2001: A Space Odyssey - Discussion thread

[neurophobic_and_perfect]

Being one of the best Sci-Fi films to date, I think that Kuberick's "Space Odyssey" it should have it's own thread.

One of the most bizzare films I have ever seen - does anyone know how to explain the ending?

[Wordsmit2]

One of the most bizzare films I have ever seen - does anyone know how to explain the ending?

I interpreted it either as Dave being changed into the star child, or it evolving from him. (No, I haven't read the book. Maybe someday.)

The psychedelic part seemed to be the broadening of Dave's mind (a visual pun on "consciousness expanding"). And the part in the rooms was transitions between phases of his life (present to middle age, middle age to deathbed). It's impossible to tell if he became the star child, or if the star child was developed from him. It's also impossible to tell if all this took place over decades, or over minutes. Considering how much of the film takes place in real time, my guess is minutes.

[Acolyte Of Bli'l'ab]

Love this one and especially its sequel. IMO, its everything "Sci-fi" films SHOULD BE. It was cutting edge, weird, dark, full of mystery, odd story....if only films like this were made today.

[neurophobic_and_perfect]

Thanx

Don't you love it when they are walking upside-down and all you can think about is "how the heck are they doing that without computers" then it clicks that the set is revolving at the same speed as the camera and the people are just walking on a horizontal surface.

[Laura the Asgard]

Being the original Sci-Fi film, I think that Kuberick's "Space Odyssey" it should have it's own thread.

One of the most bizzare films I have ever seen - does anyone know how to explain the ending?

I think this movie is what got me hooked on Sci-Fi. It was odd, and creepy and this monolith..what is it? Even 2010 couldn't answer it. The end was just baffeling. Bowman ages and is in this weird bed room and there is no music and then this star child appears. The end. I take it as a message from the beings who control the monolith that there is no beginning and no end to life, but if I were Bowman, I'd be like "English please people!! I don't get it so spell it out!"

I love the cut over from the apes throwing the bone into the air to the space vehicle thousands of years later. I think of the earth and the space station to this day when I hear "The Blue Danube". The ride that Heywood Floyd takes to the moon makes my stomach lurch because they did the weightless scenes so well. And those meals? No thanks!! If I have to suck peas through a straw - I'll stay on Earth...! Hal was awesome and the editing, music (or lack there of) were brilliant! They did this all with out the CGI of today and that says alot!

[Randy_Watson]

Great movie, but not sure why you are calling it the original sci fi film. Wouldn't that be something like Metropolis or The Voyage to the Moon (Voyage dans la lune).

[FoolishPleasure]

I interpreted it either as Dave being changed into the star child, or it evolving from him. (No, I haven't read the book. Maybe someday.)

Dave evolved into the Star Child. Sort of becoming an infant "one of them" (creators of the monoliths).

The book does a lot of explaining and has scenes not in the movie. Easier to understand.

[DigiFluid]

I'm a little ashamed to admit that I didn't actually like this movie...at all. I'm a huge sci-fi fan, a huge classic cinema fan, a huge Arthur C. Clarke fan, and a huge Kubrick fan, but this movie just bored me to tears. I watched the whole thing in fast forward and still found it dull and uninteresting.

The books were fabulous though. The entire series was fabulous, with the possible exception of 3001.

[neurophobic_and_perfect]

Great movie, but not sure why you are calling it the original sci fi film. Wouldn't that be something like Metropolis or The Voyage to the Moon (Voyage dans la lune).

It was the first true sci-fi film - there were fantasy verging on sci-fi films earlier but as I said, nothing like this.

I hate the noise from the monolith but it really intrigues me.
HAL is great!
I can't believe that this film had one of the biggest budgets of the era - but then they do have revolving sets .

[Randy_Watson]

It was the first true sci-fi film -

I guess I just don't get what you mean by TRUE sci-fi. The Day the Earth Stood Still, the War of the Worlds and countless others aren't true sci-fi?

[Wordsmit2]

I take it as a message from the beings who control the monolith that there is no beginning and no end to life, but if I were Bowman, I'd be like "English please people!! I don't get it so spell it out!"

Yeah, something to discuss! You just don't get movies and TV shows like these any more. For the last six years or so everything has been so dumbed down and artificial.

[neurophobic_and_perfect]

I guess I just don't get what you mean by TRUE sci-fi. The Day the Earth Stood Still, the War of the Worlds and countless others aren't true sci-fi?

They were Sci-Fi but this was earlier.

[Randy_Watson]

They were Sci-Fi but this was earlier.

Those films were 15-20 years before 2001 and there were plenty before that.

[DigiFluid]

They were Sci-Fi but this was earlier.

1902: Le Voyage dans la Lune
1927: Metropolis
1936: Flash Gordon
1939: Buck Rogers (12 part serial film)
1951: The Day The Earth Stood Still, The Thing from Another World
1953: The War of the Worlds
1956: Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
1958: It! The Terror from Beyond Space!
1959: Plan 9 from Outer Space
1966: Fahrenheit 451
1968: Planet of the Apes, 2001: A Space Odyssey

[neurophobic_and_perfect]

It was made in the 60s (speculating about the future) and is officially the first full leangth film of that type: the others were fantasy based with sci fi twists to them.

This isn't the main point of the thread - we are here to discuss the contents of the film.