17 minutes of new footage from 2001: A Space Odyssey
- 19 December 2010
- John Howell
Seventeen minutes of footage originally cut from the epic science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey, directed by the late, great Stanley Kubrick, has been discovered by Warner Bros. in perfect condition.
2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick's film masterpiece, deals with the evolution of man, the mystery of alien contact, a man made artificial intelligence called "Hal" losing its marbles, and some of the most ambiguous, thought provoking scenes ever created for film. Kubrick co-wrote the film with the science fiction visionary Arthur C. Clarke. Released in 1968 to mixed reactions, 2001 is now considered to be an iconic, cinematic triumph.
Douglas Trumbull (one of the special effects designers on 2001) was in Toronto recently to screen a 70mm print of the film, and while presenting some never-before-seen images from the Kubrick's production, he revealed that Warner Bros. had found unreleased footage buried in a salt-mine vault in Kansas.
Ironically, along with director / filmmaker David Larson, Trumbull had been working on a documentary called, 2001: Behind the Infinite—The Making of a Masterpiece, which has been cancelled by Warner Bros. This find would have been a perfect addition to the documentary. The pair are now working on a behind-the-scenes photo book instead.
So what will Warner Bros. do with the footage? It seems likely that in the not too distant future we'll be hearing about an extended, blu-ray version of 2001: A Space Odyssey (perhaps even a theatrical re-release?). I guess Warner Bros. could also change their minds and refinance the documentary too.
Watch a trailer from the cancelled documentary 2001: Behind the Infinite—The Making of a Masterpiece and the original 2001 trailer below.
If you've been looking for an intelligent science fiction mo...
Arthur C. Clarke, author of over 100 fiction and non-fiction...
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