Spielberg and Nolan Agree: This Could Be the Greatest Movie Ever Made

Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan both consider 2001: A Space Odyssey one of the greatest films ever made.

Speaking on James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction, Spielberg recalled the impact the film had on him.

“2001 had a profound impact on my life and my daily life. It was the first time I went to a movie and really felt like I was having a religious experience. I watched the film 18 times in its first couple years of release, all in theatres,” he said.

Nolan shared a similar experience in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I just felt this extraordinary experience of being taken to another world. You didn’t doubt this world for an instant. It had a larger-than-life quality,” he explained.

The 1968 epic science fiction film was directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick, who co-wrote the screenplay with Arthur C. Clarke.

Its story was inspired by Clarke’s short stories, including The Sentinel (1951) and Encounter in the Dawn (1953). The movie follows astronauts, scientists, and the sentient supercomputer HAL 9000 on a mission to Jupiter to investigate a mysterious alien monolith. The cast includes Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, and Douglas Rain.

2001: A Space Odyssey is known for its scientifically accurate portrayal of space travel and groundbreaking special effects. Kubrick avoided traditional storytelling methods, using minimal dialogue and long sequences set to classical music.

The soundtrack features works by Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss II, Aram Khachaturian, and György Ligeti, rather than original music created for the film.

At the time of its release, the film divided critics. Over the years, it has been interpreted in many ways, from darkly apocalyptic to hopeful reflections on humanity. It explores themes like human evolution, technology, artificial intelligence, and the possibility of alien life. The movie earned four Academy Award nominations and won Kubrick an Oscar for visual effects, his only Academy Award.

Today, 2001: A Space Odyssey is considered one of the most influential and important films in history. In 1991, it was preserved in the United States National Film Registry. In 2022, it ranked in the top ten of Sight & Sound’s critics’ poll and topped the directors’ poll. A sequel, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, was released in 1984, based on Clarke’s novel 2010: Odyssey Two. Clarke also published a novelization of 2001, which Kubrick co-wrote.

It’s easy to see why both Spielberg and Nolan hold 2001: A Space Odyssey in such high regard. Its visuals, story, and themes still feel revolutionary more than 50 years later. For fans of science fiction and cinema history, it remains a must-watch. What do you think, is this the greatest film ever made? Share your thoughts in the comments.