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Samsung Can’t Use Clips of Kubrick’s Space Odyssey Against Apple Patents in Court

A judge presiding over the ongoing patent battle between Samsung and Apple has upheld a ruling that the former tech company can’t use clips from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey to argue that Apple’s patents are invalid.

The clips in question? You may recall astronaut scientist David Bowman using a tablet like computer in the 1968 film masterpiece that has a striking resemblance to some of today’s tech toys.

Samsung has complained repeatedly about Judge Lucy Koh, who the company says isn’t allowing a complete picture of the issues to be shown to jurors.  The case, in which Apple is seeking a whopping $2.5 billion in damages for certain exterior design characteristics also used by Samsung, could have big implications for future tech company legal battles.

A still from the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” that shows tablet-like computers. The movie clip was not allowed to be used by Samsung in the Apple patent case.

But Samsung’s odyssey in search of a fair trial apparently continues. For now at least, the pod bay door to the Kubrick maneuver remains closed.

Video by Jim Festante.