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Summary: Oh. My. God.
Review: Talk about being blown away! This film about a journey into another realm of thought and time is a one of a kind masterpiece. There are so many special effects and visually stunning scenes that at times it seems that actors aren't necessary, but Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood are effective as two astronauts traveling to Jupiter with a complex and disturbed computer called HAL. Director Stanley Kubrick here fashioned a profound and deeply moving meditation on the meaning of the universe, a film which lifted the science-fiction genre to a new level of complexity. The innovative special effects by Douglas Trumball won an Academy Award and are still quite dazzling today. Kubrick received an Academy Award nomination as best director for this film, and Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke both received nominations for their screenplay. Haunting.
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Summary: Film-art at its finest
Review: Kubrick's science fiction masterpiece cannot be measured by the same benchmarks as other movies. When you hear comments about a thin plot, or weak dialog, you can immediately discredit the review, because it misses the point. This was history's greatest director during his prime- no aspect of this film is off in any way.2001's portrait of "the future", or the theoretical recent past as is the case now, is neither a bleak, grim, nor optimistic outlook. It is simply a bland, sterile, emotionless state of human existence. It could be mistaken for weak dialog or poor acting, but it is all entirely with purpose. Contrast with Dr. Strangelove for an example of Kubrick's ability to paint human nature at its most hot-blooded. The dialog mirrors the visuals- white/gray, sterile, clean, flawless, cold. This film is pure Kubrick from top to bottom. It takes full advantage of the freedom afforded by the science fiction genre, and creates the most visually engrossing masterpiece the genre has ever known. This is not a film that continually massages the viewer's short attention span. If it gets you, it gets you... if it misses you, it misses you. 2001 does not cheapen itself with any Hollywood gimmick for the sake of mass-appeal. This is one of the all-time greats. It it makes an impression on you, the impression will be lasting and incredibly powerful.
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Summary: THE ULTIMATE TRIP
Review: I first heard or this movie from various spoofs.I heard about HAL 9000 from AFI's Top Villians list.So I got curious And I rented the DVD, and I must say,it looked like Kubrick was on acid when he made this movie.So then I read the novel and I understood the purpose of the monolith and stargate! I rented the DVD again and I fully appreciated the film.I'm 12 years old and I know adults who said "What was that?!" My mom even said,"With this movie you don't need sleeping pills." However I feel that this is THE best(sci-fi)movie of all time!
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Summary: A sci-fi movie that has a whiff of a joke being played
Review: When Kubrick made this film I'm sure he must have thought " Hmmm well since this is a movie about space why don't we space the film out eh? " And well for this movie does have a serious message about the space and how it could end up being a new beginning for man ( at the point when it was filmed ) but Kubrick must have had a little laugh. Admittedly the film is rather boring on the whole but I'd still watch those lands being filmed through a kaleidoscope any day and all those psychedelic images as well. They really make the film. And also maybe what detracts the film these days is that everyone has copied scenes in it to death that what probably seemed groundbreaking at the time now seems rather jaded because of the endless copying and that it eventually becomes worthless. Kubrick is a good director though, his films are usually very good. And this probably was - probably is given the amount of directors who are influenced by him and all but I can't really say I enjoyed this film because there's nothing worse than saying " Oh I saw that somewhere before " Perhaps it one of those movies that people would have said " You just had to be there man at the beginning " because I certainly wasn't
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Summary: A Suggestion to Enhance Your Movie Viewing......
Review: Before our lucky ducky astronaut gets somehow sucked into the Black Monolith, you know, before the crazy colored swirly bits, be sure to have a number of the follwing items at your disposable upon your coffee table: (One need not have everything, but it can never hurt.) 1. A paper bag filled with our favorite glue, one that perferably makes you dizzy upon nostril contact. 2. A bottle of robitussin. 3. Your favorite herb and your favorite smoking apparatus. 4. Little paper bits one can find at the local rave and sweat. 5. A tin of nutmeg. We are obviously not recommending you consume these products, but for you to simply contemplate the historical usage of these chemicals by your 70's cohorts upon seeing the crazy swirly bits scene. Of course, a number of these items are illegal, but you need not have every product. Simply by visual osmosis, you can edify yourself with this historical tidbit and stir clear of these offending items. Just think of zonked out hippies sprawled on the floor, and then you, by this image, you realize you are such a superior animal and you will not succumb to such base temptation. There, didn't you feel better? I hope this historical lesson will have a beneficial benefit upon your developement as a person. Now, stop the movie and pass the robitussin!
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: 2001 has been one of my favourite films ever since I first saw it in 1968. The film was then, and still currently is, a dazzling visual feast to behold. Having watched recent films such as Star Wars Ep. 2, I'm rather happy to say that most of the special effects still look very good and new to me.
What makes this movie absolutely magnificent to watch is simply because it is one of the most thought-provoking films in history: the film forces us to come up with our own conclusions and ideas. Some will view it as humanity's eventual redemption through death and rebirth, while others will have ideas concerning the dehumanization of humanity by technology. Or it might just be about the unknown that is still out there in space, waiting for us to find it out.
What most people tend to do is to compare the film with other sci-fi movies, such as Star Wars, the Matrix, or Red Planet. In my opinion, 2001 cannot really be compared with any other sci-fi movie (with the possible exception of Tarkovsky's "Solaris"), because, well, it's not really a sci-fi movie. 2001 is a timeless philosophical film that tackles the timeless question of man's place in the universe---merely using the sci-fi theme as a backdrop for the question. But 2001 doesn't try to answer the question, it simply gives a possible theory of what could have happened (which still doesn't answer it); the film is simply Kubrick's way of expressing that question concerning the meaning of our existence.
