Lost Footage Found from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

Update from Warner Bros:

Warner Bros.has responded to the “2001” story last week. I dont know if its worth a post, but go ahead with it if ya feel the need.

“The additional footage from 2001: A Space Odyssey has always existed in the Warner vaults. When [director Stanley] Kubrick trimmed the 17 minutes from 2001 after the NY premiere, he made it clear the shortened version was his final edit. The film is as he wanted it to be presented and preserved and Warner Home Video has no plans to expand or revise Mr. Kubrick’s vision.”

Source: Hollywood Elsewhere

Perhaps the most significant film find since the nearly complete print of METROPOLIS was discovered, quite by accident, 17 minutes of lost footage from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY was re-discovered.

Documentary filmmaker Douglas Trumbull was the bearer  of exciting news when he revealed the revelation during a 70mm screening of Stanley Kubrick’s film in Toronto.

Needless the say, if those folks in attendance knew what film they were there to see, they were certainly fans… and, that means people were geeking out over this! [All speculation, of course, as I was unfortunately not there.]

Along with his partner David Larson, Trumbull has learned of this while working on a documentary about the making of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. As the story goes, Kubrick cut the 17 minutes of footage shortly after the film’s release, but Warner Brothers hung on to it and stored it in a Kansas salt mine vault… of all places.

There has not been any news released regarding what Warner Brothers plans to do with this footage, if anything, but one might assume there is potential for an expanded version of the film in the future.

Personally, despite the geek in me being curious, I feel if Kubrick wanted it in the film it would be there. He did, after all, have final cut. Besides, Warner Brothers has something of a tarnished record in my book when it comes to Kubrick (see incident involving altered release of EYES WIDE SHUT).

Source: Twitch