I hope the editors let this review in because strictly speaking I am reviewing an item that Play don't sell (yet)...the HD DVD version of this movie. However I was so moved by the quality of the HD treatment this classic movie received I felt compelled to write about it. I hope that Play are able to get hold of a few copies of the HD DVD version and if so then I trust you may get chance to read this review at some point in the future.
So...hold onto your hats. It's a breathtaking ride.
2001 ASO was a pivotal sci fi movie upon it's release in 1968 (remember this was 1 year before man set foot on the moon) and there is little doubt that Kubricks version of Arthur C Clarkes novel set the tone for many movies of similar genre that followed.
The plot of this movie has been discussed before, the evolution of man from the apes into space and beyond, but never before has Kubricks masterpiece been so sumptuously recreated for the home viewer.
This is a faultless, spotless… more »

I hope the editors let this review in because strictly speaking I am reviewing an item that Play don't sell (yet)...the HD DVD version of this movie. However I was so moved by the quality of the HD treatment this classic movie received I felt compelled to write about it. I hope that Play are able to get hold of a few copies of the HD DVD version and if so then I trust you may get chance to read this review at some point in the future.
So...hold onto your hats. It's a breathtaking ride.
2001 ASO was a pivotal sci fi movie upon it's release in 1968 (remember this was 1 year before man set foot on the moon) and there is little doubt that Kubricks version of Arthur C Clarkes novel set the tone for many movies of similar genre that followed.
The plot of this movie has been discussed before, the evolution of man from the apes into space and beyond, but never before has Kubricks masterpiece been so sumptuously recreated for the home viewer.
This is a faultless, spotless and magical transfer to HD. All I can say is that the original print must have been in very good order because there isn't a blemish in sight.
The first scenes of the movie are landscapes of a barren wilderness, but are beautifully rendered with superb reds (sunsets) and blues (sky). Later on when the actors appear skin tones are pure and natural (note the detail on Leonard Rossiters face during his role as a russian scientist), detail I had never seen before emerges (the cut of the clothing worn on the space station, and the detail of the Moon when seen from space.)
Of course with this being a sci fi movie many of the scenes are in space and I am glad to report that blacks are the deepest of deep and the star fields clear and precise.
I know this movie very well, or so I thought, but I was caught out several times by scenes that I thought were additions when in fact it was just new detail I had never noticed before. Look out particularly for small details of the Jupiter mission space craft "Discovery", numbers and lettering on computer screens, little technical details of hardware...stuff that Kubrick went to great pains to add but would never have been picked up on celluloid or SD DVD versions of this movie.
The audio transfer is just as good boasting a Dolby True HD soundtrack as well as a 5.1 mix which fully brings to life the classical theme that 2001 ASO employs. I swear that Strauss's waltz never sounded so good on film, and although this is not a vocal film (many scenes are silent) when the actors speak the dialogue is very clear.
There is a virtual Pandoras box of extras and the beautiful pop up menus that seem to accompany all Warners HD discs these days.
I hope that this review sees the light of day eventually, even if it has to wait until the HD version is available.
A truly superb transfer and a labour of love by Warner.