2001 - eh?

[johnnyrod]

I don't think there's a thread for this, disabuse me if necessary.

I've just finished watching 2001 A Space Odyssey all the way through for the first time, which was thankfully on tape so I could zip through the beautifully-photographed but very long bits before my attention span popped. However, I got to the bit where they reach Jupiter, yer man gets into the pod and goes out, and after that (which is some 20-30min) it made no sense at all. What in the name of almighty Bob is that all about? And what's the slab? Am I being unspeakably dim or something?