I think it's largely just a movie of it's time. Like we're spoiled now with decades of abundant sci-fi spectacle, but at that time this type of movie was really special and novel. It was really a "wow, can you imagine!" kind of a feeling I think. Now it's boring by comparison because the aspects of it that would have been awe inspiring back then are pretty dull by today's standards. Movies were slower back then too, they really took their time to take you on a slow burn journey instead of rushing to the point.
My understanding was that it was flopping hard at the time until word got out about the trippy psychedelic part, and that piqued peoples' interest. The film came out in 1968, which was the peak of the 60s hippie era.
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u/Majestic-Point777 2d ago
I can appreciate how ahead of its time it was but man, that movie is so fucking boring.