This is a pair of French posters for Stanley Kubrick’s ground-breaking  sci-fi opus 2001: A Space Odyssey and its less renowned sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact.

The special effects in Kubrick’s movie were a marvel of their time, for sure, with everything created physically and in immaculate detail in the days before CGI. There are also some breath-taking moments, notably the early match cut from a prehistoric ape hurling a bone into the air to a space-ship choreographed to Strauss. The murderous onboard super-computer HAL is also a fabulous creation.

However, I have never been a huge sci-fi fan in the same way that I love horror movies – especially ‘serious’ sci-fi. 2001 is based on the work of author and futurist Arthur C Clarke, and the movie takes pains to be scientifically accurate. It may be sacrilege to say it, but I found 2001 cold, very slow and rather dull (like many of Kubrick’s movies, in fact). 

You also probably needed to be on acid to fully appreciate the climactic, largely incomprehensible ‘star child’ sequence. (The movie was promoted in some markets with the tag-line “The ultimate trip”, so hallucinogens were definitely encouraged!) The child features again on the poster for the belated sequel 2010, which Kurbrick had nothing to do with. I’ve never seen this movie, and have no interest to do so. 

Original 2001 posters in all versions are very collectible. This one is for sale here.