MovieChat Forums > 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Discussion > Where and when did you first see it?

Where and when did you first see it?


I'm just watching it again now for the 20th time. My first time was in Feb. 1977 when NBC did the network debut of the film. I was 12 and watched it on an 8 inch staticky B&W, but still blew my mind! Now I'm watching on a 54 inch HD DVD; it never gets old! Have you ever seen it in the theater? I like what John Lennon said, "there should be a temple that shows it 24 hours a day". Maybe for Burning Man? PS-- does anyone get the ending?

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I saw it in the theatre with some buddys a few years after it came out. Maybe 1972???

Kinda, sorta funny story...maybe not. One of us there, Jeff...his girlfriend at the time, her last name was Bush.

In the film when the one guy’s daughter told her him during the video call that for her birthday she wanted “a bush baby” another of our group said “so does Jeff”.

Seen the film so many times since it’s hard to remember much from that first big screen viewing to relate thoughts about it. I do though clearly recall being impressed with the opening apes segment, the first up close black monolith scene and the entire in general, and being lost in varying spots in regard to what was going on.

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I pretty much get it up until the alien room part. I still don't get that!

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I saw it on tv around 1980. But, I only caught the last 40 minutes or so. Needless to say, I had NO idea what the heck the film was about. It was so bizarre and yet so brilliant. I caught the whole film next time it was on tv. It’s my favorite sci-fi film by far.

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Yes, same here. It's in my Top 10 of all time favorites! Kubrick once said if you understood it he failed.

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In the mid-1980s as a little kid. The spooky choir music on the moon and seeing the star gate sequence scared the crap out of me.

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Coronet Theater in San Francisco when it first came out. Went to Doggie Diner across the street where we ordered a big meal in order to discuss the ending (a casual fast food place (actually slow) for the time). We knew it was going to be a long discussion. I saw it again later in the same theater after getting high. It was the attractiveness of the traveling through space scene albeit never did the acid trip. Little did I know at the time it was still going to be discussed in 2019 and done in IMAX.

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You were in the original 2001 wave, I was in the 2nd. Now that magic mushroom are legal in Denver maybe there will be another resurgence!

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