2001
The ‘unrestored’ Kubrick classic arrives on Ultra HD Blu-ray. Prime your eyeballs for the ultimate trip.
This summer, on the 50th anniversary of its big-screen debut, 2001 was re-released in an ‘unrestored’ format overseen by Christopher Nolan (see page 84). This Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray transfer – mastered from the 65mm original camera negative – is, according to Nolan, “the closest recreation of viewing the original film print in your own home”.
There’s no chance of a rewatch feeling like an academic exercise in celluloid preservation, though. It’s almost impossible to hold yourself at a remove when you’re immersed in the overwhelming sensory experience.
The film is still one of the most intense U-certificates ever released (an archive interview with Kubrick earns the disc its 12). From the howling void-like overture, to the burnished sunsets of ‘The Dawn Of Man’ sequence, to the outer-space scenes that impress to this day, it’ll hold you
rapt. Kubrick leaps millennia in service of a story that, like all great art, will be interpreted differently by everyone who approaches it. The label ‘masterpiece’ doesn’t seem strong enough.
Extras – all ported from previous editions – feature big names waxing lyrical about its legacy, but it’s a shame there’s no new Nolan featurette specific to this version, as insight into the restoration process would have been fascinating. But it’s still an essential purchase for fans seeking another hit of the ultimate trip. Matt Maytum