As soon as Richard Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra blares across the entire screen and into the surrounds, viewers are immediately immersed in a sense of otherworldliness. Plus, the special effects optical shots are still breathtaking, without losing detail — a common problem with older films. Clarke) first visits our prehistoric ape-ancestry past, then leaps millennia (via one of the most mind-blowing jump cuts ever) into colonised space, and ultimately whisks astronaut Bowman (Keir Dullea) into uncharted space, perhaps even into immortality. is not a simple question for me and, I suspect, nor is it for many of those that are faced with this enquiry.

The section in the red computer room where Dave removes HAL’s ‘brains’ is spectacular in a way it’s never been before, for instance, as is the psychedelic sequence where Dave is dragged through time, space and dimensions after arriving at Jupiter.Products labelled '*item fulfilled by Exertis on behalf of hmv' will be supplied to you directly by Exertis via their approved couriers. To be honest, in my experience, this scan of 2001 and that of Blade Runner are two of the best reasons to go 4K. Or at least they are once you get past the black screen that represents the first three minutes of the film! Even the Dawn of Man sequences (which have proved challenging for other releases of the film) look remarkably realistic and ‘new’ thanks to the way the 4K Blu-ray’s extra brightness makes the bright skies and sun-drenched landscapes look far more vivid and natural. In contrast (pun 100% intended), the Blu-ray offers perfect mastering, with balanced bright and dark areas plus a gorgeous HDR effect.

All three are housed in a black, eco-cutout case within a sturdy, side-sliding cardboard box, which includes four collectible postcards and a glossy, twenty-page booklet with various production stills.Insightful Featurettes: Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001, Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001, 2001: A Space Odyssey - A Look Behind the Future and What Is Out There? Surely the world’s trending towards an ever-greater focus on streaming, but 2001: A Space Odyssey provides a sobering reminder that for now, at least, streamed can’t beat a proper physical disc.

I was on a Kubrick-kick, and had invited a bunch of friends over to watch the sci-fi classic I'd heard so much about. Such as, when a recording of an interview of these two astronauts on the Discovery ship, is played, they both see it on a tablet-like device. It was as though the film itself was music, or meta-music, but I didn't have such concepts then, just spooky, ineffable feelings. The Legacy of 2001 – Take a hypnotic journey with filmmakers whose own careers were inspired by this cinematic landmark.Details abound at every step and scene, and so the 4K Blu-ray with its nearly compression-free quality is the best way to appreciate 2001.