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2001: A Space Odyssey poster

2001: A Space Odyssey

139 minutes

Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Keir Dullea Dr David Bowman
Gary Lockwood Dr Frank Poole
William Sylvester Dr Heywood Floyd
Daniel Richter Moonwatcher
Leonard Rossiter Dr Andrei Smyslov
Robert Beatty Dr Ralph Halvorsen
Sean Sullivan Dr Roy Michaels
Douglas Rain the voice of HAL 9000
Frank Miller mission controller
Edwina Carroll lunar shuttle stewardess
Penny Brahms stewardess
Heather Downham stewardess
Ed Bishop Aries 1B lunar shuttle captain
Alan Gifford Poole's father
Ann Gillis Poole's mother
Maggie d'Abo stewardess (Space Station 5 elevator)
Chela Matthison Mrs Turner, Space Station 5 reception
Vivian Kubrick Floyd's daughter, "Squirt"
Kenneth Kendall BBC announcer

2001: A Space Odyssey | The Rewatchables

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Casting What-Ifs

Alternate casting and music contributors are discussed, with uncertainty preserved around Pink Floyd.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:53:26Read transcript
  • Casting possibilities are reviewed as reported production history.
  • Pink Floyd is said to have been approached for music, but the claim is explicitly doubted.

Recasting Couch

The participants agree not to add name actors.

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:57:05Read transcript
  • They would not put any name actors in the movie.

Half-Assed Internet Research

The discussion covers names, effects-shot counts, Kubrick’s writing, tablets, a suffocation hazard, production costs, and Ligeti’s music rights.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:57:05Read transcript
  • An astronaut name prompts a Janusz Kaminski anecdote, followed by reports that Kubrick approached other writers.
  • The 205 effects shots, tablet-prior-art dispute, endangered stuntman, set cost, and unauthorized Ligeti music are reported.

Picking Nits

Ape suits in 4K, HAL’s lip-reading, the title year, HAL’s tactical failures, and the G rating are questioned.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 02:03:49Read transcript
  • The ape suits, HAL’s lip-reading ability, and whether 2001 denotes a literal year are examined.
  • HAL’s failure to anticipate or prevent Bowman’s shutdown is challenged and then interpreted.
  • The movie’s G rating is questioned and compared with Jaws.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

HAL’s breakdown, the monoliths’ origin, the moon-landing resemblance, and the disappearance of the name Hal are debated.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 02:08:29Read transcript
  • The group offers competing explanations for HAL’s breakdown and asks who delivered the monoliths.
  • The moon-landing resemblance and whether the movie ruined the name Hal are raised.

Best Double Feature

A.I., Destination Moon, Disclosure Day, and The Shining are four distinct pairing choices.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 02:13:45Read transcript
  • A.I. is chosen for its lineage and relationship with 2001.
  • Destination Moon is chosen as an earlier scientifically credible lunar film.
  • Disclosure Day is a promotional choice; The Shining is the backup Kubrick pairing.