Any 2001: A Space Odyssey fans on here?

[Nole Lou]

New 70mm print struck from the original negative is going to be re-released to select theaters in May. I haven't been able to find the list of showings yet, crossing my fingers that Atlanta makes the cut.

I know that this movie has a lot of detractors, and I get why, but it's one of my favorites. It's funny, but it checks all the boxes of movies that I normally just don't care for, and yet I find 2001 thrilling. It's just so perfectly rendered and meticulous. Love it, love it, love it.

I'm dying to see it on the big screen in 70mm. Recently I caught the theater showing of Vertigo via Fathom events. Of all movies, I didn't foresee a whole lot of additional value to a theater showing of a movie like Vertigo other than the novelty of it, and the fact I had seen it for the first time on a theater re-release back in the 80s, about the same age as my son, who I took to this one. But I was wrong...Vertigo is famous for it's setting (San Francisco) being a character in the film, but I never really appreciated it like I did on the expanse of the big screen. Fortunately, they played it on the biggest screen in the multiplex, which was a nice surprise, as many of the smaller screens aren't a whole lot more impressive than sitting ten feet in front of my 65". In addition, the theater audio for arguably cinema's greatest score was amazing.

Given that, I can only imagine what a 70mm showing of 2001 would be like.

Here's the trailer for the re-release...and this sounds dumb, but if you haven't seen the movie and think you might at some point...don't watch this trailer...it's full of spoilers. This trailer is definitely aimed at juicing up the fans. So there you go...spoiler alert for a 50 year old film.



And yes, I know this will be filled with people saying how much 2001 sucks, it's boring, etc. You either appreciate it or you don't.

 

[FSU_UCLA]

I love it. I have been lucky enough to see the 70 mm print at the Egyptian theater and an outdoor screening at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. I will definitely be watching this release as well.

 

[mwfudge]

Where's Ric Flair?

 

[Nole Lou]

I love it. I have been lucky enough to see the 70 mm print at the Egyptian theater and an outdoor screening at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. I will definitely be watching this release as well.

Very lucky. This should be pretty great, as it's a brand new generation from the original, so it should look as "new" as when it first ran in theaters.

 

[NoleMoreTears]

If you like this you may want to watch the doc "Kubrick: A Life in Pictures"

This wouldn't be my favorite Kubrick film by any stretch but I can see why it has a following.

 

[Nole Lou]

If you like this you may want to watch the doc "Kubrick: A Life in Pictures"

This wouldn't be my favorite Kubrick film by any stretch but I can see why it has a following.

I think I watched that. I find Kubrick really interesting. I think it can be credibly argued the guy never really made a bad movie.

At the same time, for me, this one IS my favorite by a long shot, although I haven't seen Barry Lyndon. What I find interesting is the diversity of movies he hit out of the park.

 

[fsu1jreed]

They should show it back to back with one of my favorite movies, 2010.

 

[FSU_UCLA]

Barry Lyndon is a really good movie, as well. My favorite is Eyes Wide Shut, and my least favorite is A.I. Nevertheless, I agree that arguably he never made a bad movie.

 

[TexSkills]

I've always liked this movie and most Kubrick films. Haven't watched it in a while. Really interesting to see what people in the late 60s thought 2001 would be like.

2010 isn't bad either. It's entertaining but doesn't approach 2001 status.

 

[F4Gary]

I saw it in '68 in a theater. Loved it. Didn't get all the symbolism then, but really enjoyed the movie.

 

[SoddyNole]

 

[Nole Lou]

Barry Lyndon is a really good movie, as well. My favorite is Eyes Wide Shut, and my least favorite is A.I. Nevertheless, I agree that arguably he never made a bad movie.

Man, I thought Eyes Wide Shut was just fantastic for about two thirds, and then it just lost me in the conclusion. I don't know if that had to do with him not being around to wrap it up, or if that was the way it was designed. I haven't revisited it since my first viewing though, maybe I will again.

I don't know if you're being generous, or ungenerous to credit him with AI. I remember when I first watched it I didn't know the Kubrick connection, and I kept telling my wife "This is a movie Stanley Kubrick should have made. This would have been really good if Kubrick had made it." My wife didn't respond of course, because she was crying uncontrollably, and can still be brought to tears just thinking about that movie 15 years later. So it is what it is I guess.

