The Rewatchables: ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ With Bill Simmons, Steven Spielberg, and Sean Fennessey

Published 2026-06-01; 2:20:33 by the feed.

Awards and segments (79)

Double feature

  1. pick A.I. Artificial Intelligence: Pairs it with 2001 for the Kubrick-Spielberg lineage, the two films talking to each other.
    “Well, my pick would be AI for all the reasons that I talked about.”
    Sean Fennessey · 2:16:43
  2. pick Destination Moon: He calls it the first breakthrough movie that made audiences believe we could land on the moon, and says it echoes what became Kubrick's 2001.
    “Mine would be George Powell's destination moon.”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:16:55
  3. pick Disclosure Day: Spielberg's new movie, opening June 12, as a pairing he has already seen.
    “My double feature choice is Disclosure Day, opening on June 12th.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:17:51
  4. pick The Shining: His backup choice: watch 2001 first, then The Shining, to see what Kubrick carried between them.
    “Backup choice would be the shining.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:17:58

Most rewatchable scene

  1. pick HAL reads Bowman and Poole's lips in the pod, then the cut to HAL's eye
    “That's my favorite scene in the movie.”
    Steven Spielberg · 1:18:20
  2. runner-up Bowman tries to disconnect HAL ("Just what do you think you're doing, Dave?")
    “That's my other favorite scene.”
    Steven Spielberg · 1:20:23
  3. floated The Stargate slit-scan sequence (picked as his favorite visual effect)
    “But my favorite visual effect in the film.”
    Steven Spielberg · 1:20:48
  4. pick Landing at Clavius, the monolith selfie, and the sonic hit that cuts to the future
    “One that we didn't mention is when they land on Clavius and are witnessing the monolith and that like selfie moment that they're taking and that's right right before that sonic note hits”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:21:11
  5. pick Bowman tries to disconnect HAL
    “Uh, I think I like when he disconnects, tries to disconnect how. I think is my favorite part.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:22:41
  6. floated Dawn of Man: the leopard attack on the apes
    “The beginning with the apes leading on to leopard, which holy shit, the leopard saying.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:17:22
  7. floated The ape figuring out a bone is a weapon, into the fight between the two gangs
    “We get the ape figuring out that bones could be a weapon leading into the big fight with the 2 gangs.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:18:00
  8. floated Floyd and the astronauts checking out the buried monolith
    “We get Floyd and the astronauts checking out the buried artifact.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:18:05
  9. floated Floyd's sit-down with the Russians
    “Big sit down with the Russians, which is our 2nd summit of 2 revel gangs.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:18:09
  10. floated The jogging scene into the eating scene into the HAL interview
    “Um, jogging scene into the eating scene into the Howell interview.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:18:13
  11. floated The Stargate approach
    “We get the Stargate approach, which is, I think, in the running for the, let's get stoned and watch this later.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:20:30
  12. floated The ending, Bowman going through the stages of life
    “Then the ending, Boehman goes through the stages of life, the music, all that stuff.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:21:04

Ebert review · The reading of Roger Ebert's review of the film.

  1. pick 2001: A Space Odyssey: Four stars; Bill reads that the film creates its effects out of visuals and music and wants to enlarge us.
    “Roger Ebert, 4 stars. We always do a Roger Uber review when we do the rewatch.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:16:37

Most 1968 thing · The most 1968 thing about the movie.

  1. pick The intermission: Also opening a movie with three minutes of black screen and weird music.
    “My 2 would be the intermission, which just doesn't happen anymore.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:25:33
  2. pick A movie becoming a phenomenon because people smoke marijuana in the theater
    “The idea of a movie becoming a phenomenon because people are smoking marijuana in a movie theater.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:27:14
  3. pick A big movie made entirely by hand, without digital effects
    “The one thing that really strikes me is, so it's a movie made entirely without digital effects”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:27:35
  4. pick Nothing; the movie wiped out its own year: He says there was no 1968 while you watch 2001.
    “2001 had nothing to do with 1968.”
    Steven Spielberg · 1:29:47

Floyd Gondolli Award (something I just enjoy) · Something about the movie the host just enjoys.

  1. pick Kubrick destroying the trims, negatives and models after the shoot
    “Kubrick was adamant that the trims that he made, the 19 minutes would never be seen.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:31:32
  2. pick A movie that refuses to explain itself
    “I just love when a movie uh, refuses to explain itself”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:33:13

What's aged the best · The single thing that has aged best.

