2001 - A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray]

2001 - A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray]

2001 - A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray]

List Price: ~~$28.99~~
Our Price: $17.99
You Save: $11.00 (38%)
Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 5 weeks
Buy Used: from $14.99 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details

Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada

DVD details

Actor: Ed Bishop, Edwina Carroll, Gary Lockwood, Keir Dullea, Penny Brahms
Brand: Warner Brothers
Cinematographer: John Alcott
Cinematographer: Geoffrey Unsworth
Composer: Gy?rgy Ligeti
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.20:1
Running Time: 141 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-10-23
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Warner Home Video

DVD Reviews of 2001 - A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray]

DVD Review: Classic Science Fiction (Kubrick at His Best) - Blu-Ray version
Summary: 5 Stars

When I first saw this film in 1968 in a bonafide Cinerama theater, I was certain that no television presentation could ever adequately present this movie. However, the Blu-Ray issue seen on a large screen (46" at a distance of 8 to 10 feet) does begin to suggest how achingly beautiful this film originally looked to me. The processing of the disc is everything I could have hoped for. Warner appears to have given the loving attention this picture deserves.

The creepiest parts of the picture were all the product placement brands that are no longer with us: Pan American (the shuttle in orbit), The Bell System (vision-phone), Howard Johnson (Earthlight hotel) and RCA Whirlpool (on the food warmer) -- this last readable only in the blu-ray.

I also appreciate the overture of Ligeti's music presented with a black screen instead of some still shot with "Overture" written across it in big letters (I suppose for the sake of those viewers who would panic at the sight of a black screen and immediately begin adjusting their tv's).

In the Cinerama theater, the curtains were drawn across the big screen and the overture came from behind them while the house lights slowly faded. When the theater was totally dark the curtains were quietly pulled and the MGM stylized logo filled the gigantic screen. What a show! No more of that these days!

DVD Review: The Best Sci-Fi Movie of All Time?
Summary: 4 Stars

As far as Science Fiction goes, 2001: A Space Odyssey truly is a marvel in the genre. While, in this age which has proven some of the theories of this movie wrong, it's still chilling in some of it's (HAL, while we do not have a robot like this, is still one of the coolest sci-fi villians ever). It's not just a great look at evolution and other realistic topics, it's also a dazzling, visual toure de force, too. Oh sure, it's definitely not perfect, but 2001: A Space Odyssey rules beyond the clouds (HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!) at it's best moments.

Is 2001 flawless? Hardly. The movies does move at a slow pace, but that's not necessarily a bad thing all the way. The first chapter, which features nothing but a blank screen and classical music playing over it, is absolutely annoying and does not do anything for the movie. Other than that, there is no one particular scene, but some scenes are not as strong as others. For example, the totally awesome scene where the astronaut goes into the....erm, lights and other _____ is a lot more exciting than the board meeting will ever be (hey, just like real life!). But that's the only real problem with this movie. The slow pace only makes the movie move in a better pace and does a great job of adding some tension (especially when fixing the spaceship, it gives a sense of eagerness and drive to fix something and feel the rewards).

People who hate this for no action are idiots. Lack of action? Who Gives a ____?! This movies' thrill and entertainment can really be retained by both message and visuals. But mostly visuals. I've heard such retarded claims such as the special effects being dated, heh, the ships move fine to me, clowns. Besides, I like the way the ships and the other vehicles in space move elegatanly. This is a fantastic piece of film-making. The use of classical music only enchances it more, as watching the dramatic use of classical music while the monkey finds the use of a bone gives the relevancae and only shows the importance of this invention.

Alright, I can understand why somewhat would not like this. But 2001: A Space Odyssey is a gorgeous trip through the wonders of space, but without the boring documentary feel. ANd it certainly doesn't have any pesky Jedi's, aliens, Chewbacka's, and Terminator's (please note I respect and can enjoy Stars Wars and the Alien movies, and Arnold). I still don't think there's nothing quite like the movie. And also, read the novels for more in depth commentary and sci-fi wonders and try the sequal, at least.

B+

DVD Review: A reaction to William Sommerwerck's thoughtful review, and additional comments
Summary: 5 Stars

A reaction to William Sommerwerck's thoughtful review, and additional comments:

I, too, am a geezer. I'm glad the Blu-ray is a better rendition of 2001 than the DVD. The potential of a fine grain emulsion 65 mm negative or 70 mm print in good condition should be greater than that of Blue-ray, so I always hope for a gorgeous disk from 70 mm. Yes, as you say, "60 inches is not enough." I have found that a very slightly curved Home Theater screen 12 feet wide, seen at about 12 feet away from the center of the screen (~~ 55 degree viewing angle) can fairly convincingly simulate the image size seen from the 18th row in my favorite 70 mm theater. Most Blu-ray disks and home displays won't hold up; one can always move back.

I had a rather different experience than you in the theater. The two 70 mm prints I saw (on the West coast) were more like your description of the Blu-ray version, except that we could absolutely read the zero-gravity toilet instructions -- every word was sharp. True, the image was a bit softer than some 70 mm films like Ben-Hur, but the detail was there, just not as etched looking. Some images were very detailed, e.g., The Dawn of Man sequence, and the docking sequence with the uncompleted space station was "reach out and touch it," with an incredible sense of depth -- almost like 3D -- between the various structural components of the space station. There was no halation or flare-like scattered light, except in a very few shots where I'm pretty sure it was intended. The overall experience was the most immersive and near-hypnotic of my moviegoing lifetime (no drugs were involved), especially in one of the 70 mm theaters with a screen 85 feet across the chord of the arc, where, on repeated viewings, we tried out the front row. The image was extraordinarily detailed, pretty sharp, and with amazingly fine grain, even as close as that.

