>>>>The most awesome opening scene in a movie:
>>>>
>>>>The Matrix Reloaded - where Carrie-Anne Moss rides the bike off the roof and drops it into the guard room. 10/10 ...
>>>
>>>"2001: A Space Oddyssey"
>>>
>>>For its time, its effect was profound.
>>
>>Good choice. The sequence was all the better for its utter silence (except the "Blue Danube"). I think it's the only film, or one of the only films that realistically represents space as silent (Can't remember if there's sound in "Silent Running"). I'm sick of fighter ships roaring past with noisy lasers, and ships exploding with a roar. Worst still, when the heroes escape a nuclear explosion, thousands of klicks away, but we hear the explosion simultaneously with seeing it. If sound travelled through a vacuum we'd all be deafened by the roar of the Sun, and like as not, by that of all the stars in the firmament.
>
>Agreed all the way. I have to admit though that I was not '2001's biggest fan. I thought it was good, but all the hype and deep meaning attributed to it did nothing for me. However, I still remember sitting in absolute awe through that opening. And I don't see how they could possibly have picked better or more appropriate music for that scene.

Likewise - I think it got a bit boring when Bowman was in the aliens', "Wendy House" and it zapped through his life, then a foetus appeared floating in space, and all that pony (and trap). His journey through the worm hole was state-of-the-art at the time but mainly put there as a trip for all the hippies in the auditorium I think.

However, I've always admired AC Clark for his "science faction", his attention to details such as the fact that there would be no searchlight beam at the artifact dig on the Moon (this was coverd in the book but I don't think was realised in the film).

Agreed that the Blue Danube was a great choice (Hell, I've even heard it myself during that time-slows-down period when your car goes into a skid or spin on ice). :-)