Movie Details:
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Adventure, Sci-Fi |
| Release date | 2 April 1968 (Uptown Theater) 3 April 1968 (United States) 1 May 1968 (United Kingdom) |
| Running time | 2hr 29min |
| Age rating | G |
| Starring | Keir Dullea Gary Lockwood |
| Directed by | Stanley Kubrick |
| Screenplay by | Stanley Kubrick Arthur C. Clarke |
| Produced by | Stanley Kubrick |
| Cinematography by | Geoffrey Unsworth |
| Edited by | Ray Lovejoy |
| Production Company | Stanley Kubrick Productions |
| Distributor | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Cast & Characters:
- Keir Dullea as Dr David Bowman
- Gary Lockwood as Dr Frank Poole
- William Sylvester as Dr Heywood Floyd
- Daniel Richter as Moonwatcher, the chief man-ape
- Leonard Rossiter as Dr Andrei Smyslov
- Margaret Tyzack as Elena
- Robert Beatty as Dr Ralph Halvorsen
- Sean Sullivan as Dr Roy Michaels
- Douglas Rain as the voice of HAL 9000
- Frank Miller as mission controller
- Edwina Carroll as lunar shuttle stewardess
- Penny Brahms as stewardess
- Heather Downham as stewardess
- Alan Gifford as Poole’s father
- Ann Gillis as Poole’s mother
- Maggie d’Abo as stewardess (Space Station 5 elevator) (uncredited)
- Chela Matthison as Mrs Turner, Space Station 5 reception (uncredited)
- Vivian Kubrick as Floyd’s daughter, “Squirt” (uncredited)
- Kenneth Kendall as BBC announcer (uncredited)
Storyline:
“2001” is a story of evolution. Sometime in the distant past, someone or something nudged evolution by placing a monolith on Earth (presumably elsewhere throughout the universe as well). Evolution then enabled humankind to reach the moon’s surface, where yet another monolith is found, one that signals the monolith placers that humankind has evolved that far. Now mankind, assisted by artificial intelligence (such as HAL), must dare to encounter the monolith placers. If successful, the next step in evolution–whatever it is–will be achieved.
About Movie:
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick, with a screenplay co-written by Kubrick and renowned science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke. The film draws inspiration from several of Clarke’s short stories, particularly The Sentinel (1951). Following the film’s release, Clarke also published a novelization of the story, written partially in tandem with the screenplay. The cast includes Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, and Douglas Rain.
The film is famous for its groundbreaking special effects, scientifically accurate portrayal of space travel, and minimal use of dialogue, relying instead on visual storytelling and classical music. Its soundtrack features compositions by Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss II, Aram Khachaturian, and György Ligeti, creating an iconic auditory experience that complements its mysterious and ambiguous visuals.
Principal photography began on December 29, 1965, at Shepperton Studios in England, with the large Tycho crater excavation scene shot first. The production later moved to MGM-British Studios in Borehamwood, where most of the live-action and special effects sequences were filmed.
Shooting concluded in September 1967, but Kubrick spent the next year working on the film’s 205 special effects shots. His final edits were made just days before the film’s release in April 1968.
2001: A Space Odyssey initially garnered mixed reactions, with some viewers interpreting it as a dark, apocalyptic vision, while others saw it as an optimistic exploration of humanity’s future. The film delves into profound themes like human evolution, technology, artificial intelligence, and the search for extraterrestrial life. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, winning Best Visual Effects for Kubrick’s direction.
Over time, the film has come to be regarded as one of the most significant and influential films in cinematic history. In 1991, it was inducted into the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress. In 2022, it ranked in the top ten of Sight & Sound’s critics’ poll and topped their directors’ poll.
A sequel, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, based on Clarke’s novel 2010: Odyssey Two, was released in 1984.
Budget & Box Office Collection:
| Budget | $10.5 million |
| Worldwide Collection | $146 million |