The differences between the image quality in your two theaters and mine leads me to wonder:

1) Could the lower image quality you report be partly responsible for the initial reaction of the East coast critics, which was much more negative than that of those on the West coast? True one of the NY critics who didn't like it called it a "masterwork" on second viewing (this is in Agel), but I can see how a scattered light image could be off-putting enough to keep someone from getting into the film.

2) Your mention of scattered light makes me suspicious. The two theaters I saw it in had their Cinerama screens installed with point source 70 mm projection in mind, for films like Grand Prix and The Hallelujah Trail -- the old three panel Cinerama was dead by then. If the theaters you saw it in had been set up for three panel Cinerama, I wonder if the vertical slats of the Cinerama screen, or even the depth of the curve, were still adjusted for three panel, in which two of the three projectors would have been shooting light from a completely different angle than would a centered 70 mm projector. Would this have caused the light scattering and blur you saw?

I'm happy that the aspect ratio is the original 70 mm shape of 2.2:1, according to Amazon ... I vastly preferred that shape to the 2.35:1 (or 2.39:1) of 35 mm widescreen. 2.2:1 allowed the audience to lose awareness of the screen borders -- unlike with more extreme aspect ratios that cause the eye to crash into the top of the image when looking up.

Also, for those reviewers who think otherwise, Arthur C. Clarke, in his book The Lost Worlds of 2001, stated that the movie 2001 was NOT based on his book 2001, but that the book and the screenplay were written simultaneously, "with feedback in both directions." He confirmed this in his visit to San Francisco for a conference on the future at the Exploratorium in 1971. At that meeting he said that Kubrick gave him some books by Joseph Campbell, saying, "Here, read these," and then the two of them wrote the screenplay together.

DVD Review: Blu-Ray does it good!
Summary: 5 Stars

I saw it when it first came out. I saw it on a 70mm screen in Staten Island and it was wonderful and regular DVD wasn't as good, but this version on Blu-Ray brought it out as it should be seen and heard on my 55" Sony LCD and Onkyo 7.1 surround with a Sony 550 model BD player!

DVD Review: A Vision Lost
Summary: 5 Stars

I saw this movie in the theater 2 days after it premiered. At my then young age I was completely awe struck. For me, this motion picture still inspires awe even today. Though the promise of space has become dimmer in recent times "2001 - A Space Odyssey" brings to life what could be. If only we can redirect our vision towards the cosmos.

Description of 2001 - A Space Odyssey [Blu-ray]

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

Genres DVDs

DVD Video

Bestsellers in Genres DVDs

Battlestar Galactica: Season 4.5
DVD
Best price: $31.99
Price in other shops: ~~$49.98~~

Jillian Michaels: Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Lions Gate; Release date: 2009-02-03; DVD
Best price: $8.22
Price in other shops: ~~$14.98~~

The Wrestler
Twentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2009-04-21; DVD
Best price: $11.49
Price in other shops: ~~$29.98~~

The Concerts
Release date: 2009-04-28; DVD
Best price: $26.49
Price in other shops: ~~$34.98~~

Quantum of Solace
Release date: 2009-03-24; DVD
Best price: $8.85
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

Marley and Me (Single-Disc Edition)
Twentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2009-03-31; DVD
Best price: $10.55
Price in other shops: ~~$29.98~~

Caprica
Universal; Release date: 2009-04-21; DVD
Best price: $13.50
Price in other shops: ~~$26.98~~

Slumdog Millionaire
Twentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2009-03-31; DVD
Best price: $10.40
Price in other shops: ~~$29.98~~

Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Universal; Release date: 2009-03-21; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops: ~~$32.99~~

Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred
Lions Gate; Release date: 2008-03-18; DVD
Best price: $7.57
Price in other shops: ~~$14.98~~

Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs

Dark City (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-07-29; DVD
Best price: $12.98
Price in other shops: ~~$28.99~~

The Godfather - The Coppola Restoration Giftset (The Godfather / The Godfather Part II / The Godfather Part III) [Blu-ray]
Paramount; Release date: 2008-09-23; DVD
Best price: $44.00
Price in other shops: ~~$124.99~~

Eyes Wide Shut [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-01-22; DVD
Best price: $11.68
Price in other shops: ~~$16.99~~

The Fifth Element (Remastered) [Blu-ray]
Sony; Release date: 2007-07-17; DVD
Best price: $14.85
Price in other shops: ~~$28.95~~

Full Metal Jacket (Deluxe Edition) [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2007-10-23; DVD
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops: ~~$28.99~~

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray]
DREYFUSS,RICHARD; Release date: 2007-11-13; DVD
Best price: $19.49
Price in other shops: ~~$49.95~~

2010: The Year We Make Contact [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-04-07; DVD
Best price: $11.40
Price in other shops: ~~$28.99~~

The Shining [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2007-10-23; DVD
Best price: $9.49
Price in other shops: ~~$28.99~~

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2007-12-18; DVD
Best price: $16.92
Price in other shops: ~~$39.99~~

A Clockwork Orange [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2007-10-23; DVD
Best price: $10.58
Price in other shops: ~~$28.99~~