  1. winner HAL 9000
    “How 9000 is age the best.”
    unknown · 1:40:03
  2. pick The film's predictions: video phones, voice print ID, AI, tablets, the idea alien life exists
    “Video phones, voice print identification, artificial intelligence, video tablets, 0 gravity toilet, the growing concern or belief that alien life exists relevant to your film.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:40:20
  3. pick The foreboding, mysterious style with no narrative engine
    “that foreboding and mysterious style that a movie without a narrative engine can still draw you in has aged very, very well.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:40:38
  4. pick Famous people watching videos of themselves
    “famous people watching videos of themselves when the astronauts are watching the new segment about them and the interview with them, which is such a social media thing right now.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:40:49
  5. pick A mysterious government cover-up of something unsettling
    “I also would add a mysterious government cover-up of something unsettling.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:41:10
  6. pick No dialogue in the first 25 minutes or the last 23
    “A movie that pulled off no dialogue in the 1st 25 minutes or the last 23 minutes.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:41:15
  7. pick The solo astronaut story, later The Martian and Project Hail Mary
    “The solo astronaut, space traveler, movie gimmick, which then eventually became the Martian Project Hail Mary, like just sending people out by themselves.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:41:35

Hottest take · The host's hottest take on the movie.

  1. pick The moon landing was real but Kubrick also filmed some of it
    “My hottest take is we did land out on the moon, but they also had Stanley film or used space stuff just because they couldn't have actually shown video and they did the hybrid model.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:44:11

Great Shot Gordo · The most cinematic shot, named for Gordon Willis.

  1. pick The ape in slow motion learning to use a weapon
    “I have the ape in slow motion, learning how to use a weapon and how he filmed that would be my favorite.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:44:31
  2. pick The bone-to-spacecraft match cut
    “I think the match cut that Stephen described earlier is the probably the number one answer.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:44:40
  3. pick The floating pen
    “The one I like the most is the floating pen”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:44:44
  4. pick The floating pen: He then explains the glass-and-tape trick.
    “Oh, okay, well, that was what I was going to say with the floating pen was one of my favorite shots.”
    Steven Spielberg · 1:44:55
  5. pick The Dawn of Man front-projection shots
    “my other favorite shop is everything at the Dawn Man.”
    Steven Spielberg · 1:45:38
  6. pick Brody on the beach, the dolly-zoom shot in Jaws: Bill names Spielberg's own Jaws shot as a Hall of Fame winner; Spielberg then explains where it came from.
    “You have a Hall of Fame, great shock order, award winner, um, Brody. The got the beach. Trombone shot.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:48:40

Would modern technology ruin this movie · Whether today's digital tools would ruin the film.

  1. pick Digital tools would hurt the legacy of the handmade movie
    “I just feel like part of the legend of this movie is, it's like watching somebody make a world-class meal based on like some leftovers and the leftover groceries.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:50:08
  2. pick AI would put about 400 people out of work
    “unemploy about 400 people wouldn't have jobs.”
    Steven Spielberg · 1:50:29
  3. pick The practical, handmade work is the point
    “I hope that there's like a little bit of a turnback to that because the practical stuff is what's like the movie doesn't really make sense as an idea if it's just made with digital effects.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:50:48

Kid Cudi Pursuit of Happiness Award (best needle drop) · The best needle drop.

  1. winner The opening credits: Others agree it is by far the answer.
    “for best needle drop, that has to be the opening credits.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:52:21

Sean Fennessey Award (stealth homage) · An homage to an earlier film or film history that only a movie nerd would catch.

  1. winner The "explosive bolts" hatch sign in 2001 echoing Major Kong's line in Dr. Strangelove: Bill calls it the best moment in the history of the category.
    “But there's one in the film that is Kubrick winking at himself, which is that in Doctor Strangelove, Major Kong says, fire the explosive bolts. And in 2001, the entry hatch sign reads, caution colon explosive bolts.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:53:12

What's aged the worst · The single thing that has aged worst.

  1. pick The intermission
    “We mentioned the intermission, which nobody would do anymore.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:53:58
  2. pick The BBC 12 channels joke: He counts 11 BBC channels now, so Kubrick was one short.
    “They mentioned BBC 12 and there were only 2 BBC channels at the time.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:54:05
  3. pick The idea that we could shut down AI
    “just the idea that we could shut down AI, I think, maybe.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:54:53

Steven Seagal Award (most unbelievable anecdote from the shoot) · The most unbelievable anecdote from the film shoot.

  1. winner A days-dead horse painted like a zebra for the leopard shot
    “So they had a dead horse painted like a zebra for the shot of the leopard next to the zebra.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:56:24

Casting what ifs · Almost-castings and recasts.

  1. pick Sterling Hayden as Heywood Floyd: Bill says Kubrick wanted him and MGM vetoed; the studio wanted Henry Fonda.
    “Kubrick won at Sterling Hayden for Floyd and MGM vetoed it.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:56:39
  2. pick Holden as Heywood Floyd: Compares the short Floyd role to Janet Leigh in Psycho.
    “Which is, I, Holden would have been good for Floyd.”
    Steven Spielberg · 1:56:54
  3. pick Robert Shaw as Moon-Watcher
    “He looked at a bunch of actors, famous ones for the moon watcher, the lead ape, including your guy Robert Shaw.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:57:13
  4. pick Martin Balsam as HAL 9000: Spielberg adds that Balsam was a little too New Yorkish.
    “Kubrick rejected Martin Balsam for how?”
    Bill Simmons · 1:59:00
  5. pick Pink Floyd as the film's music: Bill is unsure how true it is.
    “And then Pink Floyd was approached to perform music and they turned it down due to other commitments.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:59:09

Dion Waiters Award · Someone who is not the star but comes in hot for a short stretch.

