....	art department secretary (uncredited)
Phil Lanning	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Malcolm Legge	....	stagehand carpenter (uncredited)
Robert McCall	....	conceptual designer (uncredited)
Jumbo Miall	....	drapes (uncredited)
Liz Moore	....	designer: Star Child (uncredited)
Olivier Mourgue	....	interior designer: Discovery (uncredited)
Stan Odgen	....	plasterer's laborer (uncredited)
G. Payne	....	moon construction engineer (uncredited)
Anthony Pratt	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
Tony Reading	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
John Rose	....	technical illustrator (uncredited)
John Siddall	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Wallis Smith	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Penny Struthers	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Alan Tomkins	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Gus Walker	....	TMA-1 construction manager (uncredited)
Frank Willson	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
John Young	....	technical illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
H.L. Bird	....	sound mixer
Winston Ryder	....	sound editor
J.B. Smith	....	chief dubbing mixer
A.W. Watkins	....	sound supervisor
Bill Cook	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Robin Gregory	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Ernie Grimsdale	....	assistant dubbing editor (uncredited)
Michael Hickey	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)
Neil Stevenson	....	sound maintenance (uncredited)
Don Wortham	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ron Ballanger	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Les Bowie	....	special effects additional supervisor (uncredited)
Colin Brewer	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)
Ted Creed	....	special effects engineer (uncredited)
Bob Cuff	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Roger Dicken	....	special effects artwork (uncredited)
Wally Gentleman	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)
Jimmy Harris	....	special effects (uncredited)
Fred Heather	....	special effects (uncredited)
Graham Hooper	....	special effects stills printer (uncredited)
Garth Inns	....	special effects (uncredited)
Brian Johnson	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Valerie Kent	....	special effects department secretary (uncredited)
Antonio Margheriti	....	special effects (uncredited)
Dan McGowen	....	special effects stills printer (uncredited)
Curly Nelhams	....	special effects (uncredited)
Hilary Ann Pickburn	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
George Pollack	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)
Douglas Potts	....	special effects model maker (uncredited)
Joy Seddon	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Charles Staffell	....	special effects additional supervisor (uncredited)
Delia Tindall	....	special effects department secretary (uncredited)
Tori Traynor	....	special effects runner (uncredited)
Jimmy Ward	....	special effects (uncredited)
Tom Welford	....	special effects maintenance (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Colin Cantwell	....	special photographic effects (as Colin J. Cantwell)
Tom Howard	....	special photographic effects supervisor
Stanley Kubrick	....	special photographic effects designer
Stanley Kubrick	....	special photographic effects director
Bryan Loftus	....	special photographic effects
Bruce Logan	....	special photographic effects
John Jack Malick	....	special photographic effects
Frederick Martin	....	special photographic effects
David Osborne	....	special photographic effects
Con Pederson	....	special photographic effects supervisor
Douglas Trumbull	....	special photographic effects supervisor
Wally Veevers	....	special photographic effects supervisor
Herbert Bailey	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Brian Bennett	....	visual effects floor camera department (uncredited)
Peter Biggs	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Martin Body	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Martin Body	....	visual effects floor camera department (uncredited)
Jim Budd	....	matte camera printer (uncredited)
Joy Cuff	....	model maker (uncredited)
William C. Davies	....	airbrush artist (uncredited)
Jim Dickson	....	technical animation specialist (uncredited)
Linwood G. Dunn	....	background plates (uncredited)
Bernard Ford	....	visual effects floor camera department (uncredited)
Jenny Foster	....	blob artist (uncredited)
John Gant	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Edward Gerald	....	animation stand (uncredited)
Martin Goldsmith	....	animation stand (uncredited)
Caird Green	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Ann Griffiths	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Fran Guye	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Denis Hall	....	rostrum cameraman (uncredited)
Peter Harman	....	visual effects floor camera department (uncredited)
Paul Haywood	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Graham Hooper	....	visual effects stills printer (uncredited)
John Horton	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Tom Howard	....	front projection supervisor (uncredited)
Jeremy Hume	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Malcolm Kafetz	....	optical special properties (uncredited)
Sarah Katz	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Martin Kelly	....	camera operator: visual effects unit (uncredited)
Trevor Lawrence	....	airbrush artist (uncredited)
Alf Levy	....	airbrush artist (uncredited)
Bruce Logan	....	animation artist (uncredited)
John Mackey	....	miniatures camera (uncredited)
Robin McDonnell	....	second visual effects assistant editor (uncredited)
Dan McGowen	....	visual effects stills printer (uncredited)
Bob Nadkarni	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Roy Naisbitt	....	animation artist (uncredited)
David Osborne	....	director of photography: visual effects unit (uncredited)
Terry Pearce	....	visual effects floor camera department (uncredited)
Zoran Perisic	....	animation stand (uncredited)
David Peterson	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Catherine Philby	....	blob artist (uncredited)
William Plampton	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Douglas Potts	....	model maker (uncredited)
Hapugoda Premaratne	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Hilary Randall	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Bob Rickerd	....	visual effects floor camera department (uncredited)
Livia Rolandini	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Clive Sheperd	....	blob supervisor (uncredited)
James Simpson	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Gary Sinclair	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Jaiseet Singh	....	animation stand (uncredited)
Dennis Smith	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Jack Spooner	....	matte camera printer (uncredited)
Charles Staffell	....	back projection supervisor (uncredited)
Phil Stokes	....	miniatures assistant (uncredited)
David Temple	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Roger Turner	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Nigel Walter	....	blob artist (uncredited)
David Watkins	....	blob artist (uncredited)
James Wilkins	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Brian Wilsher	....	blob artist (uncredited)
Ron Wooster	....	matte camera printer (uncredited)
Richard Yuricich	....	additional matte photography (uncredited)

