The Errant Æsthete

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s ground breaking masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey revisit this commemorative that includes several interviews, images, reviews, thoughts and esoterica of what ultimately became one of the most important cinematic experiences to shape our culture.

“The very nature of the visual experience in 2001 is to give the viewer an instantaneous, visceral reaction that does not—and should not—require further amplification. Just speaking generally, however, I would say that there are elements in any good film that would increase the viewer’s interest and appreciation on a second viewing; the momentum of a movie often prevents every stimulating detail or nuance from having a full impact the first time it’s seen. The whole idea that a movie should be seen only once is an extension of our traditional conception of the film as an ephemeral entertainment rather than as a visual work of art. We don’t believe that we should hear a great piece of music only once, or see a great painting once, or even read a great book just once. But the film has until recent years been exempted from the category of art—a situation I’m glad is finally changing.” [via link]