2001 - A Space Odyssey (DVD 2001)

I first saw this film at a local cinema around the mid 80's and was left feeling quite numb afterwards (like the feeling you get when you are awake in the early hours, outside somewhere remote, lying on your back looking up at an amazing starscape!!) This film raises alot of issues to do with life, birth, reincarnation, artificial intelligence and evolution. If you want relaxing entertainment dont buy this film. However if you want mental stimulation and to use your own imagination fuelled by the images and ideas projected in this movie then it is an absolute must see. People are still trying to interpret Kubricks imense project which is a testement in itself. The space scenes are amazing and still look beleivable today whic surely says an awfull lot about how good the cinematics and effects are (imagine watching this back then - absolutely mind blowing) In addition the musical score makes this film a joy to watch as huge classical pieces are matched up with flambyant space manouvres. If you are a real film buff you need to have an opinion on this classic !!!

2nd hand copy of one of my favourite films. Box was a bit tatty but the Dvd's perfect. Delivered within the week. Great.

An absolute Classic, great dialogue, direction and story. A small cast with the added extra cast member being a paranoid murderous Computer HAL900 (can't understand why no-one has made a fridge or similar with the same name). Spectacular scenes with many subjective answers to the many questions that the film brigs up. Favorite scene, the de-activation of HAL, that plus the bridge between the apes and the spaceship then and now:

A winner all round, the book went into more detail at the end, so if you find yourself wanting more, then try the book too!

Bought because the VHS copy i had was a bit faded.

It's hard to describe to someone who has not seen this film, just what it is like. It is easy to say what it is about: Man finds a monolith on the moon - an impassive watcher that has awaited our advance into space. This sends signal to a larger monolith floating in the la-grange point near venus (saturn in the book; but for technical reasons of filming this was changed)....cue a manned flight that was scheduled for other business being diverted to investigate.

There - that was easy enough; but it is how this film tells the story that amazes.

There is minimal dialogue and room for a myriad interpretations, of each nuance in the cinematography. Whay was that shot just so? Why no music here? What on earth does that mean? Is that computer really a maniac? What has Dave become now and where is he?

From the stunning visuals, the choices of classical music, to the haunting vocal delivery of the HAL9000 computer and 'his' interplay with the wonderfully played Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) - the film outperforms any description.
It should be on everyone's must see-must own list. I lost my copy and had to buy a new one, as i must watch this at least once a month!

A film I had to have in my collection. It's seminal images are weaved like a thread through popular culture at so many levels. Possibly the director's bset film apart from Strangelove.

how i had managed to go the 29 years of my life without my path crossing with this film i do not know, especially as i would describe myself as a kubrick fan!at first glance the film can seem a little dated but then the soundtrack kicks in and the hairs on the back of your kneck stand to attention and you remember that if you saw star wars for the first time now the images would not be as striking as these. the soundtarck is awesome and even though it is instantly recognisable you see immediately why it has been paradied so often.
the film jumps from 3 major period in mans evolution and like the best classic storys leaves more down to interpretation than explanaition. enough is offered by kubrick to suggest what is being said with enough grey areas to leave the viewer questioning and hungry for explanaition - for me this is the key to this film. the balance of the striking visual insinuations (evolution/sperm shaped spaceships) the characters (technology/man) and the aim of the mission (also more importantly the outcome) give numerous potential paralells which have met with endless discusion and interpretation which the filmakers have never endorsed.
this for me is the key to this film, it says what you want it to say and i have the feeling it will say something slightly different everytime you see it. i watched it for the first time yesterday and i cant wait to see it again. this is the highest compliment i think i could possibly pay any film.

2001 is primarily a technical film. The reason it is slow, and filled with minutae is because the aim was to realistically envision the future of technology (and the past, in the awe inspiring opening scenes). The film's greatest strength is in the details. Remember that when this film was made, man still hadn't made it out to the moon... but there it is in 2001, and that's just the start of the journey. To create such an incredibly detailed vision of the future that 35 years later it is still the best we have is beyond belief - I still can't work out how some of the shots were done. The film's only notable mistake was the optimism with which it predicted mankind's technological (and social) development. It is our shame that the year 2001 did not look like the film 2001, not Kubrick's.

Besides the incredible special effects, camera work and set design, Kubrick also presents the viewer with a lot of food for thought about what it means to be human, and where the human race is going. Yes, the ending is weird and hard to comprehend - but that's the nature of the future. Kubrick and Clarke have started the task of envisioning it, now it's up to the audience to continue. There's no neat resolution, no definitive full stop, because then the audience could stop thinking after the final reel. I know that's what most audiences seem to want these days, but Kubrick isn't going to let us off so lightly.

Brilliant story by the master of science fiction. Nasterfully directed by Stanley Kubrick. Gripping from it's ingenious start to the thought provoking finale. A must have for any science fiction collection.

I am no Sci Fi specialist - just a run of the mill film fan. This British film is, to my mind a classic pace-setter for sci-fi, and indeed cinema. It was made many years before digital technology in a studio in Borehamwood in the UK (1968!). The use of classical music was a major step forward - although it had been used before, this was a major film using Strauss! And dare I say the film was made before "the computer" was common knowledge! HAL was indeed sci-fi telling us what the future holds.
Kubrick's direction and attention to detail is "out of this world" for the age of the film!
Strongly recommend this film for anyone's DVD collection!

My very first viewing of 2001 was at the Cinerama Cinema in London UK when it was first released. I was offered a seat in the follow-spot gallery which is a cat-walk suspended off the front of the main balcony. All I could see from my seat was the hugh curved screen where I was placed in the centre. You can imagine how impressive the opening sequence was with the Richard Strauss "Thus Spake Zarathustra" music being played very loud and in excellent Hi-Fi quality; That combined with show-case visual quality as never seen before. This was a land-mark achievement only surpassed now by Imax cinema technology and what superb content. The genius of Arthur C. Clark and Stanley Kubrick combined and inspired by the big question: Where did we come from and where are we going ? No one has equalled the portrayal of the big question since and I will never forget the enchantment of 2001 A Space Oddysey.

I bought this for myself when a friend asked me to buy it for him as he said it was a 'must see' film. I thought it was brilliant and after watching it once discussed it with said friend and decided I need to watch it again to try to find the meaning of some of the symbolism. The rectangular carved rock for example? So many interpretations can be made, I need to see it again! Brilliant though, despite the 'eh?' factor.

OK, so it might not be the most thrilling story line ever but folks, lets make no bones about it, the cinematography of this movie is nothing short of outstanding. When I first watched this film on TCM on Sky, I thought afterward 'WTF!? What the hell was that about?'. After a couple of weeks though, I just couldn't stop thinking about it and was compelled to buy it on DVD and watch it again. For a film made in the 1960's (before man had even set foot on the moon), it really has aged well and you wouldn't know it was a film that is in fact 40 years old. One word - cinematography. And what beautiful cinematography at that. If you're into films that require no thought whatsoever (i'm thinking maybe chick flicks) then avoid this like the plague. If you want a truly beautiful thought provoking experience and are prepared to sit patiently through about 2.5 hours, then this is for you. A true classic.

This was a very good movie to watch, even though it is quite old and not up to spec when compared to the special effects of newer titles. Nevertheless, this is a classic and definitely worth a watch. The ambience created throughout the whole movie really gives you the sense of being alone in space greatly adding to the whole feel of the movie.

Things I didnt like, sometimes the scenes really dragged and the sound effects would repeat continuously to the point where you would either get hypnotised or quite annoyed.. especially if your using a home cinema system with a sub, some of the sounds effects really get to your head!

Other than that, visually, it is a masterpiece, considering the technological restrictions at the time. The HAL 9000 computer is my favourite, intent on killing the crew and self preservation... " Just what do you think you are you doing Dave?....Dave... I really think I'm entitled to an answer to that question Dave..I feel much better now..I really do.." That computer is just so eery and that voice... emotionless but you can feel the emotion it is trying to portray. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

8/10

From the start, pre-man 'the missing link' - to a big jump in evolution 'the future'. Dark, deep and diligent

This film although cutting edge at the time to me seemed a bit dated. The plot rather slow, and not drawing me into the plot. Soon lost intrest, all in all it would have to be said this was a movie of it's time. Not a bad movie just not for me.

A Monkey throws a bone, loses his hair, travels to Jupiter, hyperventilates, switches off computer, sees visions, grows old and becomes a baby, English baladeer later writes song about it, sequel 2010 is later filmed, computer fixed, baby vists mum then blows up Jupiter with help of fixed computer, two suns appear, everybody happy.

A classic film which should be in any serious sci fi collection.

Ending is a bit abstract and should have kept more to the original story.

One of THE Landmark Science Fiction Films of ALL TIME. Arthur C. Clarkes* vision of an omnipotent alien presence, which guides mankind to a conclusion which is shown in the Film 2010. You can actually believe the technology of 2001 exists today. Infact *ACC was too optomistic about mans acheivements in space. To have the Moonbase as shown in the film, will not become a reality for 50 to 100 years. Earths governments simply do not have the money, resources or inclination to acheive such a masterpiece of engineering. In conclusion 2001, is a visual feast accompanied by superb music, which I doubt will ever be bettered.

One of the greatest stories ever told. If you have read the book then the film is even better as you will understand what is going on much more.

Well worth a look if you are at all interested in Sci Fi, space exploration, etc.

An interesting movie, great visual and audio experience. how the hell did they get that zero gravity effect to look real?

While not stanley Kurbricks masterpiece, it is one of his best. At the same time there are parts of the movie that are long and drawn out.

The ending in itself is a bit strange and likely to leave a bad taste in the mouths of many.

the film :
monkeys - spaceships - trippy psychedelic wooshie visual trip - big space baby.
you have to watch this film, it's a blast.

Ide recently bought the Arthur C Clark book 2001: A Space Odyssey, and it left a few questions unanswered.

The end of the book is a little confusing to us non-si-fi diehards.

The main character is left...literally dangling in space, and things happen that needed better explanations.

I hoped that by watching the film all would become clear..it does..sort of.

And so i bought the follow up 2010..that clears it all up..sort of.

2001 is a superb piece of cinematic magic. The sounds as well as the visuals are tremendous.

The tensions built up by the other main character ( a murderous computer )is edge of the seat stuff.

But like i said...the ending ..hmmm..i kept saying.."yeah but why?..how did?..where the?"

If nothing else Clark left you wanting more (answers) and so...2010.