Stunts
Brian Chutter	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Bobby Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robin Dawson-Whisker	....	stunt double (uncredited)
John Francis	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Gerry Judge	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Eddie Milburn	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Tom Sheppard	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Bill Weston	....	stunt double: Keir Dullea (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Alcott	....	additional photography
Kelvin Pike	....	camera operator
Kevin Bray	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Don Budge	....	grip (uncredited)
David Cadwallader	....	grip (uncredited)
John Campbell	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Robert Gaffney	....	director of photography: Monument Valley (uncredited)
Norman Godden	....	camera maintenance (uncredited)
Peter Hannan	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
John Jay	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bill Jeffrey	....	chief lighting technician (uncredited)
Bryan Loftus	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Peter MacDonald	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jed Murphy	....	electrician (uncredited)
David Osborne	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Terry Pearce	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Graham Scaife	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Gilbert Taylor	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
George Walker	....	assistant chief lighting technician (uncredited)
Michael Wilson	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Ken Worringham	....	camera operator (uncredited)
David Wynn-Jones	....	clapper loader (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hardy Amies	....	wardrobe
David Baker	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)
Mary Gibson	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)
Duncan McPhee	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)
Eileen Sullivan	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)
John Wilson-Apperson	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
David de Wilde	....	editorial assistant (as David De Wilde)
Stewart Brown	....	color consultant: Technicolor (uncredited)
Doug Haig	....	color consultant: Technicolor (uncredited)
Harry V. Jones	....	color timer (uncredited)
Bob Mullen	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Alice Yendell	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Patrick Moore	....	musical consultant (uncredited)
Frank J. Urioste	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Terry Brown	....	driver (uncredited)
Ron Coldham	....	driver (uncredited)
Michael Connor	....	driver: Mr. Kubrick (uncredited)
Eddie Frewin	....	transportation captain (uncredited)
Jim Warner	....	driver: Mr. Kubrick (uncredited)

Other crew
Frederick I. Ordway III	....	scientific consultant
Colin Arthur	....	laboratory assistant (uncredited)
John Barnett	....	stills technician (uncredited)
Domeny Bernie	....	typist (uncredited)
Shrish Bhatt	....	accounts inventory clerk (uncredited)
Andrew Birkin	....	assistant: Mr. Kubrick (uncredited)
Elizabeth Brady	....	assistant: Christine Mitchell (uncredited)
Roger Caras	....	unit publicist: USA (uncredited)
Pamela Carlton	....	continuity (uncredited)
Merle Chamberlin	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Brian Chutter	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Patrick Clayton	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Robin Dawson-Whitaker	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Terry Duggan	....	wrangler (uncredited)
George Dunn	....	projectionist (uncredited)
Anthony Frewin	....	assistant: Mr. Kubrick (uncredited)
Adrian Haggard	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Keith Hamshere	....	stills filing clerk (uncredited)
Brian Harris	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Margaret Hattam	....	typist (uncredited)
Jill Hollamby	....	assistant: Christine Mitchell (uncredited)
Randee Lynne Jensen	....	distribution executive (uncredited)
Gerry Judge	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Peter Lancaster	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Harry Lange	....	advisor: aeronautics (uncredited)
John Locke	....	dark room assistant (uncredited)
Robert McCall	....	publicity artist (uncredited)
Richard McKenna	....	astronautics advisor (uncredited)
George Merritt	....	engineering shop manager (uncredited)
Hilary Messenger	....	publicity secretary (uncredited)
Eddie Milburn	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Marvin Minsky	....	technical consultant (uncredited)
Christine Mitchell	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Ormond G. Mitchell	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Michael Murray	....	runner (uncredited)
Sam Nolan	....	caterer (uncredited)
Daphne Paice	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Beti Parry	....	secretary: Mr. Bear (uncredited)
Ron Phipps	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Arthur Porter	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Ivor Powell	....	publicist (uncredited)
Ivor Powell	....	publicity department liaison (uncredited)
Benn Reyes	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Daniel Richter	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Monica Rogers	....	production department secretary (uncredited)
Iris Rose	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Mike Round	....	print librarian (uncredited)
Tom Sheppard	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Elaine Simms	....	secretary: Mr. Caras (uncredited)
Roy Simpson	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Jack Stephens	....	location manager (uncredited)
Dan S. Terrell	....	publicity supervisor (uncredited)
Edna Thomas	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Edna Tromans	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Margaret Warrington	....	secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Stanley Kubrick Productions (as A Stanley Kubrick Production)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (as MGM/UA)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1968) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1968) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Filmipaja (1968) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1968) (France) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1977) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Turner Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Japan) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Italy) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (2002) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Italy) (DVD) (special edition)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (two-disc special edition)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1968) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Esselte Video (????) (Sweden) (VHS)
• MGM/CBS Home Video (1981) (USA) (video) (CED VideoDisc)
• Sandrews (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Varus Video (????) (Russia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Other Companies

