A Milestone in Storytelling ! Often Misunderstood (& understandably so)!

Rating: 10/10 (11 September 2005)

In 1968, a movie critic that had panned 2001 on its original release (and later retracted) wrote: "Everyone hates 2001 except people".
The Odyssey demanded: "To appreciate 2001, is to see it again. And again! "
2001 defies conventional rules of any generic movie. Multi-layered enough to deceive its audience by zeroing its focus on the 'HAL' crisis.
Subplot is presented as 'The Major Plot'! And 'The Major Plot' is demoted to Subplot. But it is that 'Major Plot' that ultimately fascinates. That; and the realistic hardware that is subjectively presented as if you, the viewer, were a passenger along for the ride. That is the core of the movie's mystical power that entices people to revisit over and over again.
And because of its subplot, it's no accident that HAL steals the show.
A question that asks 'What If...'
What if human evolution was the outcome of extra terrestrial manipulation.
A 'Part 1' and 'Part 2' story covering humankind's 2 stage evolutionary process.
Part 1 is told in 16 minutes! Part 2 takes the 2 hour remainder.
Because novel and film were simultaneously 4 years in the making (Arthur C Clark couldn't release the book until 2 months after the general release), Kubrick takes full artistic license to go full speed ahead in defiling any previous sci fi movie; any previous book adaptation; and reinvigorating the silent film format all at the same time.
Plus the most intensive science/movie research on space travel technology ever conceived up to that point that, 36 years later, hasn't been outdated yet. Every detail, down to the low hum of air filtration, was incorporated.
Using 'real time slices of life' sections of only a few chapters, Kubrick, at his command, displays his brilliant understanding of the film median. He stretches the bonds and bounds of film rules, breaks many along the way and creates some of his own.
It is one of the most subjective and kinetic movies ever produced. It's a film that demands to be sensed, watched and listened to.
And one of the few times where book & movie go hand in hand.
In space, no one can hear...anything! As far as I know, Stanley is the only film maker who had the balls to use the dead silence of space to create the story's tension.
"2001: A Space Odyssey" tantalizes us with food for thought; and in that tantalizing area, it doesn't disappoint.
If you don't 'get it' the 1st time you see it; get in line. I saw it the 1st time in 71'. And I didn't fully appreciate it for 14 years and a few viewings later.
A word about Alex North's original score. By itself, the score is awesome. If you start the CD when the MGM logo appears you can actually sync the music to what appears on screen for the 1st 6 or 7 minutes. It creates a flavor all its own. And that's why Kubrick was (unfortunately) justified in yanking it. By placing music over the 'Dawn of Man' sequence, it destroys the desolation and near extinction that early man/ape faced. And nothing could replace Kubrick's selection of existing music for Heywood Floyd's space journey. The main problem is SOMEONE should have told Alex that his music wasn't used before he attended the premiere.
Perfect Acting! (contrary to a lot of reactions). People in the high risk, professional space program are trained to react with minimal emotion. To do otherwise, could mean the difference between life and death...even when death occurs. And the underrated William Sylvester does a brilliant bit of camouflage during his morale speech to the troops; and drops his 'nice guy' mask for 1 split second to reveal how ruthless he is for the sake of (so-called) security. If you literally blink, you miss it. He's got these people by the balls and there's nothing in their power they can do about it.
Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood gave exceptional performances that made you believe they were astronauts actually aboard the Jupiter bound Spaceship Discovery
When I purchase my wide screen projection and 8 ft screen, guess what movie is going on 1st?