2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) First Time Watching! Full Movie Reaction!!

Agreed 2010 I’d say is worth the watch

Seirsan

Thank you! I was wrong in naming him Star Watcher.

Catherine LW

Ok if you want to know why HAL did what he did you have to watch the sequel 2010. A lot of people don’t like it because it is a straightforward sci-fi/adventure film rather than artsy like 2001 was but I really enjoy 2010 for what it is.

In the novel the man-ape that learns how to use the first tool is called Moonwatcher. It is theorized that David Bowman is Moonwstcher’s descendant, hence continuing the chain of the evolution of intelligence from ape to man.

I'm still waiting for them to make Rendezvous with Rama, there was a push to make it about 10 years ago with Morgan Freeman set to play Commander Norton

Sarah

I wonder if they’ll ever make film adaptations of the last two books. Probably not. But maybe if the new “Dune” movie does really well, studios will be looking to revive old sci-fi properties and the 2001 series is ripe for that.

Nick of Time

Kubrick's filmography is sick. From 1956 to 1999, he directed the following films: The Killing, Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut. Not a dud in that list of films. The guy was an incredible filmmaker.

Mitchell Smilie

My favorite film (and science fiction film) is Planet of the Apes from the same year. But if I am being objective, 2001 is the better film. Great science fiction is always smart, and this film demands conversation once you've watched it. I can only imagine what audiences at the time (in a world without Star Wars, without CGI) were thinking as they watched it, and what discussions they had afterwards.

Mitchell Smilie

He looks pretty different without his 70's hairdo, but Keir Dullea (Dave) was Peter (Jess' boyfriend) in Black Christmas. It had been a while since I watched it and it was a pretty fun experience to watch it again with you guys. The film had a pretty impressive budget for the time (around 12 million dollars, the same ballpark as the James Bond movies that came out the previous year). The original Star Wars cost about the same thing but nearly ten years later. It took a little over two years to shoot and complete all the effects of the film. A crew of professionals using the money to take their time to perfect everything. That's why the effects are still so good. Kubrick fought a lot to have the time to make the movies he wanted to make.

ED209

The movie still looks amazing 50 years later. The book really adds to the movie, because it actually explains in detail what's going on with the primates and how it relates to the rest of the story. Easy read, and a fascinating book. Interestingly it was just a short story, but Kubrick demanded that Clarke write a complete novel. I also found it interesting that HAL is a massive, massive computer, when in reality today we've miniaturized the tech to the point that HAL could probably fit in a shoe box.

Chris

I like how the monolith is described in the book as being perfectly and absolutely black. Meaning if you looked at it where you could see two sides at once, one side wouldn’t appear lighter than the other, regardless of the lighting around it. It would just just be completely black. This was altered slightly for the movie so we the audience would be able to tell the monolith is a physical, geometric object. And in space it wouldn’t really show up at all.

Nick of Time

2010 is really under-appreciated among sci-fi films. It’s not the art-film 2001 is, nor does it deal with as big themes as its predecessor, but it does touch on some important (particularly at the time it was made, during the Cold War) subjects and still holds up as a serious and tense sci-fi space thriller.

Nick of Time

Clark wasn’t directly involved with the sequel film, 2010, but the movie’s writer/director was in constant communication with Clark during his writing of the sequel book and had the blessing of both Clark and Kubrick to make the movie.

Nick of Time

Those are the two Kubrick films I’d most suggest for them to watch next as well; I’d add that “Dr. Strangelove” is also great.

Nick of Time

The Blue Danube was also the name of Britain’s first nuclear weapon. Kubrick’s use of that musical piece during that sequence of the film is to imply the various satellites he shows floating around are all actually orbital nuclear weapons owned by the world’s superpowers. It’s explained more explicitly in the novel. Also, at the end of the book when the Starchild returns to Earth, he destroys all the weapons in space.

Nick of Time

Especially by yourself with no idea even where you’re going and probably no hope of ever returning to Earth.

Nick of Time

Still blows me away to watch 2001 and realize it came out a decade before Star Wars.

Nick of Time

I don’t think the film’s ending is all that debatable, given the much less ambiguous ending of the book.

Nick of Time

I’m incredibly jealous. I’ve never even seen it in a theater.

Nick of Time

The movie mostly glosses it over, but the reason HAL seems to "go crazy" is because (SPOILERS for anyone intending to read the novel) he has been given contradictory commands. His essential purpose is to help humans by passing on any knowledge he has, when prompted to - to answer any question. But as we see in the classified video near the end, HAL was also secretly told the true nature of the mission and instructed not to share this with his human crewmates. This created a conflict which his mind could not resolve, and being a computer, he was unable to simply ignore one of the two commands. He became obsessed with finding a way to reconcile both commands, and this preoccupation eventually turned him paranoid, as he worried that his distraction would lead to Poole or Bowman asking him questions about the mission. Eventually, HAL concludes that the only way he can fulfill both commands - answer all questions asked of him, and, don't answer questions about the mission - is if the rest of the crew is dead. That way no one will be asking him ANY questions.

