Weird is an understatement and I feel your pain, or at least felt it. When I saw it the first time, I really had nothing about it which I thought I could ever like. Turns out, I was watching it without.. watching it. Sounds completely nuts but one can like and even adore some elements, not only on the technical side of things when it comes to the actual age of that film.

Well, to stay on the weird impression. That scene alone may come in very weird if somebody doesn't know the film, right? The monkeys (or is apes correct? I don't know) and the monolith. Loud and.. weird. You name it.

But I wonder if there is any modern science fiction being that full of a message and less full of great CGI stuff or dramatic changes in the story. A part of me thinks that the focus on the cool effects has robbed quite some films the atmosphere or mood.

Hey, you've left one question open, CloudSurfer. When took that thing place you are describing here? Wait, where is your post? Deleted?  :-X