Product Description

A space mission that could reveal man?s destiny is jeopardized by a malfunctioning shipboard computer. A dazzling journey that tops them all ? and showed the way for other effects-packed films that followed.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #406 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-10-23
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 2.20:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 148 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
When Stanley Kubrick recruited Arthur C. Clarke to collaborate on "the proverbial intelligent science fiction film," it's a safe bet neither the maverick auteur nor the great science fiction writer knew they would virtually redefine the parameters of the cinema experience. A daring experiment in unconventional narrative inspired by Clarke's short story "The Sentinel," 2001 is a visual tone poem (barely 40 minutes of dialogue in a 139-minute film) that charts a phenomenal history of human evolution. From the dawn-of-man discovery of crude but deadly tools in the film's opening sequence to the journey of the spaceship Discovery and metaphysical birth of the "star child" at film's end, Kubrick's vision is meticulous and precise. In keeping with the director's underlying theme of dehumanization by technology, the notorious, seemingly omniscient computer HAL 9000 has more warmth and personality than the human astronauts it supposedly is serving. (The director also leaves the meaning of the black, rectangular alien monoliths open for discussion.) This theme, in part, is what makes 2001 a film like no other, though dated now that its postmillennial space exploration has proven optimistic compared to reality. Still, the film is timelessly provocative in its pioneering exploration of inner- and outer-space consciousness. With spectacular, painstakingly authentic special effects that have stood the test of time, Kubrick's film is nothing less than a cinematic milestone--puzzling, provocative, and perfect. --Jeff Shannon

Amazon.com
When Stanley Kubrick recruited Arthur C. Clarke to collaborate on "the proverbial intelligent science fiction film," it's a safe bet neither the maverick auteur nor the great science fiction writer knew they would virtually redefine the parameters of the cinema experience. A daring experiment in unconventional narrative inspired by Clarke's short story "The Sentinel," 2001 is a visual tone poem (barely 40 minutes of dialogue in a 139-minute film) that charts a phenomenal history of human evolution. From the dawn-of-man discovery of crude but deadly tools in the film's opening sequence to the journey of the spaceship Discovery and metaphysical birth of the "star child" at film's end, Kubrick's vision is meticulous and precise. In keeping with the director's underlying theme of dehumanization by technology, the notorious, seemingly omniscient computer HAL 9000 has more warmth and personality than the human astronauts it supposedly is serving. (The director also leaves the meaning of the black, rectangular alien monoliths open for discussion.) This theme, in part, is what makes 2001 a film like no other, though dated now that its postmillennial space exploration has proven optimistic compared to reality. Still, the film is timelessly provocative in its pioneering exploration of inner- and outer-space consciousness. With spectacular, painstakingly authentic special effects that have stood the test of time, Kubrick's film is nothing less than a cinematic milestone--puzzling, provocative, and perfect. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Emperor's New Clothes
For starters, I guess I'm similar in some ways to the "ADHD, new-age adolescents" that so many of you reviewers describe. I'm 21, I actually DO have ADHD, and my favorite genre is the comedy. And as a writer, that's basically all I write: deliberately cheesy comedies.

But contrary to what is implied by so many of you, I am totally and completely capable of understanding and appreciating a good, deep film or book. I'm a big fan of A Clockwork Orange (not for the shock value, but for the way it made me examine my views on crime and punishment), as well as other, non-Kubrick films such as Mulholland Dr., The Aviator, Unbreakable, etc. And I'm a big fan of the book 1984.

But I can't stand this film, and I'm sick of hearing everybody rave about it, so I feel compelled to protest. It was beautiful when the ape learned how to kill, and the part at the end where the astronaut sees himself go through all stages of life was mesmerizing. But... that was about it. Yeah, I'll admit it: I was bored! Very, very bored. Sure, everything LOOKED very beautiful, but so what? Where's the plot? Where's the underlying message? I keep hearing everybody talk about the "significance," but nobody seems to actually know what that "significance" is. (And bear in mind that I'm referring to the meaning of the film, not the technological breakthroughs.)

Even Stanley Kubrick himself basically said that the film is meaningless. He said that the meaning of it is "up to the viewers," which is the artistic way of saying, "I made a purely experimental film with absolutely no story line, and in order to pass it off as a work of genius, I'm going to pretend that it has some subtle, underlying meaning that even I can't specifically identify." Which I'm not blaming him for; that's a really smart way to market a film. But I'm not buying it.

This is the kind of film that you're expected to like because it's an "intellectual film," and if it just so happens that you DON'T like it, then you must be some kind of idiot or ignoramus. So, naturally, most people "like" it. And I'll admit that I'm tempted to say that I like it as well, just to look good. But I'm going to be like the kid in the "Emperor's New Clothes" fable and point out that, obviously, the king isn't wearing anything.

I'm giving it two stars because, in some ways, this film WAS revolutionary. It experimented in portraying things solely with pictures, and it helped pioneer new special effects, among other things. But THAT IS IT. This is the kind of movie you watch once, then wonder why you couldn't have found a better means of killing 2.5 hours, and then avoid seeing ever again at all costs. Sorry guys, but I'm calling BS on this movie...

Winnmusic
This new 2007 Digital Transfer is the best home video version I have ever seen. Crystal Clear Quality even down to the correct aspect ratio that Stanley originally intended. The original print was not in 2.35 Anamorphic Widescreen. It was the same aspect ratio that was used in Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon. All the special features on the other disc is an absolute must too!

I think the quality is so good it looks like it was made yesterday! and I think if Stanley was around today he would have given 2 thumbs up!

Highly recommend to any fan of this film and must for classic film collectors.

Mesmerizing, Not Boring
Here's what stood out to me:

1. The music. On the one hand, duh. On the other, have you actually listened to "On the Beautiful Blue Danube" recently? It's 10+ minutes of constant enjoyment -- every melody is beautiful. Of course, another Strauss also has his moments. What most intrigued me, though, were the selections by György Ligeti. I don't usually appreciate atonal or unmelodic pieces, but the "monolith theme" is an awesome blend of the haunting, intense, and otherworldly. Notably, Kubrick commissioned a score by Alex North but then decided to use the classical recordings he had been playing during production -- without telling North.

2. The new bone. At the end of "The Dawn of Man" chapter, the triumphant tool-user throws his tapir bone (which he just used to beat the life out of a rival hominid) into the air, and the scene artfully cuts from the bone to its modern counterpart: a white, cylindrical nuclear device orbiting the earth. That's deep. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for a good transition.

3. The visual realism. The space exploration special effects hold up remarkably well considering that the film turns 40(!) this year. Not only do they look realistic, they also illustrate Kubrick's attention to procedural detail. He uses extended shots of relatively mundane activities in order to give us a sense of what it's like in the vacuum and how exactly people get things done.

4. The computer. HAL's got a great voice (he's going to sing "Fitter Happier" in my remake). And his lines aren't half-bad, either. If only his shipmates weren't so wooden and...mechanical. (Was Kubrick trying to say something about astronauts -- that the government preferred unimaginative military men to a fault?) If I were on board, I'd've picked his brain nonstop. A conscious computer would never get old. Forget chess -- imagine having a conversation about philosophy, or anything else for that matter. What would you talk about?

5. The end. What's the deal? The protracted light show screams "we've got to do something with all these FX shots," especially when the colored landscapes kick in after what I thought would be the climax (when everything appears to be culminating in a burst of white light). And then there's the bizarre room sequence. I won't spoil it; I'll just speculate: is this how the aliens wanted Dave to perceive his transformation? Or is it Kubrick reminding us that 2001 is an art film, infinitely beyond trashy sci-fi?