I saw Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey with my dad when it hit the screens in 1968. Watching the movie I was amazed at the special effects and confused by the story. Kubrick focused on creating mystery and awe, and a mystical experience. At 12 years old, I was stymied by it all. That was until I read the novel by Arthur C. Clarke. Clarke had finished the draft for it in 1966, but Kubrick held its publication until after the movie in order to maintain the mystery, fostering a lot of discussion about those incredible visuals and vistas. Clarke just wanted to eat, so needed the money. Both feuded back and forth, and finally the book came out. I read it and had some of that mystery explained. The movie and the novel still remain an essential sci fi experience, for its visions of the future and the mystery of humanity in the universe.
Lots of admats and articles make this quite a campaign/pressbook. There are Seventeen magazine and Howard Johnson comic book tie-ins, along with Whirlpool Kitchens and Scholastic magazines. Whew. (Here’s your comic book reader version: Download 2001 Space Odyssey Pressbook 24MB.)
I sincerely thank you Zombo for sharing every page this large, lavish and scarce MGM pressbook (of which i happily own an original copy, along with the lavish softcover Souvenir Book) ! ….Legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick’s spectacular 1968 space epic “2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY” is still often rightly called, even in the decades-later current era of CGI and AI visual effects, by many film authorities, critics and fans “The greatest science fiction film ever made.” Now at 70, i fondly remember the media frenzy that ensued with it’s national 1968 CINERAMA release of the film (especially at the CINERAMA Theater in Hollywood, CA when i was 12), including the TV and promos, the large newspaper print ads showing Bob McCall’s amazing art of the Earth-orbiting Space Station and other spacecraft, and that lavish full color multi-page pictorial article in LIFE Magazine ! ….and now, nearing the historic film’s 60th Anniversary in 2028, there is STILL no other modern sci-fi film that draws more attention, awe and respect from people throughout the World than this film, a truly great and thoughtful motion picture about the unknown infinity of Outer Space, the potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence, and of the international anticipation of Humankind’s First Contact with Intelligent Alien Life !
Paul, thanks, my pleasure. Us 70s people (sounds like a good title for a horror movie) definitely do appreciate great movie-making and practical effects. I watched the film with my dad. Confused the heck out of me (so did the novel), but those effects were stunning, even for me at that age. Over the years I’ve grown to appreciate it even more. It’s one of those movies you can watch again and again and still pick up on elements missed previously or fostering more insight into the craft of the filmmaking and the depth of the story itself. This and Planet of the Apes made my 1968 memorable.
I just now found your thoughtful reply (late night), and i thank you for it ! Yes, “Planet of the Apes” (the 1968 film, and not the mostly inferior 2001 version) is also a fave, as are a few other movies from that year. As you had also made your 2001: pressbook post available for Facebook, i posted that pressbook on my FB Group “2001: A Spacecraft Odyssey” (one of a few FB groups i created some years ago), which focuses on the amazing predictive technology shown in the film, and i also cited your website for everyone to visit for all your other GREAT content ! I hope my post is ok with you, but if not, or you have any concern of it, please contact me at [email protected] and i will fully comply with your preference. And as i live in a shit ugly trashed city full of real drug ‘zombies’ (Lost Angeles), i too believe my town could feature in another great zombie apocalypse movie or tv series (or a documentary), in which i could easily play a lone survivor trying to hide from the zoms !
Thanks for posting it. Sending you an email to follow up. I would add The Andromeda Strain, Soylent Green, and Colossus: The Forbin Project as sci fi movies that made me really think about the future. But especially Colossus, now, given the rise of AI. Just hoping Soylent Green doesn’t join the I told you so club too that much of sci fi has been acing so well.
Yes indeed ! Perhaps some day in our future cities run by robot terminators, people will suddenly realize that many of their supermarket foods are really made of dead people !, and that THEY have been scheduled soon for the same fate ! I believe SOYLENT GREEN (1973) should be watched by everyone, AND that it should be remade with the latest CGI /AI technology for the new generations to think about and compare it with the first film ! ….Coming Soon to your smartglass….”SOYLENT GREEN”….Starring Keanu Reeves Jr as the hero Neo 2, Larry Fishburne Jr as the leader Morpheus 2, and Carrie Moss Jr as Trinity 2….as time runs out, they must find The Architect before the Matrix is re-booted, which will activate the Hunter-Terminators to hunt and terminate all remaining humans !!!