Patrick Flanagan

To echo everyone else, you should definitely check out 2010. But you also need to watch the other movie from 1968 to star people dressed as monkeys -- Planet of the Apes.

Sean O'Hara

The monolith on the moon was the same one the early humans saw and touched. The aliens took it to the moon and buried it. They wanted to be alerted when mankind had reached a level of intelligence and knowledge enough to achieve space travel.

MotoDork

I saw this on the big screen twice. In 1968, as a 7 year old, my parents took me. I was quite slack jawed through it all, and mesmerized by the imagery. A local theater played it about 6 years ago, and I went with some friends. Still was a visual feast to watch. Loved both your reactions to it, and I’m happy you both enjoyed it. It poses more questions than answers. My father read the novel by Arthur C. Clarke and I recall his telling me that the early human who made the bone a tool was named Starwatcher (or is it Stargazer?) And Dave, who dies and is reborn, becomes “Star Child”. The music in the very beginning is a tone poem by Richard Strauss, “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”. The music when we first watch the slow, graceful spaceships is the “Blue Danube” waltz by Johann Strauss II, no relation to Richard. Richard’s work is now forever associated with this film, I imagine. Sam, your comment on space being terrifying: I concur! Frank’s death scared me when I saw it as a kid. I couldn’t think of a more frightening way to die, then just float, dead in space. Maybe end up circling a planet… Going to also watch your YouTube reaction; I always enjoy TBR’s editing.

Catherine LW

I suggest moving on to 2010: The Year We Make Contact. It's not the film 2001 is, but then there are no films like 2001. But it's well made and it answers some questions. It's worth watching.

MotoDork

Now you really need to watch the sequel 2010... It explains some of the questions that you've been left with, not all, but some, to answer most/all of your questions, you need to read the 4 books: 2001, 2010, 2061, 3001

Sarah

Lastly, you should definitely watch Kubrick's comedy Dr Strangelove! It too is one of the great films in history. Peter Sellers and George C Scott are incredible.

Michael Rhine

If you want to know what happened, watch 2010. A good movie that tries to give explanation to 2001 although not made by Arthur C Clark and Kubrick.

Michael Rhine

I saw a doc about 2001 and Spielberg said this was the film that changed his life. He saw it numerous times in the theatre as did mso many other filmmakers.

Michael Rhine

As I said my previous comment the movie will be debated for decades to come.

Anakin Starkiller

Gasp! I’ve been waiting for this one! 😃

Nick of Time

Let's not forget this movie was released in 1968-- 9 years before Star Wars amazed us. The spaceship miniature work was way ahead of its time. And its remarkable how they portrayed technology that did not exist then so realistically-- like flat screen pads, 2-way video communication, vector 3D graphic readouts, etc. Not to mention HAL, the artificially intelligent (and creepy) computer.

Mr. Writhms

Just need you guys to do A Clockwork Orange and Eyes Wide Shut and you’ve completed my fav Kubrick films

Shehab Dawoud

This movie really gave kubric the stage to show off. i really love it. I love that the credits end and the music plays until the piece ends. It starts with the beginning of The Blue Danube by Johann Strauß as the first big score of the movie and they end it with it. this movie has so many layers of continuity you have to rewatch it a dozen of times to be able to pick them all up. Took me years tbh.

Nyxtomania

Its a movie of birth. the birth of man when we learned to develop tools and weapons . leading us far enough with that knowledge to develop the birth of AI and space travel so we can discover the second monolith. Humans are babies again, learning to walk in space, eating 'baby food' through a straw. and even learning how to use the bathroom all over again. We are children taking or first steps as we go into the the Jupiter monolith. Coming out the other end to be observed then reborn again into a child of the stars, ready for humanities next leap. A movie that came to before we even landed on the moon. We barley knew what the Earth looked like from space. Such a bold movie to make. sadly a movie that a Hollywood studio wouldn't even consider if it were made today.

J.C.

I've always thought that traveling through space through a wormhole or light speed should be scary

Anakin Starkiller

I remember I went to see this on an Imax screen . It was definitely made you feel like you we're in space.

Anakin Starkiller

The ending to the film will probably be debated by film scholars long after any of us are around. And I believe that is the testament to this film.

Anakin Starkiller

Absolutely the greatest sci fi achievement in cinematic history. Groundbreaking effects and iconic music.

Anakin Starkiller