[stag_intro]I think this 2001: A Space Odyssey can only be defined by my classes reaction when it finished. This was complete silence (with the odd ‘WHAT?!’).[/stag_intro] For me the film was of 3 parts, the first ‘Ok, I get it, but where is this going?’ the second ‘This part makes sense!’ and the last ‘Um, did someone slip something in my drink?’.

Despite the lack of storyline for half the film, I really enjoyed it. Mainly because of others reactions to it, and the very human manner of trying to interpret something you don’t really understand. That seems to be how Kubrick wanted the film to be taken; to quote –

‘You’re free to speculate as you wish about the philosophical and allegorical meaning of the film—and such speculation is one indication that it has succeeded in gripping the audience at a deep level—but I don’t want to spell out a verbal road map for 2001 that every viewer will feel obligated to pursue or else fear he’s missed the point.’

Another reason, and I guess why our tutor made us watch it was the technology side of it. Considering the film was released in 1968, the idea that Kubrick and co came up with are crazily similar to what we have today. The ‘Picture Phone’ in the space hotel is exactly like Skype, FaceTime and other video phone software. TV screen on the back of plane seats, the velcro like ‘grip shoes’ and flat screen tablet devices that you can what TV on. HAL 9000’s ‘eye’ brings thought to the CCTV that is on every corner of our city streets.

This film has been so well thought out, and is very much scientifically accurate, and I love it for that. The psychedelic nature of the end was obviously radical at the time, the cinematography involved was revolutionary. You can see many other sci-fi films have been influenced by it such as Blade Runner. As much as the storyline was lacking I would watch the film again for its attention to detail and radical visual effects.