Tripping with 2001 A Space Odyssey
The 15th Best Movie of All Time
One day in 8th grade, my teacher rolled in a boxy TV on a tall metal cart, dimmed the lights, and played my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoon of all time, Kill the Wabbit. When it was over, my teacher revealed that we’d just listened to one of the most famous opera writers ever, Richard Wagner, and the cartoon was actually called What’s Opera, Doc?
As a Minnesota farmer’s kid, I didn’t know anything about opera. Or parody. But I loved the way a masterpiece snuck up on me that way, in the midst of enjoying a different masterpiece.
I couldn’t stop thinking about that while watching the 15th best movie of all time, 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s my first watch.
Throughout 2001, we’re treated to a classical music extravaganza that further elevates the visual spectacle of Stanley Kubrick’s imagination. It’s a feast for the eyes and the ears.
The movie follows humans from the dawn of intelligence, coinciding with the first weapon (of course!) to space exploration. A mysterious monolith is an alien life form (I think). And AI, the HAL-9000 supercomputer controlling a space flight, feels threatened and retaliates against its creators.
It is an AMBITIOUS movie. And it works.
