Sci-Fi Epic Space Adventure On Max Changed Cinema And Needs To Be Seen By Everyone
Even if you have never seen 2001: A Space Odyssey, it is a safe assumption that you are familiar with so many of its classic scenes through cultural osmosis. That is because this would become one of the foundational films of the sci-fi movie genre. Made by master director Stanley Kubrick, many would argue this is one of the greatest movies ever made, which is why if you have not seen it, you need to take advantage of it being available on Max to see what everyone has been raving about.
The Menacing Monolith
Part of what has cemented 2001: A Space Odyssey’s legacy is the interpretive nature of the film. Starting in prehistoric times, the plot is kicked off by a tribe of primates encountering a bizarre monolith that has appeared in their territory, clearly not of this world. The movie then jumps ahead in time to a group of astronauts encountering that same monolith, and a series of bizarre events that follow.
This includes many famous scenes that have made 2001: A Space Odyssey famous. This includes the astronaut Dave who winds up realizing that his craft’s own computer, the HAL 9000, is plotting to kill him. In a subplot that has been reused by countless shows and movies, Dave realizes the computer cares more about completing its mission than it does human life and that he must deactivate it to survive.
Open To Interpretation
Describing the plot beyond the factual details is difficult because even though 2001: A Space Odyssey was released in 1968, there is still a great deal of division over what the meaning of the movie is. Some speculate that the movie’s famous monolith oversees the evolution of life, starting with the prehistoric primates, advancing to humans, and then onto the new life form that Dave becomes at the end.
2001: A Space Odyssey is a movie that can be watched over and over not only for appreciation of the craft that Kubrick put into the film, but also the many layers to analyze. Even longtime fans of the movie might still be surprised at what they could learn. Like the story actually has numerous sequels!
Plenty More Where That Came From
2001: A Space Odyssey was released as a book nearly concurrently with the movie, and the book wound up getting three sequels. The first sequel, 2010: Odyssey Two, was turned into a movie in 1984, though it obviously did not have anywhere near the impact its predecessor did. There have also been talks over the years of turning the final novel, 3001: The Final Odyssey, into a miniseries.
Impact And Legacy
From parody episodes on shows like The Simpsons, to other great sci-fi films in their own right like Interstellar, the influence of 2001: A Space Odyssey is undeniable. It is admittedly not everyone’s cup of tea, with some modern fans finding Kubrick’s languid storytelling to be slow-paced. However, it ranks up there with the likes of Citizen Kane as a movie that has changed film making so much that it deserves to be watched for its historical significance alone.
Streaming 2001: A Space Odyssey
Regardless of whether sci-fi is your genre or not, you owe it to yourself to see 2001: A Space Odyssey on Max if you have not done so already. After doing so, you will gain an appreciation for how many other works of media have been touched by this classic 5 star film.
