2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (4K UHDBD) [Blu-ray]

So far ahead of it's time. Picture quality and sound is awesome.....

This has been my favourite film for decades, but I think it has been bumped by Arrival. Still it's good to see that Kubrick's attempt at edge blending with plastic has been remove from the opening scene and proper edge blending applied.

This is how to up grade 2010

Loved this film since I was a child. Great to see it as it finally deserves.

Pleased with purchase

“I thought 2001, which was many decades ago now, was a very fine film, very authentic in terms of the way space looks and the way vehicles move and trajectories and so on. Many of the more recent space fiction movies have much less realism than 2001 did...” - per Neil Armstrong in his NASA Oral history (at page 96) which he provided, ironically, in 2001. Is there a better more qualified critic than the first to walk on the moon?

Film culte

NOTE: This review contains major spoilers..... The late Stanley Kubrick has to be my favorite director of all time. He was the director of five of my top favorite films: Paths of Glory, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, & Full Metal Jacket. I can acknowledge that he was a very sophisticated perfectionist, but I can never deny that most of his movies are unbelievably mesmerizing. These are the exact kinds of films that I can never look away from. I feel almost hypnotized by them. But out of all of Kubrick's films, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a film that works the most wonders. It's the finest sci-fi epic ever made, and it's officially my #1 favorite film of all time. But what exactly makes 2001 so special? Well, in my opinion, it has perfected the sci-fi genre. Before this film was ever released, people have never completely taken science fiction very seriously. In the 50's and early 60's, sci-fi films often had crude special effects and silly storylines. Most of them (The Thing from Another World, The Day The Earth Stood Still) had very good plots and decent effects, but as a whole, the look and feel of these motion pictures still lacked realism and importance. Keep in mind, I don't have anything against the 50's and 60's sci-fi classics, but they are not my personal favorites, either. So along came 2001: A Space Odyssey. Released in 1968, critics were sharply divided. Some said it was fantastic, while others believed it to be dull. But this film grew among audiences (especially the psychedelic kinds), and slowly, people have acknowledged this to be not only the greatest sci-fi film ever made, but also one of the greatest films ever made. The year is now 2010, and this film is still considered to be a classic, which is a bit surprising since a majority of moviegoers are now accustomed to over-the-top action and pointless comedies. Hey, I still like some over-the-top action, but comedies nowadays aren't very clever anymore. Anyway, back to 2001. The reason why this film is so brilliant is that it became a sci-fi revolution. It's entirely distinctive for its realistic special effects, serious storyline, and influence on space travel & evolution. Even when compared to Star Wars, Star Trek, and Stargate, 2001 still looks and feels completely different from the rest. Look at how slow and steady the spaceships move. Listen to the lack of sound in the vacuum of space. Observe the planets and stars and how realistic they actually look. I don't think I have ever seen another sci-fi film that was ever this scientifically accurate before. Critics and audiences have analyzed this movie ever since it was released. Some believe it to be an ode to science, while others see it as an example of alien intelligence. Some even believe that it is about God and the paradise that we yearn for (the last thirty minutes of the film). As a middle-of-the-road agnostic, I think this film is about everything. Even if the main point of the film remains mysterious, it seems to explore everything about space and the future. The black monolith could either symbolize God, Darwinism, or alien benevolence & intelligence. HAL 9000 could represent the errors of future technology, or the cause and effects of artificial intelligence. The last twenty minutes of the film, in which David Bowman grows old and is reborn as the star-child, could be seen as a religious experience. But even if all of these were true, 2001 is "still a total mystery." We don't really know what it's all about. What really works, I think, is how these possible representations are shown through images and sound. The messages can be very clear once the visuals can make you understand what they are. And speaking of visuals, the special effects still don't cease to amaze me. I don't think I have ever seen such real-looking effects (and this was WAY before computers were used). It's a bit obvious that the apes in the first fifteen minutes of the film are on a soundstage, but the space sequences are such a delight to watch. The spaceships look almost as if they were really moving in space, and the planets Earth & Jupiter don't look like miniature models at all (perhaps they were matte paintings of photographs, I can't really tell). And how did they manage to have Frank Poole float away in space? They must have used a wide-angle lens for that. And just how DID they create that famous "stargate" sequence? I know they used macro photography for some shots, but what did they use for the other shots? There are just so many questions that maybe it's time for me to listen to the audio commentary. As an avid fan of classical music, I really do love the classical pieces that were chosen for this film. 2001 does not have an original score, but the music of J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Ligeti, and Khachaturian always get to me. Every musical piece is used to actually enhance the story. Ligeti's "Requiem" signifies the presence of the black monolith. J. Strauss's "The Blue Danube" is played during two scenes involving space travel. Khachaturian's "Gayane: Adagio" is heard when we begin to see what goes on during the Jupiter Mission. And of course, R. Strauss's "Also Sprach Zarathustra" is used to remind us how majestic the universe really is. Basically, the music really does add more importance to the story. "The Blue Danube" is starting to get on my nerves, though. Well, this is it. This is my all-time favorite film. I can name at least a hundred films that I really admire (such as The Godfather and Collateral), but this is the one that I admire the most. Everything about it is barely above perfection. It may be too slow and tedious for some people, but to me, it's an excellent visual spectacle. As for the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, I would highly recommend it. It has some fascinating special features, including an audio commentary by actors Keir Dullea (Bowman) and Gary Lockwood (Poole), the original theatrical trailer, and seven behind-the-scenes featurettes. The picture quality of the film itself looks a bit different. About ten years ago, I bought the film on VHS. The picture quality on that cassette tape was surprisingly clear, and the light/dark bits were about correct. Since I no longer have a VCR, I decided to buy the DVD, and while I was watching the film, I saw the difference. Compared to the VHS, the picture on the DVD does look dimmer. It's obvious when the "stargate" sequence is on: for example, the original blue colors convey some heavy shades of gray. Another noticeable change is the introduction and the intermission: the words "Overture" and "Entr'acte" have been taken off the screen completely. So Ligeti's "Atmospheres" plays while there is nothing but black on the screen. Fortunately, I wouldn't decide these sorts of things as flaws since I don't really mind them. I'm glad that I made the purchase, and furthermore, I'm glad that I now have my all-time favorite film in my own DVD collection. Grade: A+

It was my first time buying a Blu-ray. At first, I was a bit sceptical since a lot of sellers are scamming by sending 3rd quality,ripped Blu-rays or even DVDs. But this guy is genuine. I asked him about the quality and genuinity of the disc. He gave me a walkthrough. After that, I placed the order on Cash on Delivery. Even after ordering, I was still scared of getting scammed until I got the product. 10/10 product and packaging from Heavenly Heroes. If I ever order Blu-rays again, I’ll consider this guy, and you should too :)

This 4k remastering of this movie is a must have especially at the $25 price point. I first saw the movie when released in 1968. The 4k colours are fantastic and there is a blue Ray and DVD. The cassette it came in is also worth mentioning due to its top notch presentation.

The disk doesn't work. It says bad disk on my player.. I reported the problem to the seller and he refunded the money as there was no other copy available Thanks