I was looking forward to this film the most out of the top ten, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because it is a film that I have been meaning to watch for a long time in a way that, say, Sunrise wasn’t. Secondly, I really love science fiction, and this is the classic science fiction film. I was aware before watching that it was extremely influential, and know of certain scenes, but actually watching it, it is hard to overstate just how much of the film has been referenced and recreated in other pop culture. Oddly, however, the surrealist turn that the film takes towards the end seems to be referenced less explicitly than other parts, such as the bone thrown up into the air at the beginning, or HAL-9000.
One thing that struck me that I wasn’t expecting was the use of sound in this film. In many ways, it’s a film that is very associated with certain pieces of music, in particular Thus Spake Zarathustra, and The Blue Danube. However, the way that film uses silence, the sound of breathing, and mechanical noises to create tension and atmosphere is truly remarkable. The visual effects, though dated, are still affecting, as well.
This is my favourite of the films I have watched from the list thus far, and I imagine it will become one of my favourite films, period.
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