DVD REVIEW: 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
DVD REVIEW:
WARNER BROTHERS [ 2007 ] 148'
DVD REVIEW:
DISC FORMAT: REGION FREE / BLU-RAY / DUAL LAYER / 1080p
DVD REVIEW:
SUPPLEMENTS: 480i / 480p
WTFFILM RATING:
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This is one of my all-time favorite films and it should need no introduction to those reading this site. The story, cinematography, and breathtaking special effects sequences all still have the power to impress, even 40 years after the original release. This is landmark film making to say the very least - if you haven't seen it, then do so. It's as simple as that.
THE FEATURE PRESENTATION:
Warner Brothers presents 2001 in its original theatrical 2.22:1 aspect ratio in a fantastic progressive hi-def transfer. Visually speaking, the film probably looks better now on this disc than it did in many a theater at the time of its release. Colors, contrast, and detail are all strong and consistent throughout the feature and serve to showcase the Douglas Trumbull helmed special effects sequences, in particular. It's amazing that the special effects on display here, with very very very few exceptions, still hold there own in a way superior to most of the spfx spectacles of today. This is a very strong VC-1 encode, showing very very fine film grain throughout, that takes up 23.2 GB of the 34.8 GB of space utilized for the release.
There are four audio options available for the feature (excluding the commentary track, to be discussed later) - Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks in the original English, and French and Spanish dubs available in Dolby Digital 5.1. All of these options sound quite fantastic to these ears - the collection of subtle soundscapes and classical numbers is very well represented here. The audio is augmented with subtitles, available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Korean, or Chinese, presented in a typical black bordered white font.
The captures below were ripped in their original 1920x1080 resolution and are presented as such for this review. Just click on the thumbnails below to see them in their original resolution. Keep in mind that all of these captures are .jpg converted and, as such, will not provide a 100% accurate reproduction of the source video.
THE EXTRAS:
Extras stacked and are duplicated here from the 2-disc Collector's Edition SD release of the film that came out at the same time from Warner. Firstly, there is the feature length commentary track from film stars Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood - while not a technical commentary (it's too bad Douglas Trumbull and some of Kubrick's assistants were not tapped to provide a commentary of that sort) it is still quite engaging, informative, and certainly adds to the appeal of the film itself. Next up are a collection of featurettes, beginning with the informative (if, sadly, James Cameron-hosted) Channel 4 documentary 2001: THE MAKING OF A MYTH, running 45 minutes. This is highly informative and, in spite of Cameron's interjections and some awkward electronic scoring decisions, I found it quite interesting and entertaining.
Several newly produced featurettes are included as well, all featuring input from those who worked on the film as well as those affected by it (including the likes of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Douglas Trumbull, and Keir Dullea). These are STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KUBRICK - THE LEGACY OF 2001 (20 minutes), VISION OF A FUTURE PASSED - THE PROPHECY OF 2001 (20 minutes), 2001: FX AND EARLY CONCEPTUAL ARTWORK (10 minutes), and WHAT IS OUT THERE (20 minutes). An amusing vintage featurette from the time of the film's production, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - A LOOK BEHIND THE FUTURE (27 minutes, looks to be sourced from tape), is included and fares considerably worse than the film to which it is dedicated. A brief 3 minute featurette entitled LOOK: STANLEY KUBRICK! details the director's photographic work for LOOK magazine. There is also an audio interview with the director, running 1 hour and 16 minutes, which is a must hear as far as I'm concerned.
Rounding out the stacked (over 3 and a half hours' worth, all told) extras is an original theatrical trailer for the film, running a brief minute and 51 seconds and presented in anamorphic 480p widescreen. While I lament the fact that there isn't more discussion of the film's technical aspects, the 3 and a half hours of material presented here will be more than enough to satisfy most buyers, fans and new viewers alike.
THE OVERALL PRESENTATION:
The disc comes housed in a standard Blu-ray case with attractively designed artwork wrap that presents all the necessary technical specifications in an aesthetically appealing fashion - my only complaint is that the transparent nature of the case was not taken into account when designing the artwork and that opening the case reveals only a blank white background. The only insert included is a letter letting me know that I should make sure I own the most up-to-date Blu-ray machine, otherwise the disc may not be entirely accessible (my un-upgraded 40 GB PS3 handled the disc and its extra features just fine)
The menu designs are simple but effective and allow for easy access of all options both from the starter menu or during playback of the feature film - sadly I am, at present, unable to provide screen captures of the menus for the disc. The easy-to-navigate layout is a definite plus given the hefty amount of supplemental material available (no endless clicking of tabs to get to where you need to be). All in all, I have no complaints here.
THE VERDICT:
As I've previously stated, this is one of my absolute favorite films - it was also the first Blu-ray disc I ever purchased. I was not disappointed. The three and a half hours + of supplemental material is wonderful but still totally overshadowed by a beautiful presentation of the film itself. This is a must in any Blu-Ray collection. Highly recommended.
