An of its time classic

Rating: 7/10 (19 January 2012)

I am not going to attempt to provide a full review of this classic film. To do so would be futile as the chances are if you are reading this you will have a) seen the film already or b) as a fan of film/TV be so familiar with the key scenes and themes (as I was) that I cannot add anything that you do not already know.
My thoughts will be limited to what I liked and the issues I have that stop this scoring higher.
The positives for me were how good the film looks for something made in 1968. Yes, there are a few scenes that are clearly influenced by 60's fashion but the past and future sets on the whole have a timeless quality. The use of music and the ballerina like atmosphere were things of beauty and proof that Kubrick really was a genius (Eyes Wide Shut aside). I think the best praise for these scenes is that they influenced a generation of makers of sci fi and fans of such (Star Wars being the obvious one but my personal favourite is the influence over Red Dwarf!!). They are iconic and deserve to be as for the time this was something mind boggling.
The lack of dialogue is a little disconcerting at first but as the film develops it becomes apparent that this helps the film. It creates an atmosphere within which the stunning set pieces can stand out and which allows Kubricks direction to shine. Actions speak louder than words, as evinced in the closing act where, at least from a human point of view, there is little to no spoken word.
For me the film falls down on two points. The first is the run time. It is just too long to keep the concentration, especially when there are large gaps where not a great deal is happening. All the beautiful shots in the world will not make up for the fact that a full 15 minutes has gone since something that drove the story along happened. Secondly, and my main gripe, is that at times this film seems to be more about showing off than it is about telling a story. I want to be entertained felt that too much time was being taken to show how great the technology was and how clever the directors/producers/set designers were. A prime example is the second section where the chap is heading for the moon. We have two dance sequences and numerous scenes of zero gravity and "look how futuristic this all is". As viewers we accept it is the future and do not need it shoving down our throats. Establish it, show us a little bit of how they live and move on.
I am certain that having taken 33 years of my life to watch this film it will be something I revisit in the future. Maybe my thoughts will change but I doubt it - this is a very impressively made film with some great moments and a very solid and entertaining third act but sadly it falls short of classic status due to being overblown and far too clever for its own good.