  1. pick HAL 9000
    “I think it's Hal.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:59:29
  2. pick Daniel Richter as Moon-Watcher
    “I have Daniel Richter as Moon Watcher, the chief ape.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:59:34
  3. pick Vivian Kubrick: His number two.
    “I think it's Vivian Kubrick, who wants a bush baby and whose father calls her squirt.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:59:42

Apex Mountain · Where a person's career had the most juice.

  1. pick Steven Spielberg: 1982, E.T. and Poltergeist.
    “I would say, so for you, you have multiple apexes, but in 82, when you have ET and poltergeist, At that point, you could have probably gone into any any studio on the planet, been like, I'd like to do this.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:04:06
  2. pick Stanley Kubrick: 2001 is Kubrick's apex, and the Big Bang for serious science-fiction movies.
    “This is a movie that made Stanley famous, not just among critics and and and journalists and people that write about film. But this is the movie where the public discovered him.”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:04:45

Cruise or Hanks · Which of the two stars you would put in this movie.

  1. pick Tom Hanks
    “Hanks. Because he made Apollo 13.”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:05:36
  2. pick Tom Hanks as Heywood Floyd: The transcript cuts off on who plays Bowman; Floyd is Hanks.
    “I think the answer is both.”
    unknown · 2:05:49
  3. pick Tom Cruise as Moon-Watcher
    “Can I give you cruise as the lead ape?”
    Bill Simmons · 2:05:56

Picking Nits · Nitpicks of a film they love.

  1. pick The ape costumes in 4K feel a little 1968
    “The ape costumes in 4K.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:06:45
  2. pick Could HAL really read their lips: Spielberg and others say it would be a walk in the park for AI today.
    “Would Hal actually be able to read their lips?”
    Bill Simmons · 2:07:12
  3. pick The film never says what year it is set: Spielberg answers that 2001 is about the millennium, not a year.
    “The film never actually tells us what year it's set.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:07:26
  4. pick HAL 9000
    “if how so advanced, why can't he anticipate Dave's move to remove his central function?”
    Sean Fennessey · 2:08:06
  5. pick HAL 9000: Joins Sean's nit: why not close ports where there is no manual override.
    “why doesn't Hal turn off all the lights?”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:09:00
  6. pick The movie was rated G
    “I had one more. This movie was rated G?”
    Bill Simmons · 2:09:55

Oscar picks · Who should have won or been recognized.

  1. winner Stanley Kubrick: Two Oscars.
    “I would go best film and best director.”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:11:06
  2. pick Douglas Trumbull
    “I would also have given Doug Trumbull, an Oscar, along with Stanley for special effects.”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:11:12

Unanswerable questions · Questions the movie leaves open.

  1. pick Why did HAL break down: Bill's take: HAL was caught between knowing everything and lying about the mission.
    “Why did Hal break down?”
    Bill Simmons · 2:11:20
  2. pick Why did HAL break down: HAL is a narcissist and a mirror of his creators.
    “was how was a narcissist. He was a complete narcissist.”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:12:00
  3. pick The first shot of the three astronauts looks like the moon landing
    “The 1st shot of the 3 astronauts we see. Sure looks a lot like the moon landing, is Sean mentioned.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:13:00
  4. pick Who delivered the monoliths
    “who delivered the monoliths is like the ultimate question of the movie.”
    Sean Fennessey · 2:13:10
  5. pick Did this movie ruin the name Hal
    “Did this movie ruin the name Hal?”
    Bill Simmons · 2:13:23

Memorabilia · The one piece of memorabilia they would want from the movie.

  1. pick HAL's eye
    “I understand Peter Jackson owns Hal's eye. That would have been my answer.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:14:55
  2. winner David Bowman's spacesuit: He bought it and gave it to the museum; the hosts say nobody has topped that on the show.
    “David Bowman's, uh, spacesuit. Which I've donated to the Academy Museum.”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:14:36
  3. pick The monolith: Bill's anecdote, not his answer. Kubrick said it no longer existed. The name is likely Gene Siskel.
    “Gene Cisco loved this movie, and he really wanted the monolith, and he asked Kubrick about getting it.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:14:10

Coach Finstock Mr. Miyagi Award (best life lesson) · The best life lesson from the movie.

  1. pick Keep questioning what's out there
    “I guess it's keep questioning what's out there?”
    Bill Simmons · 2:16:01
  2. winner Never close your mind to an impossible possibility: Bill says it is better than his.
    “never, ever close your mind off to an impossible possibility.”
    Steven Spielberg · 2:16:06

Who won the movie · Who came out of the movie the winner.

  1. winner Stanley Kubrick
    “Who won the movie? Stanley Kubrick.”
    Bill Simmons · 2:18:30
  2. pick HAL's soft but chilling voice: Craig's first Rewatchables; his closing take on the movie, not a formal winner.
    “Hal's voice, the choice of Hal's soft but chilling tone, I think, makes the entire film.”
    Craig Horlbeck · 2:19:54

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