2001: A Space Odyssey (4k Ultra HD + Blu-Ray)

“Stanley Kubrick’s dazzling, Academy Award-winning achievement is a compelling drama of man vs. machine, a stunning meld of music and motion, Kubrick (who co-wrote the screenplay with Arthur C. Clarke) first visits our prehistoric ape-ancestry past, then leaps millennia (via one of the most mind-blowing jump cuts ever) into colonized space, and ultimately whisks astronaut Bowman (Keir Dullea) into uncharted space, perhaps even into immortality. “Open the pod bay doors, HAL.” Let an awesome journey unlike any other begin.”

The film opens following a group of primates who scavenge for plants and roots and are in constant fear of attack by other wild beasts. One day, a tall, rectangular monolith appears before them, black and smooth. As the curious apes surround it, one particular ape touches it, and is later on suddenly inspired to use a bone as a weapon and the first idea of violence enters into its mind. The film jumps forward in time as Dr. Heywood Floyd (William Sylvester) travels from Earth to an orbiting space station and final destination of the Moon in order to research another monolith that was discovered buried beneath the surface. This discovery results in a mission to Jupiter to find another monolith, which they believe to be orbiting the planet. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) operate the ship with the help of HAL 9000, an artificial intelligence which runs the systems of the ship and monitors the stasis of three scientists which are suspended in hyper-sleep awaiting their final destination. Although no HAL 9000 has ever malfunctioned in the history of their design, the two astronauts begin to suspect that something isn’t quite right with their computer crewmate. The resulting conflict boasts some of the most memorable sequences in sci-fi history, with a mesmerizing conclusion.

2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the pivotal science fiction films of cinematic history. Released in 1968, the special effects and technical achievements this film displayed went on to influence an entire generation of filmmakers and special effects artists. Stanley Kubrick’s masterful composition of both visuals and music really does give credence to his regard as a genius filmmaker. Before this film, the science fiction genre was generally disregarded when it came to poignant and influential films. Mainly focusing on some kind of giant space-creature or hostile alien attacks, Kubrick decided to take the genre into an entirely different direction, bringing a sense of awe and inspiration to the countless people who have watched the film. Without 2001: A Space Odyssey, we wouldn’t have many of the iconic science fictions films to come after, including Star Wars.

If you’ve seen the film, you know this isn’t your typical narrative structure. The first line of dialogue doesn’t even occur until about a half hour into the film, instead we are exposed to an amazing composition of both sound and visuals. We aren’t given a lot of information about the story either, with the mystery of the monoliths eluding the audience which is left to form their own conclusion about a lot of things. One thing is clear, however, the appearance of these monoliths sparks an evolutionary leap forward as anyone who comes into contact with it wants to desperately understand it and who or what is responsible for leaving it. This film itself briefly acknowledges the fact these were left by an ancient intelligent alien species but beyond that it is left to speculation about the intent. The subsequent books make it more clear that these were left as a sort of alarm system that our species was leaving the confines of our planet and the ultimate intention of the alien species is to destroy mankind; however, the ending of the film leaves it a bit more open to interpretation I believe.

Of course the most iconic moments of the film involve the conflict between HAL and Dave, shifting the film from a beautiful and melodic symphony into something a bit more horrific. HAL represents the pinnacle of human achievement that has turned against us, a commentary on the path of our society that Kubrick was able to see even in the 1960’s. It’s simply fascinating to me that this film was conceived and released before man even stepped foot on the Moon, yet perfectly portrays many things that have come to pass, and many that haven’t. Although our society hasn’t pushed into the stars like Kubrick and others may have thought we would, 2001: A Space Odyssey is still an amazing commentary that will mean something different to everyone who watches it.

Video

2001: A Space Odyssey is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition and includes Dolby Vision. It’s almost inconceivable to me that this film was released 50 years ago. This 4k transfer looks as though it was filmed yesterday, with breathtaking visuals and perfect clarity in every scene. The Dolby Vision and it’s dynamic meta data ensures that the color balance and brightness is calibrated perfectly in every sequence, delivering those brilliant brights and deep darks that 4k and Dolby Vision are best at. The last sequence aboard the spaceship with HAL is where you’re going to see this color balance really look its best.

Audio

The audio is presented in a restored and remixed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and also contains the 1968 theatrical audio formatted for 5.1. The film is known for its stunning visuals, but just as important is the audio. The score for this is just as breathtaking as the visuals, and the track really delivers. It’s entirely immersive, with some of the more haunting moments involving the monoliths really delivering a chill as the choir pierces right through you.

Special Features

There really isn’t anything new here, as all these features have been seen on previous releases. Still, they are very informative and worth taking a look at for fans of the film and of Kubrick himself. The packaging is very impressive, with a nice hard shell case that includes the normal 4k case of the film and an envelope containing four promotional photographs of the film and a color booklet full of additional pictures and concept drawings.

Here’s what you’re going to see on the discs:

• Commentary by Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood
• Channel Four Documentary 2001: The Making of a Myth
• 4 Insightful Featurettes:
  • Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001
  • Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey – A Look Behind the Future
  • What is Out There?
• 2001: FX and Early Conceptual Artwork
• Look: Stanley Kubrick!
• Audio-Only Bonus: 1966 Kubrick Interview Conducted by Jeremy Bernstein
• Theatrical Trailer

2001: A Space Odyssey proves quite simply that film is an artform. This 4k set is absolutely stunning and will more than please fans of the film. For me, it was like watching it for the first time again, and anyone on the fence about upgrading should pull the trigger as I don’t know any film I’d be more excited about seeing in this new medium.