2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick . The screenplay was written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke , partly inspired by Clarke’s short story ” The Sentinel “. Clarke concurrently wrote the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey , published soon after the film was released. The movie follows a trip to Jupiter with the sentient computer HAL partner after the discovery of a mysterious black monolith Affecting human evolution. It deals with the themes of existentialism , human evolution, technology, artificial intelligence , and extraterrestrial life . It is noted for its scientifically accurate depiction of space flight, pioneering special effects, and ambiguous imagery. It uses sound and minimal dialogue in place of traditional narrative techniques; The soundtrack consists of classical music as Zarathustra , The Blue Danube , and Aram Khachaturian and György Ligeti .