The movie is full of glorious cinematography and some very memorable scenes; who will ever forget Kubrick's imposing sunrise sequence? Or the space station revolving round to the tune of the Blue Danube?
Ultimately, this is a dazzling achievement for film history, and will forever on stand as one of Kubrick's greatest achievements. A masterpiece, to be sure.
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Summary: Pondering Forever
Review: Just like the theme of this film, you can ponder the meaning of its issues forever. To me, that's what makes a great film -- not a neat package of pre-conceived conclusions, but something that makes you think, and continue thinking. Although it's a different genre, Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors has had the same effect on me: will you ultimately be punished by God for murder, or will you simply get away with it? Back to 2001. My own interpretation of this film (and it's just my opinion) is that the monolith can either represent God himself, alien life, or simply the representation of all time & knowledge. I'm not sure it even matters -- what does matter is that when man finds the monolith, there is a radical change in evolution. It is made clear in the film that HAL knows the real reason for the mission to Jupiter: to find the monolith. I believe that HAL is afraid of what might be discovered (one possible reason is that after the next step in evolution there would be no further need for computers), so he sabatoges the mission. I'm still baffled by the ending -- perhaps when I reach the age of old Dave, I'll figure it out! The music of the film, Strauss's Zarathustra, has become a cliche already. If you want to hear some really mind-bending music, listen to the same composer's Elektra, written about ten years after Zarathustra. Interesting note: my mother actually dated Kubrick in the 1940s -- they lived in the same Bronx apartment building. Kubrick's father was a doctor; Stanley himself showed scant intellectual curiosity, other than a love for photography. My grandfather didn't think that Stanley had much of a future, so he discouraged his daughter (my mother) from any developing relationship. Now that's an enigma to ponder for all time!!
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Summary: Very deep stuff.
Review: Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" is one of the deepest, most thought provoking film I have ever seen. It starts out in pre-history, before man evolved from ape. There is a large black slab of stone that dose not belong there. Next thing you know the apes are figuring out how to use items, like bones and tree branches, more effectively as tools. Fast forward to 2000 AD. The very same slab is found on the moon. One year later, a secret maned space mission to Jupiter, and the onboard computer, HAL, has become self aware, and mourderous. And finally, around Jupiter, is another slab of black stone, it is now 100 times bigger, and an astronout goes through it on a strange trip to...inside his head?
This film is very widely open to interpetation, because it offers no explanation itself. My theory is that alian races helped man evolve once from ape to man. Now maybe that they saw that humans have achieved so much (like space travel), we are worthy of the next evolution, to a oneness with the universe. Like I said, there's probably as many ideas as there are viewers of the movie. It is rated G, and there is nothing objectionable for children, but it's themes may still be a little mature for kids (maybe a few adults too).
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Summary: How can this be a classic sci-fi or is it just me?
Review: My friends started talking about this Kubrick production, they said it was awesome and brilliant. So I too must see it for my self. I do not watch many movies unless they are good and it sounded like this was one to watch. After seeing it I thought it was rubbish and with so little dialouge and blank screens, I ended up fast-forwarding the DVD; as a result I watched the whole movie in about an hour. I was disappointed to say the least. But may be I found it a flop because I saw the movie today (13th Sept 2003). If I had seen the movie in 1968 I think I would've called it awesome just for the visuals, the lack of dialogue and poor ending will still have been disappointing. Hal, the human thinking computer was wasted, the black stone was not resolved, as was not the fate of david the sole surviour. If like me you want to see this movie some 35 years later, prepare to be disappointed, and I would like to advise you: if you like visuals and you have not seen The Lord of the Rings or the Matrix don't waste your time with this well out of date rubbish!
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Summary: Honey I shrunk the Genuis - Read the book as well
Review: First saw this when it came out at the theatre, in "Cinerama" - think of three regular-sized 70mm screens butted against each other and folded in around you. It made it possible to experience some of the grandeur of space-flight. The scene where the moon shuttle flies across the landscape takes at least 10-15 seconds to go from one side to the other. It was spectacular and breath-taking in this format. Now it's been shrunk to your little picture tube. It is quite radical, considering the scale of the original experience.
The movie makes perfect sense, if you pay attention and let the story unfold. Put simply, aliens leave a teaching machine on earth for the apes, and another on the moon which lets off a signal to the home world when man gets there and is technologically advanced enough to find it. What happens then? We send some astronauts in a computer-controlled ship to see where that signal was aimed. Completely awe-inspiring but not "Die-Hard" in terms of action. The most intense part is when HAL the computer goes nuts and endangers the crew, and the final scenes create confusion and awe at the same time. The ending is cryptic, but if you read the book (before or after, doesn't matter you'll have to watch it several times anyhow) you will understand why Kubrick decided to show Bowman's transformation to the "star-child" in this way. Arthur C Clarke was never a writer like Hemingway, but he was great at description and could tell a decent tale. This is a fitting monument to a man who has envisioned many things that have come to pass, and indeed if you watch this film you will notice things that are now common (global communication), and things that are still to come. For that reason and Kubrick's complete mastery of every scene and detail, this film is absolutely timeless. By the way the SOUNDTRACK of this film remains incredible, and hopefully you have a good system to make up for the tiny picture that used to be 100 feet long.
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