This movie came out in 1968. The basic plot is that, although our distant, apelike ancestors were evolving intelligence, they were nonetheless becoming extinct during a long dry spell in Africa, where the human race started out. In the story, a race of benevolent aliens, the movie implies are superior beyond our comprehension, passing by this way, give the man-apes a little push in the direction of survival, primarily by teaching them that they can use clubs to kill food animals and fight rivals, and so need not starve. The book implies that they also improve our DNA pattern slightly, although this isn't apparent in the movie. They do this by leaving a machine in front of one tribe's cave, that makes these changes in them. Later, when Man develops space travel, we find that the aliens left the same kind of machine buried on the moon, which sends a signal to Jupiter, when it is dug up - as though someone wanted to know when we had developed far enough to have a lunar colony. A NASA mission is sent to Jupiter, where one of the astronauts finds another of these machines, which modifies him into a higher life form, in a way similar to what it did to the apes.

Very few movies have addressed basic ideas about Man's past, future, and place in the universe. A sub-plot of the movie is that the ship's nearly human computer system, named Hal, malfunctions, and when the astronauts discuss shutting it down, tries to kill them. I guess a sub-theme is probably about various types of intelligence - ours, the aliens', and Hal's.

One flaw of the movie is that it assumes that the reader can connect a lot of dots about the plot and theme. I was lucky enough to have read the book when I saw the movie.

Anybody seen it? Anybody have any thoughts they'd care to share?

I saw it and I liked it but the only thing I didn't like was that it was the slowest movie I have ever seen. The special effects were great for its time.

I saw some of this film, and what I saw as slow- but finally after reading your review (everytime I read a review it tells you NOTHING about this film usually) I might watch it again. Also- the last book 3001:THE FINAL ODDYSEY came out a few years ago- there were rumours about a film version, but the third book- 2064 never got a film version yet. Apparently 3001 is bad because the author is like 90 years old and he wrote a very short book and screwed up the plot (must've done it just for a laugh)- the last book deals with the ghosts of the men in the original and one of them that's cloned or something.
But I do like films that deal with a bit more than most films- evolution, dreams and technology- interesting.

Originally posted by webuster
I saw some of this film, and what I saw as slow- but finally after reading your review (everytime I read a review it tells you NOTHING about this film usually) I might watch it again. Also- the last book 3001:THE FINAL ODDYSEY came out a few years ago- there were rumours about a film version, but the third book- 2064 never got a film version yet. Apparently 3001 is bad because the author is like 90 years old and he wrote a very short book and screwed up the plot (must've done it just for a laugh)- the last book deals with the ghosts of the men in the original and one of them that's cloned or something.
But I do like films that deal with a bit more than most films- evolution, dreams and technology- interesting.
Actually, the book "3001" was pretty good. In the distant future, people find the body of atronaut Frank Poole, killed by Hal the computer in "2001," drifting in space and use their technnology to resurrect him. I enjoyed it. Try reading the book, "2001." I think it's the best book Clarke ever wrote. It was not made from the film, nor the film from it, but rather they were created simultaneously.

I saw it, I hated it.

Originally posted by Georgia's on my Mind
I saw it, I hated it.
I probably benefited a lot from reading the book a few days before. The book spells out exactly what is going on and is very entertaining.

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Originally posted by Brian
I saw it and I liked it but the only thing I didn't like was that it was the slowest movie I have ever seen. The special effects were great for its time. I know, The first 30 minutes had no talking. Pretty good movie though.

I have 2001, I think I'll read it.

Brian your new avatar scares the hell out of me....lol...

I've never read the book, but I've always loved the movie.