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In Reply to: You think that was sarcastic. posted by john dem on November 05, 2001 at 05:19:34:
Wow,
never thought I'd hear that name. Solaris is based on a classic scifi work. But because the 'action' is about an alien mind trying to
come to grips with the humans who have arrived; part of it is a psychological drama. Like Dune, the moviemakers seemed to struggle; to
deal with this inner life, and in the end, fail. I thought the book was terrific, scary, exciting when I first read it back in the 60's. The movie is a big yawn.
I like Star Trek, the movies are just the show on a big screen.
Mostly it's just harmless fun; but Rodenberry liked to play with good ideas once in a while. 20001 is about a God-like alien race that guides us all. Deus ex obelisk.....it's not bad, but it has been done, before the movie and many times after. My favorite Star trek episode finds Data put on trial to determine if he is property of Starfleet. I think of that show's theme as a meta-intersection. The technology that created Data intersects with the need to decide what that is; what legal status he should have; with obvious moral implications. It asks some tough questions about sentience, slavery, morality. Your argument largely rests on the story that the movie tells us. There is no question that it is slow paced, dated. When I compare that story to the best of Star Trek, I find it wanting here as well. There would be no point at all in comparing 2001 to the best scifi has to offer. That would be absurd.
Btw, I am quite fond of Beggars in Spain, a fairly recent and terrific scifi novel.
Follow Ups:
I disagree Late,I don't think every film has to be full of action/ destruction to be interesting, or worth watching. 2001 stands some comparison to Solaris in terms of that, but little else.
Lots of people like Star Trek- not that there's anything wrong with that. Comparing the story of 2001 to any Star Trek episode is a bit strange- your comments about the deity are from the subsequent books- unless you saw the film and concluded the monolith represented a deity.
My "argument" as you put it is that 2001 is a better film than some here seem to think, and not so easily dismissed. Especially for its use of the medium, as opposed to the bland offerings that most directors are quite happy to serve up.
I can understand why your favorite Star Trek episode is about a robot- it says more about the other characters than it does about the robot.
That is another of my favourites.
Nothing much happens in that either, apart from Bruce Dern's great acting :~)Cheers
John K
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