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2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

G 141 min  -  Adventure | Sci-Fi  -   6 April 1968 (USA)
8.4
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Ratings: 8.4/10 from 214,168 users   Metascore: 86/100 
Reviews: 1,457 user | 202 critic | 14 from Metacritic.com

Mankind finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, artifact buried on the moon and, with the intelligent computer HAL, sets off on a quest.

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

Stanley Kubrick (screenplay), Arthur C. Clarke (screenplay), and 1 more credit »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keir Dullea ...
Gary Lockwood ...
William Sylvester ...
Daniel Richter Daniel Richter ...
Leonard Rossiter Leonard Rossiter ...
Margaret Tyzack ...
Robert Beatty Robert Beatty ...
Sean Sullivan Sean Sullivan ...
Douglas Rain Douglas Rain ...
HAL 9000 (voice)
Frank Miller Frank Miller ...
Bill Weston Bill Weston ...
Ed Bishop Ed Bishop ...
Aries-1B Lunar Shuttle Captain (as Edward Bishop)
Glenn Beck Glenn Beck ...
Alan Gifford Alan Gifford ...
Ann Gillis Ann Gillis ...
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Storyline

"2001" is a story of evolution. Sometime in the distant past, someone or something nudged evolution by placing a monolith on Earth (presumably elsewhere throughout the universe as well). Evolution then enabled humankind to reach the moon's surface, where yet another monolith is found, one that signals the monolith placers that humankind has evolved that far. Now a race begins between computers (HAL) and human (Bowman) to reach the monolith placers. The winner will achieve the next step in evolution, whatever that may be. Written by Larry Cousins  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Monolith | Computer | Moon | Evolution | Ape  | See more »

Taglines:

Man's colony on the Moon... a whole new generation has been born and is living there... a quarter-million miles from Earth. See more »

Genres:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Russian (only a few words)

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

2001: Odisea del espacio See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$10,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$190,700,000 (Worldwide) (31 December 1984)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | (premiere cut)

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Stanley Kubrick biographer John Baxter, Kubrick decided to use the Sinar Front Projection system for the desert backdrops during the animal/ape scenes. This method was selected because rear projection of the desert scenes would have proved too murky for Super Panavision. The use of the Sinar system explains why in the scene where the leopard is sitting next to the dead zebra (in reality a painted dead horse) the leopard's eyes glow a bright color. The Sinar system used glass transparencies as backdrops; however, the projectors necessary for this system were so hot that a draft or a breath could crack the glass. As a result, crew members were required to wear face masks, which started a long-persistent rumor that Kubrick had a paranoia of catching infections. See more »

Goofs

Continuity: When Dr. Floyd has finished flipping through photographs on his way to the TMA-1 moon base, during the cut where he says "Deliberately buried," he is holding a different photograph from the one he is holding in the preceding and succeeding shots. See more »

Quotes

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

Crazy Credits

"Thus Spake Zarathustra" is the only musical piece in the film whose conductor and orchestra are not mentioned in the closing credits. For all other pieces, the orchestra which plays it, and the conductor who leads it, are given screen credit. See more »


Soundtracks

"Atmospheres"
(1961)
Music by György Ligeti
Performed by the Southwest German Radio Orchestra
Conducted by Ernest Bour See more »