When I first saw 2001, I was in seventh grade science class. Ms. Blumenthal explained to us that contemporary movies have a lot of cuts because modern audiences don't have the attention span to hold a shot for too long. Kubrick, on the other hand, filmed long takes of just pure space, with little movement and barely any dialogue. As a twelve year old, I couldn't really appreciate the film for what it was. I also don't think we saw the ending in class, and of course, we watched it over several days. But revisiting it now in its fiftieth anniversary, in 70mm IMAX, I gained a new appreciation for this visual feast. I got to experience it the same way audiences did fifty years ago. In the year 2018, we have movies that are pure CGI with visual effects indistinguishable from reality. Back in 1968, when audiences had never seen such things before, I can imagine how awe inspiring this would have been. Even today, the visuals are astonishing. The final Star Gate scene is awe inspiring. It holds up. Some of these scenes, even now, I wonder how they filmed it. Like the scene where Dave is jogging 360 degrees. I cannot figure out how the camera was mounted to film that scene.
All that said, I don't understand the movie. And that being said, it doesn't really matter. The opening scene, the Dawn of Man, is perhaps the best opening scene of any movie. It's like watching a nature documentary, set to Strauss. The apes evolve into humans first by discovering God in the monolith, and by developing tools, specifically weapons. The message is wordless but clear. In contrast, the ending is wordless but enigmatic. It has its own beauty.
The use of classical music throughout the film is excellent. The music is so important in a movie that has such little dialogue. And don't get me wrong, the silence of space is just as important. The silence bored me years ago, but I wallow in it now.
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