Yet the films represented a rare break for Rain, who before and after the release of 2001 appeared mostly in theatrical productions.

His other film credits include Sleeper (1973) and The Man Who Skied Down Everest (1974) - for both, only his voice was featured. In both 2001: A Space Odyssey and its followup, 2010 (1984), he lent his voice to HAL 9000, a supercomputer who appears to begin developing human characteristics. Image Credit: Left, Photofest Right, Jeff Goode/Getty Imagesĭouglas Rain has never held a role as an onscreen character in a movie. On April 3, as 2001: A Space Odyssey turns 50, take a look back at the cast and filmmaker behind the classic sci-fi movie. Despite middling early reactions, it became a major box office success, brought in four Oscar nominations, and nearly two decades later spawned a sequel. The film, which follows a mysterious mission to Jupiter guided by an erratic computer named HAL 9000, is especially notable for its innovative cinematography and its minimalist dialogue.

Director Stanley Kubrick tried to envision the future in all of its nuance, and what he foretold still resonates even 17 years after the year 2001. The landmark film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is credited with predicting everything from iPads to Skype to personal TVs.

2001 space odyssey movie