Off topic - 2001: A Space Odyssey

My husband and I have decided to watch all of the movies that are considered AFI top 100, or super important in terms of movie history.  Its a bit of a long-term project, and mostly entertaining.  We watched 2001 tonight.  I was wondering if someone could explain to me WHY this was important?  Stanley Kubrick movies are torture to sit through and my poor abused tailbone doesn't deserve such treatment!  We also have A Clockwork Orange to watch this week... wow.  I know I'm not from the right era for true appreciation of 2001 - and I can admit that the movie still looks really good, for being made so long ago.  It stands the test of time in terms of that, and HAL was creepy, but the rest of the movie could just have been cut out as far as I'm concerned.  I don't really have  a reason to post this, other than I am curious if someone here saw it and loved it or hated it or what.  How did you interpret it, and did you read the Arthur C. Clarke books?  I like to think I can appreciate these classic movies, but I totally missed the boat on this one. 

Mind you, I was barely a teenager when this movie came out.  My best friend's mom took us to see it.  I sat through the whole thing in awe of the special effects, which were a big deal at the time.  The photography was spectacular.  I remember seeing it at the Esquire Theater in Sacramento, which had one of those Cinerama screens.  At the time that was the biggest movie screen available. (Yes, I am a dinosaur). I always looked at this movie as an allegory.  It basically tells the story of mankind from beginning to end.  In thinking about it now, this movie illustrates what Maslow was talking about in his hierarchy and how people cannot advance from one level to another until their needs are met, and then when all their needs are met, they are self-actualized.   I'm sure you know that HAL is named after IBM? Fun trivia fact: the board game they played on the space shuttle was actually marketed, and I used to have it.  My friends and I played it for hours (sort of like playing Tetris, only on a game board).  I cannot remember the name of the board game, darn it. I'm not a fan of Stanley Kubrick (Lolita and Dr. Strangelove being the only exceptions).  I will be curious to read your reaction to "A Clockwork Orange," which was rated X when it came out due to all the violence (which will seem tame these days).   I read both 2001 and A Clockwork Orange, but Arthur C. Clarke's writing style was too lugubrious for me to slog through with any kind of enjoyment. My nieces are in their 30s, and they don't "get" 2001, either.  It must be a generational thing, kind of like how people reacted when Star Wars came out, just because it was so different. Kix

Thank you for taking the time to answer and give me your perspective.  I can imagine that the effects and look of the film were pretty mind-blowing at the time.  I was actually surprised how good they still look.  A lot better than "special effects" movies from just a few years ago.  Kubrick movies aren't really my thing either, from the few I've seen (Dr. Strangelove, 2001, Eyes Wide Shut, The Shining).  I did read A Clockwork Orange, and am familiar with the controversy of the movie and a few of the more famously offensive scenes.  It'll be interesting.  I think we were going to watch Die Hard tonight, haha.  My husband was shocked that I'd never seen it, and we need a break between Kubricks.  Oh, we also saw The Golden Compass.  I don't know if you've read those books, but I hadn't.  I liked the movie but was a little confused at first.  I also thought it was VERY POORLY cut in places.  We picked up the books after we learned that they were an athiest response to C.S. Lewis.  I haven't started them yet. 

I haven't seen 2001 but just have to say that like you I cannot stand Stanley Kubricks movies - that's probably why I haven't seen it . But very cool that you guys are watching all those movies! In my previous life I was a film major and one winter break I decided to watch all the biggies: the Godfather's, Casablanca, anything with Katherine Hepburn (my all time fav actress! I'm not sure if it's on the list but you definitely need to watch "Lion in the Winter" - it's one of her best performances and an amazing film, especially if you like history!), Best Years of our Lives (A GREAT WWII pic that won for best picture in the 1940's - beautifully done) and so many more. You've inspired me now - I think I need to pull out some of my old movies and re-watch them over break! By the way, I've sent you a message about Christmas

I never get tired of "Best Years of Our Lives" and make a point to watch it every time it's on Turner Channel (which is fairly often).  I feel the same way about "To Kill a Mockingbird," "The Shawshank Redemption," and "The Apartment." I'm glad to see "Twelve Angry Men" on the list.  It's an excellent movie. I love Godfather and Godfather Part Two!  I saw "American Gangster" recently and enjoyed it almost as much as The Godfather, even if the movie ran a bit long. If you really want to torture yourself sometime, watch "Intolerance."  I saw it eons ago on The Z Channel when I lived in L.A.  Any Angelinos here old enough to remember The Z Channel? Kix

I'm the same age as Kix, so I remember the big hoopla when 2001 came out. I'm a big movie addict, so I will never forget the experience I had seeing that particular movie!! It holds the honor of being the first, yes, the very first, movie during which I fell asleep. No matter how many times I was poked awake, the special effects, plots and awe of the audience could not begin to gain my attention or interest. My peers and family were so appalled they dragged me two more times to see it, and I have to report that I still couldn't make it past about 15 minutes. I need to admit that I never gained any interest since then for any type of science fiction or fantasy type of movie or book. And I did try! Darn movie just plain ole ruined me for life -Julie

I felt the same way about "Billy Jack."  I liked the music well enough, and Tom Laughlin did a credible job as Billy Jack, but I just couldn't get into all the anti-establishment angst that overfloweth during the entire flick! My friends must have dragged me to see it at least 60 times, all to no avail.  It's not that I didn't share their outrage at the indignities portrayed in the movie, it's just that all I could think of was, "It's a movie, people!"   Kix PS: How's that snow in Boston?  It looked kind of nasty on NBC News Tonight.

I really liked 2001 as well as 2010 which was the sequel in a way. I liked them because I like science fiction a great deal. My sonw who is 23 enjoyed watching them in his late teens as he likes sci fi too.  However I also saw a cloclwork orange when it first came out and to this day I don't understand it. Very strange. My husband is more intuned so I am going to ask him his perspectives and post again.