2001: A Space Odyssey

by

Various Artists

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When "2001: A Space Odyssey", the movie, was being made, an original score was commissioned. It was never used, and the film is now unthinkable with one.

This score has so much going for it -- triumphant overtures ("Also Sprach Zarathustra"), gentle waltzes ("The Blue Danube"), and some chilling score ("Lux Aeterna") -- all of which make for an enjoyable and unique listening experience.

Seeing the film first might work, but you wouldn't have to; this soundtrack is brilliant and well-assembled -- if nothing else, the great Stanley Kubrick had an excellent ear for good music.

Why cant they release a proper soundtrack this film? Almost every version I've owned has chopped the Blue Danube into 2 or 3 tracks, and they never get the full Star Gate sequencing right, always edited! This cd boasts "Music as it appears in the film", but the whole Star Gate sequence was incorrectly done. It jumped too quickly from Requiem to Atmospheres. In the film, the chorus reached its highest pitch as Bowman entered the Star Gate. On this cd, they dont come anywhere near this vocal climax. There is a good couple of minutes of music missing, specifically the segment when Bowman first goes into the Star Gate and the light show begins is edited out. The best version of this soundtrack was the 1990 CBS Special Products release which had the Blue Danube as one track, and the Star Gate sequence would have been perfectly done except that it didnt include "Adventures" (the dissonant music playing while Bowman is in the white room at the end.)Im so disappointed, you'd think with all the technology they have now, they could just record the Star Gate music sequence directly from the film so that it is done right! When they fix the Star Gate sequence, and put the complete Blue Danube back into one track I'll be happy. For now, I'll live with my cassette version on which I combined the 2 soundtracks to REALLY sound like the film! The 2.5 stars are 1 for the incredible music itself, 1 for the liner notes and for the inclusion of Adventures (finally!) on the soundtrack. Last 1/2 star for the sound clips and extra tracks, which were cool but really unnecessary. But, overall I am VERY annoyed with this package, because I have seen this film hundreds of times and this is NOT the music "as it appears in the film." Slightly false advertising. I just want justice done to this incredible soundtrack for once!!!!