2001: A Space Odyssey

The Movie, The Book and The Soundtrack. 50 Years.

I saw the movie for the first time in a large downtown theater in Philadelphia on a Cinerama screen about a week or so after it was released in early April 1968. I would see it many more times over the years. It was one of my favorite all time films. I loved everything about that movie from the iconic monolith, the apes, the computer, the blue food, the baby and even the soundtrack.

I read the book for the first time in the summer of 1968 after seeing the movie a second time. I loved the book even more because it explained more things that happened in the movie that had been left mysterious. I would read the book again in 1974 and then again more recently in 2018 around the 50th anniversary of the film.

I also bought the soundtrack album later that summer of 1968 since I was working and making some money. This would actually be the first and only album of classical music I would own until the mid 70's when Becky and I would embark on building a collection of classical albums.