It’s a slightly click-baity title, but as we’re still generating more content for our magazines, this one included, why not?
My Sci-fi unpopular opinion is that 2001: A Space Odyssey is nothing but pretentious, LSD fueled nonsense. I’ve tried watching it multiple times and each time I have absolutely no patience for the pointless little scenes which contain little to no depth or meaningful plot, all coalescing towards that 15 minute “journey” through space and series of hallucinations or whatever that are supposed to be deep, shake you to your foundations, and make you re-think the whole human condition.
But it doesn’t. Because it’s just pretentious, LSD fueled nonsense. Planet of the Apes was released in the same year and is, on every level, a better Sci-fi movie. It offers mystery, a consistent and engaging plot, relatable characters you actually care about, and asks a lot more questions about the world and our place in it.
2001 book was great. Arthur C Clarke has always been my favorite author. I think Rendevous with Rama would’ve been a more approachable story to adapt into a movie. Full of mystery and curiosity. Creative direction could go wild on art without changing bay of the books story. Starts with a mystery, reveals bits and bobs in the middle, ends with mystery. Leaves you questioning. Chefs kiss.
Haven’t really kept up with modern sci-fi opinion. So maybe my opinions are popular maybe not.
I believe Ilium and Olympos are part of the greatest sci-fi story ever written. Far better than Dan Simmons Hyperion Cantos. It presents wild and imaginative futuristic ideas with insane scientific basis for them.
Denis Villeneuve is planning to do Rendezvous With Rama after he’s done with Dune!
Oh nice, I always wondered why no one ever made that into a movie. He’ll probably do a good job.
Morgan Freeman had the rights (?) or at least the intent to make a Rama film for many years, with David Fincher attached to direct. Shame it never happened yet, but Villeneuve is clearly a great choice to make it a reality!
Feel like I read that somewhere too. His vision with Dune would work so well for Rama.
I tried Ilium and took a break after the many pages long exposition on a naked teenager at the beginning and then never had the energy to go back. Should I try again?
Hyperion is my number one sci fi of all time and I need to know if I’m missing out
I read Ilium and Olympos a few years ago and all i remember us that i thought they’re a bunch of pretentious crap. So no, don’t bother.
I may have blocked out all of the unnecessary sexual descriptions in older sci-fi. I read so much of it that it just sort of doesn’t register anymore. It’s writing of its time.
I have a deep fondness for Greek mythology so maybe that resonates with me since the story pulls heavily from a bunch of myths. I also like the idea that science evolves so much that it’s imperceptible from magic in a way.