2001: A Space Odyssey

· by · in Sci-fi. ·

Scoring an impressive 8.3 on IMDB and 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 2001: A Space Odyssey, is Stanley Kubrick’s enigmatic and mysterious 1971 offering.   It’s safe to say I had quite high expectations, although I made a point of never reading up on it, knowing I’d watch it one day and that I’d rather make up my own mind.  That said, please don’t read ahead if you’re looking for something spoiler free as I need to outline what happened because, well, because…

It starts out like this:

2001 ape

And there’s this doorway looking thing

2001 5

Then 1970s sitcom stalwart, Rigsby, delivers a warning to the guy on the right in a space-age yet clearly totally ’60s lounge .

2001 2

There’s an air hostess who walks up walls

2001 3

Nice hat

2001 10

Kubrick moon landing conspiracy, anyone?

2001 7

This

2001 12

Astronaut eats TV dinner

2001 8

Astronaut talks to astronaut friend

2001 6

The best thing about 2001: HAL, the ship’s computer

2001-a-space-odyssey-original

Until this happens

2001 9

Classic man v. machine scenario

2001

Reminds me of this

simpsons

Then there’s a bit of this

2001 4

Then he seems to be tripping his tits off for about ten minutes

2001 14

Then he’s really old and having a bit of a rest in front of another doorway thing
2001 1

Then there’s a floating foetus

2001 18

Ta da!

the end

I know this is a classic, but it really isn’t my cup of tea.  It’s way too long and way to slow, there’s minimal dialogue and the end?  Pff!  I concede it is beautifully shot, and I enjoyed the scenes with HAL, the ship’s computer.  I also liked the whole man v. machine business.  But really?  No thanks.

P.S.  I did read up on it afterwards and understand the whole alien intervention in evolution thing, but honestly, by that point.  I didn’t really care.

26 responses to “2001: A Space Odyssey”

  4. Got it all wrong pal, it’s objectively the best film ever made. Kidding, first time I watched it was on a laptop and I thought it was shit. Now I’ve seen it while stoned, projected onto a giant outdoor screen next to a massive satellite. That changed me. Also, The Simpsons mimicked Kubrick loads of times, especially 2001 and The Shining.

    • Ha! I really wanted to like it, and there were elements I enjoyed but overall I was just quite bored.

      Didn’t the Simpsons do a whole Shining episode?

  6. Honestly, I’ve tried to watch it twice. Failed twice. I feel like it’s something wrong with ME. A design flaw maybe, like I’m not wired up right or something. Then I read your review and I realise there are others out there that aren’t wired up right, and all is well in the universe again. We’re probably wrong to dislike it, but we can’t help it. Give me Star Wars any day.

  7. I think we felt the same about this one!!! I only watched it quite recently, I bought it for my boyfriend for his birthday (bizarre present really as he doesn’t even like films that much!!!!) and we watched it together. I was underwhelmed but never been a huge Kubrick fan anyway. I was glad to say I’ve watched it – that about sums it up!!

  8. Crikey must be a generation thing, none of you guys had patience for this? Think it must be how used your generation are to fast-paced films now with scripts that explain the plots (such as they are) with dialogue. This films a classic of Pure Cinema. I’ve watched it many times over the years and it just gets better. I saw it projected a few years ago with a live orchestra and choir and it totally rocked (sorry).

    Oh well. Each to their own I guess.

    • Thanks for stopping by. I really wanted to liked this and I’m kind of gutted that I didn’t. I love a broad range of films from the 1930s onwards, but this didn’t do anything for me.

      I concede it looks great, but I’ve no desire to see it again. Maybe my expectations were too high, having always heard so many people say it’s a classic?

      Hey ho, you can’t win ’em all. And as my mum always says “it wouldn’t do for us to all be the same”.

  9. Pingback: CAMP MASSACRE (A.K.A FAT CHANCE) (2014) THREE TOP HATS | Isaacs Picture Conclusions·

  10. The most impressive thing about 2001 are the visuals and how much the look of space travel differs from ones in the past. Without this movie there would be no Star Wars. You do a great job at telling the story which there really was none, but yeah can understand why many people don’t care for it. I and others love it, and that debate is why it is a masterpiece.

Leave a comment