The Difference Between Solaris and 2001

• HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey

I’m a huge fan of both movies and their directors. They’re both visually and intellectually astounding, so I mention or reference them frequently.

Yet, there is a difference between the two I noticed recently: When talking about Solaris, I usually quote the dialogue rather than its cinematography. When talking about 2001, I “quote” the visuals — like the monolith, the bone to space ship jump cut and the waltzing space station (you probably get the picture, literally) — more often than its dialogue.

I wouldn’t say that 2001 has nothing to offer beyond its visuals, on the contrary. And I don’t think of Solaris as visually dull, quite the opposite. But for me, 2001 will always be a visual masterpiece first while I’ll always think of Solaris as a philosophical indulgence foremost. And I’m starting to wonder how these movies received their particular “branding.”

Posted by Simon on September 23rd 2009 in Thoughts

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