2001: A Space Odyssey

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Released: 1968

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood

Watch if you're: A fan of Sci Fi

Don't watch if you're: Looking for a laugh

In one word: Stunning

UK Certificate: 12

WARNING: Blog post contains spoilers.

Ok, so first of all I would like to take a minute to celebrate that this is the first film of the project, because I expect that this time next year I will be cursing the fact that I ever started as I try to cram in the last few films before midnight strikes. So,

YAY!!!

Moving on.

The reason I chose to watch '2001: A Space Odyssey' first is mainly because the postman happened to deliver the DVD just as I was set to begin the project. But on a more meaningful level, being a big fan of Sci Fi, I thought it would be a good way to start off. So hooray for coincidence.

The main reason I like Sci Fi is quite simply because I like getting away from this planet and into Space. So you can imagine my slight bewilderment as the first fifteen minutes or so appeared to be straight out of a David Attenborough wildlife documentary. While I was watching it, I was desperate for the Space part to start. Looking back, it made a nice, contrasting opening that reminded us of where we originated, but I would have been quite happy without it.

I'm not really sure how to describe my feelings towards the rest of the film. I certainly liked it, but that sounds so vague and empty (which actually how it left me feeling). It was actually quite scary at times, and made me really think about our dependence on technology. Hal the computer was so creepy- the voice, and the red eye (which I think Friends of the Earth should use to scare people into not leaving appliances on standby)- but I actually felt for it when it had to be shut down.

The last twenty minutes had me completely confused. First of all, it looked like Dave had taken a few too many stress pills. Then it just got totally weird. But of course that's the good thing about it. It's meant to be weird. That's what makes good Sci Fi after all.

The problem is, normally weird stuff that doesn't seem to make sense actually has a point to it, whether it's a metaphor, or if it's just designed to make the audience think.

But I'm not entirely sure what I'm meant to be thinking about or reflecting on. Yes, there's the whole issue about dependence on technology, but that doesn't really seem to relate to the end of the film. Of course, not every film has a message like this, but it seemed like this film needed one, especially since everything else about it was so clever.

Plot issues aside, this is truly a remarkable film. If I had to describe it in one word, I would say 'stunning'. A modern day audience would be impressed with the special effects, so I imagine that audiences at the time of its release in 1968 would have had their minds utterly blown. The sets are phenomenal too, and the directing and acting are also superb.

There is no denying that this is an excellent film, and completely deserves its place on the '100 Films to See Before You Die' list, but I think that, personally, I need something that either has a really interesting plot or leaves me with something to think about. Although this film left me with a sense of awe, I was still just asking myself 'what?'.

My rating: 8/10

Favourite moment: Any moment which involved people walking or running up walls. I have no idea how they filmed that. I need to watch the DVD extras.

Number of films still to watch: 99

Days to go: 365