• Ashton Mitchell Howlett  freight agency
• Barnett International Forwarders  freight agency
• Crest Digital  restoration work
• Elite Car Hire  additional transportation
• Elstree Film & Television Studios  movie studio
• Eugene's Flying Ballets  aerial wire work
• Mac's Minicabs  additional transportation
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Universal Edition  score published by ("Atmospheres")
• Wergo  music sourced by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

141 min | 160 min (premiere cut)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | DTS 70 mm (2001 re-release)

Certification:

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 (Approved No. 21197) | West Germany:12 | Ireland:G | Brazil:Livre | Spain:T | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | 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) | Japan:G (2010) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Stanley Kubrick worked for several months with effects technicians to come up with a convincing effect for the floating pen in the shuttle sequence. After trying many different techniques, without success, Kubrick decided to simply use a pen that was taped to a sheet of glass and suspended in front of the camera. In fact, the shuttle attendant can be seen to "pull" the pen off the glass when she takes hold of it.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the initial running scene with Dr. Poole on the ship, at the beginning the side with the two occupied long term sleeping units are on his left. In the last shot, they are on his right.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Aries-1B stewardess:Here you are, sir, main level please.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Disaster! (2006)

Soundtrack:

Gayaneh Ballet Suite

Greatest Movie of All Time

Instead of writing a paragraph, I'll give four good reasons why 2001 is the greatest cinema experience of all time: 1) It is a visual Odyssey that could only be told on the big screen. The special effects that won Kubrick his only Oscar are the most stunning effects before that age of Jurassic Park and T2. They allow Kubrick to give an accurate (or at least are the most accurate) depiction of space travel to date. The silence that fills the space scenes not only serves its purpose as accurate science, but also adds to the mood of the film (to be discussed in a later point with HAL). The fact that Kubrick shot the moon scenes before the Apollo landing is a gutsy yet fulfilling move. Many have said that upon its original release, it was a favorite "trip" movie. I can think of no other movie that has such amazing visuals for its time and even of all time (sorry Phantom Menace fans!) 2) Kubrick's directing style is terrific. As in all his films, Kubrick likes to use his camera as means to delve into the psychology of his characters and plots. His camera is not as mobile as other greats, such as Scorsese, but instead sits and watches the narrative unfold. Faces are the key element of a Kubrick film. Like classic movies, such as M and Touch of Evil, Kubrick focuses on the characters' faces to give the audience a psychological view-point. Even he uses extreme close-ups of HAL's glowing red "eye" to show the coldness and determination of the computerizd villain. I could go on, but in summation Kubrick is at the hieght of his style. 3) HAL 9000 is one of the most villainous characters in film history. I whole-heartedly agree with the late Gene Siskle's opinion of HAL 9000. Most of this film takes place in space. Through the use of silence and the darkness of space itself, a mood of isolation is created. Dave and his crewmen are isolated between earth and jupiter, with nowhere to escape. Combine this mood with the cold, calculated actions of HAL 9000 and you have the most fearful villain imaginable. I still, although having see this film several times, feel my chest tighten in a particular scene. 4) The controversial ending of 2001 always turns people away from this film. Instead of trying to give my opinion of the what it means and what my idea of 2001's meaning in general is, I'd like to discuss the fact that the ending serves to leave the movie open-ended. Kubrick has stated that he inteded to make 2001 open for discussion. He left its meaning in the hands of the viewer. By respecting the audience's intelligence, Kubrick allowed his movie to be the beginning, not the end, of a meaningful discussion on man's past, present, and future. The beauty of 2001 is that the ending need not mean anything deep, it can just be a purely plot driven explanation and the entire movie can be viewed as an entertaining journey through space. No other movie, save the great Citizen Kane, leaves itself open to discussion like 2001. It is truly meant to be a surreal journey that involves not only the eye but the mind. Instead of waiting in long lines for the Phantom Menace, rent a widescreen edition of 2001 and enjoy the greatest cinematic experience.