MovieChat Forums > 2010 (1984) Discussion > Does anyone prefer 2010 to 2001?

Does anyone prefer 2010 to 2001?

posted 12 years ago by JohnWelles
83 replies | jump to latest

Yesterday, I watched 2001: A Space Odyssey and 2010: The Year We Make Contact. I have heard a lot of praise for 2001, and hence was expecting something to stand up with the likes of Blade Runner, District 9, etcetera. However, I personally found it to be a cold and frankly dull experience, and while I can appreciate the expertise with which every shot was meticulously framed and placed within the film, I found the design aesthetic (important to me, I like good looking sci-fi) to be more in tune with the old style sets and effects of the 40s-50s with the clean lines and uncluttered, sterile nature of the interiors and models on display. In some sense, I believe this film has dated even worse than 2010 as frankly, with such set designs looking totally devoid of the past 40+ years of space exploration, and where we are likely to go with future space development. Perhaps I just do not like films shot in the style of the silent era?
(The less said about the opening Monkey sequence the better.)

2010 on the other hand, I found to be a much human experience with characters I could actually care about, something I found impossible in 2001 (with he exception of Keir Dullea) also, the cold war subplot, the staple of many of the best sci-fi novels of the era (Eon by Greg Bear for example) I found to be greatly enjoyable. I do appreciate that some people have issues with this, but the same plot elements are in 2001 as well… Also I will admit that I am a huge Syd Mead fan, and thought his work on this film was amazing, although I will concede that the interior of the Leonov was more by way of Alien than anything else.

Does any one else feel the same way about 2010?

[–] !!!deleted!!! (12526472) 10 years ago

They are two different types of film, both good. It's not worth trying to measure them against each other. They have some similarities, and many differences. 2010 has a straight-forward plot with awesome acting and a clear message at the end. 2001 is a head movie with artistic pretensions.

I would like to point out that it was Kubrik who made 2001 thus (and Douglas Trumbull who was responsible for the extended trippy imagery). If Arthur C. Clark had had control over both movies, they both would have come out like 2010 did.

Both movies are important and I celebrate both of them, and their differences, they are equally worthy.

[–] teal123 10 years ago

It's like trying to compare Alien to Aliens. You can't. They're two different kinds of movies, they're both amazing in their own way. Aliens doesn't try to do the same thing that Alien did, and 2010 does not try to do what 2001 did. Alien 3, otoh, tried to replicate Alien and therefore it can be compared and it loses that battle (which is not to say it's bad - the assembly cut, NOT the theatrical cult - it's quite good but not nearly as good as Alien)

[–] Flamboyant_Little_Devil 10 years ago

They are 2 different movies. 2010 is much more "Cold War in space", while 2001 is an [almost] all-encompassing movie for the ages to come [referenced and emulated by many].

If you mind, I would say 2001 is all Kubrik and 2010 is all A.C. Clarke. Let us see if 2061 and 3001 will ever get their Screen time [though I doubt it].

[–] buckikris 10 years ago

I prefer 2010 more than 2001, I thought 2001 had great visuals; but that was it. What I liked about 2010, it explained 2001. I thought 2001 was boring, I just didn't get that involved in it. Maybe because it came out before I was born, I don't know? I understood 2010 more; because I did grow up in the 80's when Russia was the Soviet Union. The tensions between the two Countries were high and on edge. Even though the crew was split(Country/Political wise) the Americans didn't expect much from the other side. The whole crew would eventually have to work together. They would discover what went wrong with the Discovery; and the mystery of Dave Bowman.

THX,
Kris L. CocKayne

[–] fede_4488 10 years ago

You can't really appreciate 2001 on your first viewing.
For example I also didn't understand the meaning of the firs sequence then I read that it was supposed to represent the use of the first weapon. Then on my second and subsequent viewings I enjoyed it even more.

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[–] bijinius 10 years ago

"2001: A Space Odyssey", "Blade Runner" and...."District 9". one of these is NOT like the others.

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