2001: A Space Odyssey U

With 2001: A Space Odyssey, director Stanley Kubrick redefined the limits of filmmaking in this classic science fiction masterpiece. A still visually arresting masterclass in practical visual effects, it is testament to the filmmakers that even in 2023, 2001 still looks like it could have been made today. One of the most cerebral directors of the 20th century, Kubrick’s adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s book also remains a timeless work worthy of deep consideration.

Beginning his voyage into the future by revisiting our prehistoric ape-ancestry past before leaping millennia, with the use of the most famous match cut in film history, into colonised space. In the space of just two-and-a-half hours, Kubrick uses the sci-fi genre to consider evolution, space exploration, technology, the relationship between man and machine, and the very nature of life, death and existence.

A staple of popular culture, 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the most influential films in cinema history and has been referenced in everything from Wall-E, Moon, The Simpsons, the music of David Bowie and Dr Dre, and the recent trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.

Please note: 2001: A Space Odyssey will start promptly without trailers and play as Stanley Kubrick instructed, including an overture over a black screen and a 15-minute intermission.