Comments on: 2001: A Space Thriller

By: Nigel Depledge

Nigel Depledge — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 11:40:11 +0000

Wyrd Smyth (42) said:

I would say Alien, while a genuine classic that did inform other filmmakers, is still in a completely different class than 2001. One is an intellectual poetic masterpiece containing no small amount of social comment, while the other is arguably the best space horror movie ever made. You can no more compare them than you can, say, skydiving and live music concerts.

Agreed.

But, purely in terms of the best sci-fi movie of all time, I think Alien gives 2001 a run for its money. So, come to think of it, does Blade Runner.

But, hey, some people would pick Star Wars as the best sci-fi film of all time, when Star Wars is more of a straight swords-n-sorcery fantasy.

By: Calli Arcale

Calli Arcale — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 21:33:04 +0000

Some have commented on how 2001 was better than 2010 — book and movie both.

I tend to agree. (Though the book of 2010 is much better than the movie 2010. The subplot with the Chinese spacecraft “Tsien” is rather timely these days, but was cut from the movie altogether.) I read a book at my college library years ago that traced the evolution of 2001, and it was *fascinating*. Starting with his short story that inspired it (about a small pyramid dug up on the Moon which, when excavated, relayed a signal that it had been found as soon as light touched it — just like the Monolith, really) and then working through production notes, descriptions of the filming process, and various drafts of portions of the story (including some much more detailed ending sequences that had actual aliens in them), it really drove home that it was *not* simply Kubrick’s movie or Clarke’s book, and that neither book nor movie came first — they evolved together, feeding off of one another and the creative give-and-take between the two artists. The result is so much better for it.

2010 is different; Clarke wrote that on his own, without that feedback, and then it was later adapted into a movie by folks who wanted to try to reproduce the success of 2001 (while they still could use a couple of the principals — Keir Dullea was available to reprise his role as Dave, and Douglas Rain was able to provide HAL’s voice again). It’s okay, I guess. But it doesn’t have the artistic genius that the first did, and I think it’s mainly because it didn’t go through that process of writing and collaborating and revising and occasionally starting over.

By: tesla

tesla — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 01:27:14 +0000

the great irony of this video of 2001. is that 2001 is a movie about the ‘future’ and about advanced intelligence.

the video reflects how man built unanticipated technologies with great intelligence ( the internet ) only to use them for drowning our short attention spans in flasshing images of entertainment—–fully draining the efforts of concentration which comprise a very significant component of what we deem our ‘intelligence’.

it’s like a feedback loop. we use our brains to make internet tools that demonstrating our advanced capacities, unfolding a future not ever articulated by mr clark—-only to use it for making ourselves dummer maybe.

By: Wryd Smythe

Wryd Smythe — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:13:29 +0000

My buddy and I were remembering 2001 at lunch today and talking about the things Kubrick got right in a space movie: the silence of space, the breath sounds inside a helmet and how your head does NOT explode like a grape in vacuum.

I would say Alien, while a genuine classic that did inform other filmmakers, is still in a completely different class than 2001. One is an intellectual poetic masterpiece containing no small amount of social comment, while the other is arguably the best space horror movie ever made. You can no more compare them than you can, say, skydiving and live music concerts.

By: mike burkhart

mike burkhart — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:06:16 +0000

Good but I I think the orginal is good to and it’s last line “and now your jorney begins” Off topic : for all want to be Astronuts ,I found a fight simulator that simulates space flight. It’s caled “Orbiter space flight simulator” you can fly the Space Shuttle Atlantis and a few other exparimental space craft. it has the international Space station and you can fly to the ISS,Moon or even the other planets in the Solar System, on missions even make up your own like one I have with the Space Shuttle Atlantis in Luner Orbit ( I don’t know, could the Space Shuttles fly a moon mission? I know they were problebly not desinged for it ) This Download is avable free on a web site of old Microsoft Downloads, and If you have played any of the Microsoft Flight simulator games you should have no trouble with Orbiter.

By: James Evans

James Evans — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:41:05 +0000

@#38

Arguably, Ridley Scott’s Alien, from about 10 years later.

Alien is a classic example of a film that needs to thank 2001 for its very existence. Scott himself admits as much in an online article: Sir Ridley said that 2001 was “the best of the best”, in use of lighting, special effects and atmosphere, adding that every sci-fi film since had imitated or referred to it.

By: Neil Haggath

Neil Haggath — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 12:16:36 +0000

#34 Matt B:
That line isn’t in the film of 2001, but it is in the novel. It’s also used as the opening of the film of 2010.

By: Nigel Depledge

Nigel Depledge — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 12:06:21 +0000

James Evans (36) said:

2001, despite some antique edges here and there, and slightly faulty prophesizing, remains the best sci-fi film of all time, and an inspiration for the decades of space opera/sci-fi filmmakers that followed. Is there a movie from your generations in a related genre, andy and James, you would like to claim has stolen the crown from Kubrick/Clarke?

Arguably, Ridley Scott’s Alien, from about 10 years later.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:37:07 +0000

This edited trailer almost made me wet my pants I was laughing so hard. And this 30-something has loved this movie ever since he caught it on late nite TV before the FOX network was ever around. It’s certainly a product of its time, a movie not driven by dialogue or action but as a beautiful visual piece of art combined with the accidental hilarity of actual space travel – the paragraphs of instructions for use of the zero-gee toilet, the phone call (and subsequent billing) from the orbital base, and the final trip out to the monolith on the moon, where the extremely square scientists discuss what flavor of generic squared off sandwiches they’ll eat, even though “they all taste the same.” I know it’s slow paced and boring, but beautiful, witty, and well-thought out. God forbid, there are plenty of James Cameron / Michael Bay space-based crapfests for everyone else to enjoy. Oh, and 2010 was also, unfortunately, a product of its time – Reagan’s Morning in America, and a real pile of garbage starring the guy from Jaws and the other guy from Harry and the Hendersons. lol.

By: James Evans

James Evans — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 23:55:16 +0000

2001: a movie that was designed to justify the invention of the fast-forward button…

Meh, it still looks boring….IMO 2001 has not aged well.

2001, despite some antique edges here and there, and slightly faulty prophesizing, remains the best sci-fi film of all time, and an inspiration for the decades of space opera/sci-fi filmmakers that followed. Is there a movie from your generations in a related genre, andy and James, you would like to claim has stolen the crown from Kubrick/Clarke?

Don’t make me swat you with my cane.