Aspect Ratio: 2.20:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: Blu-ray
Brand: Warner Brothers
EAN: 0012569798380
Format: AC-3
Label: Warner Home Video
Languages: Array
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
MPN: 79838
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Region Code: 0
Release Date: 2007-10-23
Running Time: 141
Studio: Warner Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: 1968

A space mission that could reveal man?s destiny is jeopardized by a malfunctioning shipboard computer. A dazzling journey that tops them all ? and showed the way for other effects-packed films that followed.
When Stanley Kubrick recruited Arthur C. Clarke to collaborate on "the proverbial intelligent science fiction film," it's a safe bet neither the maverick auteur nor the great science fiction writer knew they would virtually redefine the parameters of the cinema experience. A daring experiment in unconventional narrative inspired by Clarke's short story "The Sentinel," 2001 is a visual tone poem (barely 40 minutes of dialogue in a 139-minute film) that charts a phenomenal history of human evolution. From the dawn-of-man discovery of crude but deadly tools in the film's opening sequence to the journey of the spaceship Discovery and metaphysical birth of the "star child" at film's end, Kubrick's vision is meticulous and precise. In keeping with the director's underlying theme of dehumanization by technology, the notorious, seemingly omniscient computer HAL 9000 has more warmth and personality than the human astronauts it supposedly is serving. (The director also leaves the meaning of the black, rectangular alien monoliths open for discussion.) This theme, in part, is what makes 2001 a film like no other, though dated now that its postmillennial space exploration has proven optimistic compared to reality. Still, the film is timelessly provocative in its pioneering exploration of inner- and outer-space consciousness. With spectacular, painstakingly authentic special effects that have stood the test of time, Kubrick's film is nothing less than a cinematic milestone--puzzling, provocative, and perfect. --Jeff Shannon
When Stanley Kubrick recruited Arthur C. Clarke to collaborate on "the proverbial intelligent science fiction film," it's a safe bet neither the maverick auteur nor the great science fiction writer knew they would virtually redefine the parameters of the cinema experience. A daring experiment in unconventional narrative inspired by Clarke's short story "The Sentinel," 2001 is a visual tone poem (barely 40 minutes of dialogue in a 139-minute film) that charts a phenomenal history of human evolution. From the dawn-of-man discovery of crude but deadly tools in the film's opening sequence to the journey of the spaceship Discovery and metaphysical birth of the "star child" at film's end, Kubrick's vision is meticulous and precise. In keeping with the director's underlying theme of dehumanization by technology, the notorious, seemingly omniscient computer HAL 9000 has more warmth and personality than the human astronauts it supposedly is serving. (The director also leaves the meaning of the black, rectangular alien monoliths open for discussion.) This theme, in part, is what makes 2001 a film like no other, though dated now that its postmillennial space exploration has proven optimistic compared to reality. Still, the film is timelessly provocative in its pioneering exploration of inner- and outer-space consciousness. With spectacular, painstakingly authentic special effects that have stood the test of time, Kubrick's film is nothing less than a cinematic milestone--puzzling, provocative, and perfect. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Rating:
Summary: Kubrick's masterpiece!
Comment:

In the beginning before man appeared, apes roamed the Earth and they discovered a mysterious black object from outer space that somehow made them intelligent. Flash-cut to the 21st century in the far future, technology has evolved and so has space travel where Astronauts and people can explore whatever place they want in the farest reach of space. Astronauts David Bowman (Keir Duella) and Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) sets off to Jupiter on a spaceship Controlled by an artificial Intelligence machine named Hal-9000 (Voiced by Douglas Rain), whoever Hal-9000 begins to threaten our astronauts as they race to find out what is the mystery of the universe.

One of the all time greatest motion pictures of all time! Stanley Kubrick and co-writer Arthur C. Clarke has created a motion picture of epic porportions. This film has went on to become one of the most influential and inspiration motion pictures of all time! sure it's a little long and too slow for some audiences but it stimulates the mind and imagation of the viewer. It's even a philosophy about mankind and what is the meaning of life, death and rebirth through the eyes of a traveling astronaut and his struggle against machine as he seeks what the truth is. This is a true masterpiece in every sense of the word and one of the most important motion pictures ever created! it's provokes both the thoughts and eyes of the viewer with incredible special effects and a timeless yet complicated storyline with classical music. This Space Opera set a major standard in Sci-fi for years to come as it has stood the test of time.

This Blu-Ray offers spectacular sound and great picture quality! the extras are amazing too like audio commentary, four featurettes, 2001: FX and Early Conceptual artwork gallery, Audio-only bonus with a rare 1966 Kubrick interview, a documentary called "2001: The Making of a Myth", "Look: Stanley Kubrick" which has a collection of photos from his days as a camera man and the theatrical Trailer.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: quick and easy shopping
Comment: great service buy all my cristmas from amazon have had no trouble (knock on wood)

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Aspect ratios
Comment: I agree with the review about correct aspect ratios. Panavision, CinemaScope and similar anamorphic processes are wider but not as sharp as 70mm which has an aspect ratio of 2:20 to 1. Ultra Panavision, another 70mm process had an aspect ratio of 2:76 to 1. Both processes were later used as the "new" single lens Cinerama films which were made after How the West Was Won which was done in the original 3-strip 35mm process. Mike Todd, who was one of the original members of the Cinerama corporation sold his interest in the company to form his own company which ultimately developed the Todd-AO 70mm process which came close to duplicating the viseral effect of Cinerama. Super Panavision was developed later to compete with Todd-AO using similar lens technology. But as most of us film buffs know...most people don't care. If anyone has seen the Blu Ray disc of How The West Was Won in the smilebox process you'll get an idea of how Cinerama was supposed to look. It would be really great if some of these 70mm films were treated with the smilebox process giving people the choice to watch the film as it was meant to be seen on a deeply curved screen. I did get to see 2001 in 70mm on a deeply curved Cinerama screen and it was amazing. It appears that the days of movie showmanship are long gone.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Still the class of the Sci-Fi world
Comment: Frankly, I had forgotten what a great movie this is, and the blue ray version is very, very, sharp!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: classic sci fi...looks stunning in high def
Comment: this is an all time favorite of mine. probably up in my top 5 movies of all time. the blu ray looks amazing! for a movie as old as this one, the high def transfer looks like it was made yesterday.

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