If you watch movies, chances are you have seen “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

And chances are you were probably somewhat mystified by the epic film.

The book, “Kubrick’s Monolith: The Art and Mystery of 2001: A Space Odyssey” (McFarland & Company; Illustrated Edition; $29.95; 224 pp.) by Joe R. Frinzi will pretty much tell you all you want to know about the 1968 science-fiction film directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick (1928 - 1999).

As for what the movie is exactly about, that may be up to you.

The breathtaking ending of the film can be interpreted in many different ways, and Kubrick did not especially want to spell it out.

“It can be seen as a religious allegory or straight science fiction. Kubrick didn’t like explaining his stuff to people,” says Frinzi in a phone interview from his home in Easton.

“He left things to be interpreted by the viewer. There are some specific things hard-wired into it, but Kubrick edited out a lot of explanatory stuff, especially dialogue. He stripped out narration.”

Frinzi’s book is named after the Monolith, a mysterious black slab that reappears in different incarnations throughout “2001.”

Frinzi says the book is “an easy read, but people can share the passion of the author. I made it as engaging as I could, with insights I have not seen anywhere else.

“It goes from the film’s very beginning through the shooting, editing, the release to the public, critical and popular reaction to it, the music, its standing in the film industry today, and its legacy.

“It covers every aspect you can think of, and I included as much new information as I could.”

Frinzi, who is a lifelong resident of Easton, missed the first run of the film when it came to town, and was first introduced to it in 1971 when he read the novelization by noted science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - 2008).

“I loved the book and became a big fan of Clarke,” says Frinzi.

Clarke and Kubrick wrote the screenplay for the film.

“Soon afterwards [reading the book], I saw the movie at the Boyd Theatre in Easton when I was sixteen. It was like nothing I had ever seen. It was an epiphany for me.”

Keir Dullea, the American actor who plays the lead role of astronaut David Bowman in “2001,” says of Frinzi’s book: “’Kubrick’s Monolith’ is the most profound and best written analysis of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ I’ve come across since the movie was released in 1968.

“It’s almost as if Joe Frinzi had resided for a time in director Stanley Kubrick’s brain. Through this book, I learned more about the film that I was in, than I ever knew from having been in it.”

Frinzi has met Dullea three times, the first in 1989 at a production of one-act plays which Dullea did at the former Open Space Gallery, Allentown. On subsequent occasions, he spoke with the actor, who has been very encouraging about Frinzi’s book.

It took Frinzi five years on and off to write “Monolith.” It took him 10 years to find a publisher. It was worth the wait, both for readers and his pride at now being a prominent member of the “Kubrick Universe.”

Frinzi says that appreciation of the director’s work has grown with the advent of the internet and social media and the many editions of Kubrick’s 13 full-length films now available for home viewing, none of which were readily available when “2001” was first released.

Frinzi wrote a film column for the monthly publication, the Irregular, for 18 years, beginning in February 1998. Many of the columns are in his book, “Movies on My Mind.”

He has also written “My Life with a Human: A Memoir by Kafka the Kat” and two volumes of short fantasy stories about “Princess Bria of Pickelot.”

The books, as well as “Kubrick’s Monolith: The Art and Mystery of 2001: A Space Odyssey,” are available on the Amazon website.

States the Amazon website of the book: “Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ is re-examined in a post-millennial context in this heavily-researched, highly-detailed study of the making of the landmark film.

“Its artistic and mythic pedigrees are of special interest. Kubrick and writer Arthur C. Clarke faced a number of challenges in producing an intelligent and innovative A-list movie in what, almost a decade before ‘Star Wars,” was considered a second-class genre, science fiction.

“The author explores the film’s enigmatic storyline and offers a fresh perspective on several artistic elements such as production design, special effects and the use of music.”

States Flick Attack of the book: “With enthusiasm and efficiency, Frinzi covers how Arthur C. Clarke’s short story turned into what now is a classic.”

Frinzi can’t say how often he has seen “2001.”

“I stopped counting long ago,” he says, but notes that it has been more than 100 times, including more than 30 times in a movie theater. He has every home version of “2001” that has been released, including the laser disk version.

Frinzi even has an impressive, homemade “2001” spacesuit. He hopes to have it with him when he does future signings of the book.