I do think every way that AI fails fails is consistent with Speilberg's worst tendencies as a director.

 

[Dr. Nole]

I've always liked this movie and most Kubrick films. Haven't watched it in a while. Really interesting to see what people in the late 60s thought 2001 would be like.

Agree.
Made me think of the original Blade Runner movie...what people in 1982 thought 2019 would be like.

 

[noleit]

I didn't enjoy it much the first time but it grew on me from the second viewing on. I'll definitely watch the re-release!

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

Exactly.

I can recognize how hugely influential and innovative it was for its special effects and cinematography....but still hate it. It’s better than Unisom at knocking me out.

 

[nynole1]

I love it too, almost felt like I was on the ship and isolated. I think that's the film's biggest strength.
Hated EWS.

 

[Nole Lou]

I love it too, almost felt like I was on the ship and isolated. I think that's the film's biggest strength.
Hated EWS.

Yeah, I'm not particularly in tune to the mechanics and "art" of filmmaking...that stuff doesn't generally float my boat much. But something about it definitely does with 2001 (and Citizen Kane), just all the little things like lights and reflections and sound and scene composition. Maybe lulling the viewer into that isolation and pace makes that more noticeable for me, gives me a chance to eat it all up.

I know it's "boring" and "slow" objectively. But when I watch it, I never find myself bored, or frustrated with the pace. Even with some movies I like, there are parts that I'm like "ok, let's get on with this part", and this should be one of them.

It's a little bit strange the way I eat this one up, and not other movies in that mold...if my office caught on fire and the world's only existing copy of a Terrence Malick movie was sitting on my desk, I'd reach for my Diet Coke on the way out.

Maybe it's because for all that, the idea and story at the core is extraordinarily compelling to me, no matter how leisurely (or lethargically) it's rendered.

I have fairly specific tastes in what I enjoy in a movie, and yet there are a few very specific films which strangely cut totally across that grain to really reach me. It keeps me trying things I don't really like, because every so often...one hits.

 

[Fijimn]

Universal California had a back lot tour where they put two volunteers in a space suit to duplicate the space walk over Jupiter. I remember getting selected and when you look at the tv kind of freaked you out even though it was a green screen.

 

[nynole1]

Yeah, I'm not particularly in tune to the mechanics and "art" of filmmaking...that stuff doesn't generally float my boat much. But something about it definitely does with 2001 (and Citizen Kane), just all the little things like lights and reflections and sound and scene composition. Maybe lulling the viewer into that isolation and pace makes that more noticeable for me, gives me a chance to eat it all up.

I know it's "boring" and "slow" objectively. But when I watch it, I never find myself bored, or frustrated with the pace. Even with some movies I like, there are parts that I'm like "ok, let's get on with this part", and this should be one of them.

It's a little bit strange the way I eat this one up, and not other movies in that mold...if my office caught on fire and the world's only existing copy of a Terrence Malick movie was sitting on my desk, I'd reach for my Diet Coke on the way out.

Maybe it's because for all that, the idea and story at the core is extraordinarily compelling to me, no matter how leisurely (or lethargically) it's rendered.

I have fairly specific tastes in what I enjoy in a movie, and yet there are a few very specific films which strangely cut totally across that grain to really reach me. It keeps me trying things I don't really like, because every so often...one hits.

Did you like Apocalypto?

 

[Nole Lou]

Did you like Apocalypto?

I did indeed like Apocalypto. Probably wouldn't watch it again, but that was a movie that when I'd read about it, thought it would have absolutely no interest to me, and I thought it was very good.

 

[nynole1]

I did indeed like Apocalypto. Probably wouldn't watch it again, but that was a movie that when I'd read about it, thought it would have absolutely no interest to me, and I thought it was very good.

Felt a lot like 2001 to me in that it was very immersive.

 

[Nole Lou]

So...been tracking this re-release since back in April...and it's made it to Atlanta. Tickets tonight for the biggest movie screen in Georgia (outside museum IMAX).

Saw Vertigo and Fistful of Dollars on the big screen this year too, not a bad year.