If you're wondering how anyone, even a fantastic filmmaker like Soderbergh, could retouch a masterpiece like 2001, you're not alone. Quite a number of Kubrick fans and purists have voiced some displeasure with the new version, which cuts nearly an entire hour out of the original film. However, Soderbergh gives us a little insight into his purpose and vision behind his recut:

i’ve been watching 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY regularly for four decades, but it wasn’t until a few years ago i started thinking about touching it, and then over the holidays i decided to make my move. why now? I don’t know. maybe i wasn’t old enough to touch it until now. maybe i was too scared to touch it until now, because not only does the film not need my—or anyone else’s—help, but if it’s not THE most impressively imagined and sustained piece of visual art created in the 20th century, then it’s tied for first. meaning IF i was finally going to touch it, i’d better have a bigger idea than just trimming or re-scoring.

You can watch the recut right here, though the video may periodically stop working (If it does, you can watch it at this link):

Source: Extension 765

Steven Soderbergh2001aspaceodysseyStanley Kubrickstevensoderberghstanleykubrick
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