Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!zehntel!dual!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian From: boyajian@akov68.DEC (Jerry Boyajian) Newsgroups: net.movies,net.sf-lovers Subject: 2010 review Message-ID: <190@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Mon, 10-Dec-84 05:58:17 EST Article-I.D.: decwrl.190 Posted: Mon Dec 10 05:58:17 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 11-Dec-84 07:34:32 EST Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP Organization: DEC Engineering Network Lines: 48 Xref: watmath net.movies:5172 net.sf-lovers:5358 There're two ways of looking at 2010: as its own movie and as a companion to 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. The latter first. They say comparisons are odious, but here it's inevitable. Quite frankly, as a sequel to 2001, 2010 just doesn't cut the mustard. First of all, as primitive as 2001's effects look these days, they look much better than the ones in the sequel. Many of the models, as well as the Jupiter/Io/Europa mattes, did not look very convincing. The biggest consequence of this for me was that I didn't have the feeling of really being in space that I got with the first film. Secondly, I found the direction too ordinary. Kubrick was very much a stylist, and though 2001's characters (and through the characters, the implied sociology of our future) seemed dull, that dullness was for a stylistic reason, to indicate a dehumanization process. Mankind reaching a plateau in evolution that the events in the film would help to overcome. In contrast, 2010's characters (and implied sociology) seemed too much like our present-day. Maybe it's more reasonable to suggest that life in 2010 would be pretty much just like it is now, but it still doesn't give the sense of alieness that was a part of the heart of 2001. However, as its own film, I found 2010 to be very enjoyable. Peter Hyams, while not a *bad* writer/director, didn't inspire much confidence for me. And I certainly found many scenes in 2010 to be handled very awkwardly (much of this being Dr. Floyd's "diary" voice-overs), just as I'd expected. Where Hyams really brought this off, however, was in the characters. The characterization and dialogue were, for the most part, delightful, aided immeasureably by the talents of a top-notch cast. Roy Scheider is an actor I admire, and he didn't let me down. And John Lithgow --- words fail me. He isn't always superb, and to be honest, his work in 2010 isn't among his best, but I'm impressed by the *range* of his talent. I have yet to see him play the same character twice! Contrast this with someone like Peter O'Toole, who always plays the same brash, self-indulgent character. The real treat here, though, was Helen Mirren. I wasn't all that taken with her performance as Morgana in EXCALIBUR, but here she managed to convincingly pull off the role as the Soviet mission commander. 2010 wasn't the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it was *far* better than I had expected it to be, and I highly recommend it. On a scale of 1-10, I would give this a 7. --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA) UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...} !decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA