Kubrick's Silent Movie

Rating: 10/10 (31 March 2002)

Calling 2001: A Space Odyssey a silent movie is not entirely accurate, but it does encompass much of what made silent cinema great. The visual storytelling is breathtaking and moves the plot far more than the dialogue. The acting is unremarkable and perfunctory, but it is hardly noticeable among the movie's visuals.
As if in a silent film, The music is a character in this movie. A teriffic and varied classical score is truly remarkable. Part of me wishes Kubrick had used his original impulse to have british prog-rockers Pink Floyd do the music for the film. That part of me is small, though, and gets beaten into submission when I watch the movie.
The visual effects in this film are truly remarkable. There are no laser beams and explosions, but the space scenes on the moon and en route to Jupiter are fully believable, and after all, suspension of disbelief is the prime factor in sci-fi. We should keep in mind, this film was made before the Apollo moon landings.
The psychedelic finale of the film needs a big screen to be fully appreciated. I recently saw the re-release on a huge screen and I can truly say it was like watching the movie for the first time. This movie is enjoyable on video, but it borders on a religious experience in front of a 40 foot screen supported by digital sound.