Discovery One, the setting for the middle act of the film
From a design perspective it is also a highly significant film. The film's setting in the weightless vacuum of space presents a series of challenges. In many sci-fi films, this would have been brushed under the carpet by having unexplained gravity generators aboard the ship. In 2001 however, there are no such cop-outs. Every set that represents an interior of a space craft has been fully designed around a zero gravity environment. This ranges from enormous centrifuges simulating gravity to Velcro carpets and shoes keeping flight attendants stuck to the floor.
The living quarters of Discovery One
The level of attention to detail is incredible. The little things are perhaps the most impressive such as an in-flight tray of space food being served and a pen floating out of a man's pocket as he sleeps. It all makes the world the film is set in feel much more complete and believable.
It's sometimes easy to forget that much of the technology featured in the film was decades away from being a reality. Video conferencing features heavily in the film but the process has been thought out so well that it rarely stands out as jarring or inaccurate. It's also easy to forget that this was a film made before the Moon Landings as the scenes set on the moon so greatly resemble footage from the real events.
The airlock
What is perhaps most significant is the style of the film. The stark white interiors of the various space vessels have been imitated in countless space based films. The aesthetic style has found its way into many consumer products as well.
The BAC Mono surely owes many of its styling cues to 2001
Overall, 2001: A Space Odyssey is enjoyable not only as a study in theoretical design but as one of the most significant pieces of cinema ever filmed. I would highly recommend watching it.
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