‘2001: A Spacey Odyssey’ 50th Anniversary Trailer: This Stanley Kubrick Kid Seems Like A Winner

Director Stanley Kubrick proved himself as a master at tapping into human nature. He showcased some of our worst fears with the horror classic “The Shining,” while depicting the monster within all of us with the futuristic satire “A Clockwork Orange.” But with the sci-fi epic “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Kubrick managed to focus on the past and future of mankind and despite ‘2001’ being way ahead of its time when it was first released, the film still has become a cultural touchstone and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. And in preparation of an “unrestored” 70mm print of the classic epic, we have a trailer showcasing a new release of the film.

READ MORE: The Essentials: The Best Stanley Kubrick Film Ranked

A film like ‘2001’ might not have played well in today’s film landscape, and especially wouldn’t play well with modern genre fans since we live in an era of tentpole filmmaking and bombastic blockbuster fare. Much like how ‘2001’ depicts the evolution of man, the state of science fiction films has evolved since its release. However, ‘2001’ has been a key factor in the evolution of science fiction, acting as an ongoing connection much like the black monoliths that bind the different time periods that the film is set in.

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If it weren’t for ‘2001,’ who knows whether we would have gotten other science fiction films that try to explore the wonders of space like “Interstellar” or “Gravity.” Also, ‘2001’ attempted to explore the likely perils of artificial intelligence with the famous storyline set in space involving astronauts being ambushed by the spaceship computer called HAL 9000.

READ MORE: David Fincher, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese Praise Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ [Watch]

A portrait of the evolution of man, space travel, and technology all rolled into one, “2001: A Space Odyssey” is a journey into the wonders of life itself that even today, still has people trying to decipher its symbolic storytelling. Even though it might not work for everyone because a good chunk of it is wordless and it requires a lot of patience thanks to its two and a half hour running time, it is still laudable because it served as a backbone for the science fiction genre and deserves a watch.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” is set for re-release in 70mm on May 18th.