2001: A Space Odyssey @ Royal Festival Hall with Live Orchestra

For a film so famous for its magnificent use of classical music, it came as a surprise when it was announced Friday's screening of 2001 A Space Odyssey with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Philharmonia Voices that it had never been shown with a live orchestral accompaniment. Opening the Royal Society's anniversary Summer Science Exhibition the film brings together some of the Southbank's finest elements. When deciding upon the opening event organisers consulted the BFI who suggested 2001 for its importance within the science fiction genre, but also for its unique credibility and basis in real science. The film also, quite obviously, brings to the fore the great tradition of live musical performance from the Royal Festival Hall, and one of the joys of the night was the lush, acoustically excellent surroundings of the Hall.
Add to that a fresh, digitally restored print courtesy of Warner, who had stripped the musical soundtrack and left only the dialogue and sound effects tracks and the film may have never look so crisp and defined.
The experience itself was wonderful. The musicians giving everything to capture the genius of the music and have it live helped draw you into the hynoptic, emotional brilliance of the images. 2001 is arguably the finest collision of sound and image in cinema history and here it works even better as each string, each drum beat reverberates around the theatre. And the print was exceptionally detailed making each image just as glorious as it has always been.

The film was introduced by Christiane Kubrick who talked about Kubrick's love of film and how flattered he would have been to have the film shown with a live orchestra and from my point of view, the orchestra can feel a sense of pride for making the experience one of those once in a lifetime situations. It took over 40 years for 2001 A Space Odyssey to be screened with a live orchestra, now lets hope it happens much more frequently as everyone with the slightest interest or love of cinema will be overwhelmed by its beauty and majesty.