2001: A Space Odyssey was on

Yeah he was awesome. I wish he did more movies.

[ QUOTE ]
The thing that's impressed me the most about Kubrick is not simply his directing skill, but that he tried his hand with virtually every type of movie genre out there, and succeeded... He's done:

Comedy (Dr. Strangelove)
Horror (The Shining)
Sci-Fi (2001)
War (Full Metal Jacket)
Historical (Barry Lyndon)

and of course that list doesn't even include Clockwork Orange, Lolita, and Eyes Wide Shut.

[/ QUOTE ]
Clockwork Orange for Drama, by far, not to mention it was a superb social commentary that is timeless. I can't even tell you how disappointed I am I missed 2001. Right after I watched it, I thought it was decent. But now, I need to catch it again. It's a genius movie, it just takes a few watchings to truly understand. Case in point: Roger Ebert hated this movie when it came out, and now, it's on his Top 10 of All-Time list.

[Sooga]

Yea, I didn't bother putting clockwork orange as drama, since that, lolita, and eyes wide shut were all dramas. But they were all very good. Curiously enough, I didn't enjoy Clockwork Orange nearly as much as other people.

Yes, I've talked to others who didn't love it like I do. That might be because it is really intense, and I know the first time I saw it, I was shocked. It's really a great movie though.

[Sooga]

Oh, and I'm not sure where you read that Ebert hated 2001 the first time he saw it.... in fact, according to his own review, it seemed like he thought it was a masterpiece from the first screening.

Ah, my fault, got him confused with Stephen Hunter from the Washington Post, who wrote, according to Rotten Tomatoes:

"Now, seen in the actual 2001, it's less a visionary masterpiece than a crackpot Looney Tune, pretentious, abysmally slow, amateurishly acted and, above all, wrong."

Err, I think he missed the point.

[someday]

long story short- its all about evolution.

ape- man - technoligically advanced man- to the next evolutional stage, referred to by some as starchild.

the black monoliths are markers along the journey,
placed by a "higher intelligence".
the first one kick started that journey.