2001: A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray]

2001: A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray] Review

2001: A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray] Feature

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.Running Time: 149 min. Format: BLU-RAY DISC Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: NR Age: 012569798380 UPC: 012569798380 Manufacturer No: 79838

2001: A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray] Overview

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.

2001: A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray] Specifications

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