2001: A Space Odyssey

Film evenings begin with optional potluck refreshments and social hour at 6:30 pm,
followed by the film at 7:30 pm, followed by a discussion after the film.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
by Stanley Kubrick

Here’s a landmark science fiction classic — perhaps still the best science-fiction film about exploration of the unknown. It’s about space travel and the discovery of extra-terrestrial intelligence. It’s the predecessor of many popular science fiction films and TV shows to follow. Coincidentally it was a prelude to orbiting and landing on the moon with Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969 and it prophetically showed the enduring influence that computers would have in our daily lives.

This masterpiece is profound, visionary, and astounding as well as a tremendous visual experience. It contains more spectacular imagery (about what space looked like) and special effects than verbal dialogue. The first spoken word is almost a half hour into the film, and there’s less than 40 minutes of dialogue in the entire film. Much of it is in dead silence (accurately depicting the absence of sound in space) or with the sound of human breathing within a spacesuit. It’s breathtaking, richly eloquent, visually poetic and deliberately moves at a slow pace. All scenes in the film have either dialogue or music (or silence), but never both together. Viewers are left to experience the non-verbal, mystical vastness of space and to reach into their own subconscious and into the film’s pure imagery to speculate about its meaning. Many people are inspired by the film’s story of how humans are dwarfed by technology and space.

Wheelchair accessible around the corner at 411 28th Street

$5 donations are accepted