3 april 1968 & 2001: a space odyssey premiere

#OTD 3 April 1968 Washingtonians were discussing yesterday's world premiere of 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Uptown Theater (3426 Connecticut Ave, NW). 1,120 lucky individuals saw the film premiere. The tickets ranged from 75 cents for balcony seats to three dollars for orchestra and loge seats.

According to a new book by Michael Benson, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece, although now regarded as one of the best films made in the U.S., the reception was more mixed in 1968. Gary Lockwood, one of the white actors in the film who attended the premiere, stated, "It was a disaster. No one liked it." 

However, Emerson Beauchamp wrote a glowing review for the Evening Star newspaper. He called it a "gorgeous, exhilarating and mind-stretching spectacle." 

Your comments are welcome below. Did you attend the movie premiere? Did you see the film in 1968? What did you think of the movie? What do you remember about the Uptown? How would you describe it? You may comment privately here.

Photo source: Courtesy of DC Public Library, Evening Star ad 2 April 1968.
Emerson Beauchamp, "A Stunning Trip Into the Future," Evening Star, 3 April 1968. 
Jeff Frost, "Review: A Space Odyssey," The Space Review.