Why Does Everyone Love "2001: A Space Odyssey"?

[Woodsprite]

Shouldn't movies, by definition, have the answer embedded just clearly enough so that an average audience could grasp its intent? Why did it have to be explained with long, drawn-out scenes that bored one to death? I understand this was made in the 60s, and that people may have been accustomed to such films, but as I said, I'm a movie buff. I've seen all sorts of films from the 60s, and none of them are as slow-paced as "2001."

Even Kubrick's "Spartacus," released 8 years prior, showed quite a long scene towards the end battle where the Roman army was gathering, but was still a bit intrguing because it intercut with shots of other people, and lines were said. That's what made it interesting. "Avatar" does the same thing: it shows you the beautiful vistas of Pandora's stunning landscape while intercutting with plot elements. That's how film is done concerning capturing the public's attention while still holding their interest. With "2001" you have none of that. What happened?

It's like holding to the argument that the 1931 version of "Dracula" is a "classic." "It's a fine representation of the 'horror' genre at its best." But Stoker purists (including me, but not only me) would tell you that it sucks. It strays very far from the novel, is incredibly boring beyond belief, doesn't show anything like the book describes (but rather has it talked out), and contains some of the worst acting in history. They, surprisingly, recommend "Bram Stoker's Dracula" (Coppola's version) because it's claimed to be much truer to the novel, and it's far more engrossing. I listened, watched, and agreed. It was.

What does this mean, though? In my opinion, it means that you can't simply pass off a film for being a "product of its times." Films like that, for the most part, normally die quite quickly. But classics like the '31 version of Dracula, "2001," and a slew of other films that just aren't good by today's standards of artistic filming, remain in the favored eye of the public because they were thought of highly in their day. This is not a good trend.