Lip reading in 2001: A Space Odyssey
Hal, the computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey, is a formidable villain because the audience isn’t sure what he’s capable of. How far does his reach extend? Are the humans ever safe? Those questions are answered in the brilliantly shot scene right before intermission of 2001, where the astronauts hide to speak about Hal, and we realize he can read their lips and knows everything that’s about to go down. In the theater, it’s even worse because you then have to sit with the knowledge things are going to go very wrong for the astronauts until the rest of the movie begins.
