Rare behind-the-scenes photos from ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ | CNN

Stanley Kubrick at work on "2001: A Space Odyssey." The film, which was originally released on April 3, 1968, follows a group of astronauts on a journey to Jupiter with HAL 9000, a sentient computer. Though it was initially met with mixed reviews, "2001" is now widely considered a modern masterpiece.

Keir Dullea, who played Dr. Dave Bowman, in an equipment storage corridor.

Actor Gary Lockwood (Dr. Frank Poole) at the helm.

Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, who wrote the "2001: A Space Odyssey" novel and collaborated with Kubrick on the screenplay, on set of the Aries lunar ferry.

A drawing of a space station docking area by concept artist Roy Carnon. (He would later work on "Superman," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.")

A concept illustration showing the Discovery One spaceship's interiors.

Keir Dullea in the repair pod.

This briefcase computer was designed by the Honeywell company for use in the film.

The filming of one of the film's final scenes.

Kubrick giving instructions on set.

Courtesy Taschen

"The Making of Stanley Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey," published by Taschen, is out now.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in August 2015.

CNN —

Before “Interstellar” and “Avatar,” Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey” explored the possibilities of interplanetary travel and helped define and validate science fiction as a serious film genre.

“The Making of Stanley Kubrick’s ’2001: A Space Odyssey,” a coffee table book from Taschen, gives film buffs a behind-the-scenes look at the seminal film through on-set photos, concept art and photos of the director at work.

Check out the gallery above for some of the highlights.