I was just recently able to watch this on the big screen...

Rating: Null/10 (5 December 2001)

...for the first time, after seeing it several times on Video.
If I had to name one film as my favourite, this would probably be it. I was very excited to be able to see it on the big screen. I have always thought the film was profound and beautifully crafted ever since I was a teenager seeing it for the first time nearly twenty years ago on PBS.

I went to see it with a friend while we were visiting San Francisco. I was amazed at how much the last segment of the movie looked much better on the big screen. I had always thought the light show at the end was a little bit hokey and out of place, but it seemed to fit better on the big screen.
I think the film has a few minor technical flaws. It is probably a little dated in the sense that they are trying to show off what was then (and mostly still are) great special effects. And so there are long, slow sequences you sit through that seem strange compared to most of today's films. I have always personally thought, however, they were hypnotic because of the beautiful music and stylish directing. This either made me not even really notice or not seem to mind that the scenes are actually quite long. I owe the beginning of my great love of classical music to this film and Stanley Kubrick, despite even being a typically ignorant and stupid teenager at the time.
My friend fell asleep thru-out most of the film, but I think his attention span is limited to fast food TV commercials.
I have only read a little bit of Clarke's book but I think the explanations that the book would provide would destroy some of the meaning and beauty of the film for me, so I prefer not to ever read it.