2001: A Space Odyssey Forum

• Play
• Add to Instant Queue
• Add

I just watched this movie for the first time. I had dificulty staying awake. Now I am very confused.

Did you watch the whole thing or fall asleep during?

@Jayross: Its to be expected really. I had some real high hopes for the movie before I watched it but after I was all O_O

To each their own, at the end of the day. I really liked 2001, but I can see how someone wouldn't prefer it so.

It's definitely a movie that can get a huge array of reactions. It is a really good movie to think about after you finish watching it.

I love it.

Hate this movie. Definitely hasn't aged well.

@Jayross said:

I just watched this movie for the first time. I had dificulty staying awake. Now I am very confused.

The way I have always looked at this movie is the big black monolith is what sparks evolution. That's why the monkeys started using tools and took control. The entire movie is about man and technology.

So the Jupiter Mission happens and HAL is the only one on-board that knows the actual mission and is the brain of the ship they are on, the men are dependent on HAL. So when the men try and kill HAL, it acted out to keep the mission alive. It becomes Man versus his tool.

Dave beats HAL (with a screwdriver) and is left all alone in space by himself and with knowledge of the actual mission. Now that his tools are all gone he has to rely on something.

In the last scene where he's in a room looking at himself die, he's overcoming death and entering the next step in evolution transcending technology. That's what the space fetus meant.

If you remember the Dr. Floyd parts it showed him lose control of his pen, having to learn how to take a shit in space and eating baby food. Those were all visual cues to suggest man is out of his element in Space.

Then on the Jupiter mission it alludes to HAL thinking less of Man and seeing them as nuisances, as they eat their TV dinners and soak up artificial sun. When Dave's friend dies (can't remember his name) it shows him drift away and all you hear is breathing. He's a fish out of water.

It's a shame this type of movie will never get made again.

I also watched the sequel before the original one, but I don't think that really influenced anything.

An appropriate reaction for 2001. It may be the most divisive film of all time. I haven't seen the whole thing, just little bits here and there. Every time I have been stunned by how beautiful it is. From what I've read about it, it's basically the only film of its kind.