It's a film that provokes thought and debate, created by a film-maker who seems to respect the intelligence of the audience. Unfortunately, the DVD's picture quality is a disappointment. I suspect the video master is dated. There is a subtle but visible vertical jitter which creates an unnatural shimmer on the prehistoric plains, and a twinkling of stars within the vacuum of space. But I still find the decision to not bother with 16x9 enhancement of 2001 a little bewildering.
Blacks are deep and noise free, but the colors are somewhat muted.
The audio also shows its age, having been created 30 years ago. Certainly improved over previously releases, the audio is not up to the high standards we've come to expect from more contemporary films. The box indicates 5.1 encoding, but any surround effects are very subtle indeed. But let me put my complaints aside and simply add that this presentation of 2001 on DVD is better than on any previously offered format. Despite my disappointments, I was pleased to add this title to my collection.