Chariots of the gods?

Rating: Null/10 (11 March 2003)

Without a doubt, this is a cinema 'milestone'. It is itself a star pointing obelisk, which separates the cold war era of evil alien or monsters invading earth, via Buck Roger's type space craft, to the vivid multi-dimensional modern space science fictions today.
2001, is, at least in my humble opinion, the calling card of Kubrick's technique. It is not the story, but the Kubrick technique, that is perfected here. Extreme vistas, enhanced with color filters, the use of solid colors, bleakness, sharp light, sharp shadow, special effects, creating a sense of movement in stillness, by moving the camera, and not the subject, and so, much more. '2001' is an expression of cinema art, as much as, or more than entertainment.
2001 is the mold for science fiction special effects, and themes that are reflected, years later in such science fiction, action drama such as "Star Wars", "Alien" or "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", and more subtly in many, other more 'down to earth' cinema classics.
Stanley Kubrick is to the visual, as Alfred Hitchcock is to tension.
However, be aware of one thing, at least in my opinion. Kubrick sold himself short. '2001' was released in 1968, and at that time, such an abstract work was a big risk. This was the time of the 'Age of Aquarius'. The fad at the time was mysticism. People were seeking answers through the peace and love movement, meditation, eastern religions and mind expansion. Kubrick shortcut the ending of this Arthur C Clark tale so much, that it, itself became one of the world's great mysteries. The psychedelic 'trip' through the atmosphere of Jupiter may have ensured that movie goers of the time would be sure to relive the experience over and over, (hence good box office revenues) and dwell and interpret something that Clark expressed so clearly and so soberly in his novel.
If you've not seen '2001', then by all means do, more than once and pay special attention to those audio-visual techniques which will rivet you to your screen.
But, certainly, and by all means, find a copy of Arthur C Clarks '2001' and read it, and you will 'clearly' see for yourself that his vision of the future was real, tangible and hopeful.