Last night I caught the beginning part of 2001: A Space Odyssey on television -- I've lost count of the number of times I've seen the movie. I recently saw Star Wars Episode 3 in the theaters, and I was struck by how well 2001 has stood the test of time. The special effects may seem crude by today's standards, but the movie is visually beautiful. And certainly more intriguing.
As I was watching, I thought again about the soundtrack, and what a key role it played in the movie. For example, in the scene where the moon probe is landing at Clavius, you hear nothing but the Blue Danube waltz. The same scene in a movie today would have the pilots speaking technobabble, and something going "eep-oop-eep-oop" in the background on top of some overwrought Hollywood music. But the steady waltz paces the scene, making you feel connected and yet distant. A perfect example of the "less is more" principle.
I remember when the movie first came out, it didn't seem that far-fetched to think we would have a Moon base in 30-40 years. How time has flown....
