Episode 31 - 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film
produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick. The screenplay was
written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, and was inspired by
Clarke's 1951 short story "The Sentinel" and other short stories
by Clarke. A novel released after the film's premiere was in part
written concurrently with the screenplay. The film follows a
voyage to Jupiter with the sentient computer HAL after the
discovery of an alien monolith. It deals with themes of
existentialism, human evolution, technology, artificial
intelligence, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.


The film is noted for its scientifically accurate depiction of
space flight, pioneering special effects, and ambiguous imagery.
Kubrick avoided conventional cinematic and narrative techniques;
dialogue is used sparingly, and there are long sequences
accompanied only by music. The soundtrack incorporates numerous
works of classical music, by composers including Richard Strauss,
Johann Strauss II, Aram Khachaturian, and György Ligeti.


The film received diverse critical responses, ranging from those
who saw it as darkly apocalyptic to those who saw it as an
optimistic reappraisal of the hopes of humanity. It was nominated
for four Academy Awards, with Kubrick winning for his direction
of the visual effects. The film is widely regarded as one of the
greatest and most influential films ever made. In 1991, it was
deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant"
by the United States Library of Congress and selected for
preservation in the National Film Registry.