Every frame was meticulously composed. It was filmed before CGI existed, using incredible practical effects and miniatures.
The floating pen in the shuttle was achieved using simple double-sided tape on a sheet of glass. If you'd like to dive deeper, I can help you with: An in-depth explanation of the ending and the "Star Child."
Unlike most sci-fi, there is no sound in the vacuum of space sequences—only the breathing of the astronauts.
The use of classical music (like Also sprach Zarathustra ) is iconic and helps tell the story where words are missing.
A between the movie and Arthur C. Clarke’s companion novel.
