2001:
A Space Odyssey (1968)
MGM
Cast:
Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood.
Rating:
G.
Run
time: 139 mins..
Genre:
Science fiction.
Verdict:
Brilliant
(see rating
system)
Made
the year before the first American astronauts walked on the
moon, director Stanley Kubrick's classic sci-fi film recalls
an exciting time in space exploration and feverish speculation
about alien civilizations.
Winner
of the Oscar for Best Special Effects, 2001 took viewers on
an amazing journey through time, from the first apes on Earth
and the stirrings of human intelligence to the era of space
stations - and the discovery of alien monliths buried on the
moon proving that man is not alone. It's as much a psychological
trip as a real one and the film poses many questions about
the purpose and destiny of man. The mysterious ending is open
to your own interpretation!
This
is also the film that introduced us to the power of the computer
- particularly the rogue Hal 9000 voiced by the eloquent Douglas
Rain. It disrupts a mission to discover the truths behind
the monoliths.
As
spaceships float through space to the music of Johann Strauss's
Blue Danube Waltz, the Universe seems to be an enchanting
place. However, as with other futuristic visions, the movie
was overly optimistic about how fast progress would be made.
A trip to the moon in 2000 was envisaged as a commonplace
event, like taking an taxi, when the reality is that space
travel remains a dangerous and uncertain business that only
a tiny handful of humans will ever experience.
Hollywood
was quick to cash in on the space age. When this movie was
made in 1968, the groundbreaking Star Trek TV series was in
the middle of its first run, becoming a cult classic in repeat
airings over subsequent decades.
2001
set the standard for special effects for subsequent films
like Star Wars, Alien and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
With no computer effects available, trick photography and
other techniques took 18 months to complete.
With
its long sequences without dialogue and artistic design, 2001
remains an unusual and beautiful film.
