2001: A Space Odyssey
18 winners · 0 left open
most rewatchable scene
Apparent consensusHal lip-reading / Dave disconnecting Hal sequence
Bill ultimately settles on the HAL disconnect sequence as the scene he most wants to rewatch, with Sean favoring the Clavius landing and the stargate among the alternatives.
what’s aged the best
DeclaredHAL 9000
Both hosts immediately agree that HAL 9000 has aged the best, while also praising the movie’s practical effects and prescient technology ideas.
Apex Mountain
DeclaredStanley Kubrick, with 2001 as his apex movie
They agree this is the movie that made Kubrick famous to the public and represents the peak of his power as a director.
Open the full ledger15 more categories, in podcast order↓
Great Shot Gordo
Apparent consensusThe floating pen shot
Steven picks the floating pen shot as his favorite, and the others treat the choice as the clear winner of the category.
Sarah Connor Award
DeclaredNo modern technology would really ruin the movie, but it would hurt its legacy and handmade feel
They agree modern digital tools would undercut the movie’s tactile craftsmanship and some of its magic, even if the story itself would survive.
Kid Cudi Pursuit of Happiness Award
DeclaredThe opening credits / main-title music
They call the opening credits the best needle drop by a wide margin.
Sean Fantasy Award for stealth homage that gives every movie nerd a criteria orgasm
DeclaredThe Dr. Strangelove callback in the ‘explosive bolts’ label
Sean identifies the entry-hatch label reading ‘explosive bolts’ as Kubrick winking back at Dr. Strangelove.
what’s aged the worst
DeclaredThe intermission / roadshow presentation style
They agree the intermission and roadshow-era presentation are the biggest relics, with a few smaller future-miss jokes also noted.
The Steven Seagal Award for most unbelievable anecdote from the actual film shoot
DeclaredThe dead horse painted like a zebra that was starting to smell
The grossest and most unbelievable shoot story is the painted dead horse used for the leopard-and-zebra setup.
casting what ifs
DeclaredSterling Hayden for Floyd would have been the strongest alternate casting idea
They discuss several alternatives for Floyd, with Sterling Hayden named as Kubrick’s preferred choice before MGM vetoed it.
Dion Waiters Award
Apparent consensusHAL 9000
Bill treats HAL as the obvious answer, while Steven offers Moonwatcher as a strong alternate based on the performance in the ape suit.
Cruz or Hanks
DeclaredTom Hanks
They pick Hanks for the astronaut movie lane, with the suggestion that Floyd is the Hanks role and Bowman the Cruise role.
Spielberg or Scorsese
DeclaredSteven Spielberg
This is treated as an easy win for Spielberg.
Pick a nits
Apparent consensusHAL’s apparent blind spots and the movie’s G rating feel like the cleanest nits
They settle on a few tiny quibbles, especially HAL’s failure to anticipate Bowman and the oddity of the G rating.
unanswerable questions
DeclaredWho delivered the monoliths?
They call the monolith builders the movie’s biggest unanswered question, while also debating HAL’s motives and the film’s open-ended meaning.
the one piece of memorabilia we’d want from this movie
DeclaredDavid Bowman’s spacesuit
Steven says he bought Bowman’s spacesuit and donated it to the Academy Museum, making it his choice; Bill notes HAL’s eye as a strong alternate.
Coach Finstock, Mr. Miyagi Award for best, worst life lesson from this movie
DeclaredNever close your mind to an impossible possibility
They agree the movie’s lesson is to stay open to impossible possibilities.
best double feature choice
DeclaredAI
Steven chooses AI as the best companion piece, while Bill chooses Destination Moon as the sci-fi predecessor that rhymes most with 2001.