Stanley Kubrick: Love or Hate

[gipper2001]

I've seen them all, including the short films. Here's my list from Best on down. Just my opinion:

1. The Shining (Best horror film ever made)
2. Dr. Strangelove (best satire ever)
3. Barry Lyndon (best cinematography ever)
4. A Clockwork Orange (best dystopian film ever)
5. Paths of Glory (best anti-war film ever)
6. 2001 (Incredible innovation and ahead of its time)
7. The Killing (Great heist film)
8. Eyes Wide Shut (Great use of music throughout)
9. Full Metal Jacket (loved the first half, 2nd half loses a bit)
10. Lolita (actually a very funny film considering the subject matter)
11. Spartacus (more of a Kirk Douglas film, Kubrick was brought on after the first director was fired)
12. Killer's Kiss (You can see the potential early on)
13. Fear and Desire (a dud)

 

[NorthCyd]

Not much of a fan myself of the ones I've seen, but I wouldnt say I hate them. I appreciate the fact he is a great film maker, it's just not to my particular tastes. Admittedly I haven't seen some of those films since I was pretty young so I may have a greater appreciation of them now.

 

[Dgilbertson]

I've seen them all, including the short films. Here's my list from Best on down. Just my opinion:

1. The Shining (Best horror film ever made)
2. Dr. Strangelove (best satire ever)
3. Barry Lyndon (best cinematography ever)
4. A Clockwork Orange (best dystopian film ever)
5. Paths of Glory (best anti-war film ever)
6. 2001 (Incredible innovation and ahead of its time)
7. The Killing (Great heist film)
8. Eyes Wide Shut (Great use of music throughout)
9. Full Metal Jacket (loved the first half, 2nd half loses a bit)
10. Lolita (actually a very funny film considering the subject matter)
11. Spartacus (more of a Kirk Douglas film, Kubrick was brought on after the first director was fired)
12. Killer's Kiss (You can see the potential early on)
13. Fear and Desire (a dud)

I’ve tried to start Barry Lyndon multiple times. Admittedly I have a general disdain/active non interest in that era of period film. Everything feels insufferable.

Any recco you can give to it aside from cinematography/use of light?

 

[LowOverhead]

As I age and more brain cells fade away, I do remember what I call a good movie. It must envelope me. The sights, sounds, character development make me forget I’m in a theatre watching actors and CGI. Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke made me watch or read 2001, 2010, 2061 and 3001. Clarke took me to Rama, Kubrick took me to War, the dark shadows of sexual performance art and the depth of mental illness.

I’ve forgotten details, just a feeling that makes grest films by great directors.

 

[AuH2O]

There are parts that are good, don't get me wrong. But towards the end, it starts to disappear up it's own ass, in my opinion. I don't hate it, by any means, but it's not even Kubrick's best film, let alone the best film ever made, in my mind.

This might be the most perfect description of 2001 ever. To me it’s a perfect movie with some overindulgence added that knock it down a peg.

 

[Sighclone Fan]

The beautifully constructed shots. The lighting. The dialogue. The long takes. His movies truly are cinema.

 

[enisthemenace]

I've seen them all, including the short films. Here's my list from Best on down. Just my opinion:

1. The Shining (Best horror film ever made)
2. Dr. Strangelove (best satire ever)
3. Barry Lyndon (best cinematography ever)
4. A Clockwork Orange (best dystopian film ever)
5. Paths of Glory (best anti-war film ever)
6. 2001 (Incredible innovation and ahead of its time)
7. The Killing (Great heist film)
8. Eyes Wide Shut (Great use of music throughout)
9. Full Metal Jacket (loved the first half, 2nd half loses a bit)
10. Lolita (actually a very funny film considering the subject matter)
11. Spartacus (more of a Kirk Douglas film, Kubrick was brought on after the first director was fired)
12. Killer's Kiss (You can see the potential early on)
13. Fear and Desire (a dud)

Interesting take on FMJ. Definitely two halves to that movie. I like both halves, but possibly like the 2nd half even better than the first. The whole “Fog of War” aspect.

The scene where Cowboy becomes squad leader just because he picks up the comm, and then loses control of his unit immediately costing the lives of two of the men under his command, and then ultimately his own, to the hands of a single female sniper. Poignant and incredibly well shot.

I also really like the scene with Lieutenant Lockhart where he makes all the slight changes to the way the war is reported. “Winning of hearts and minds”.

Not to mention the music choices. “These Boots are Made for Walkin” and “Surfin Bird”. The whole second half is crazy.

 

[DevilDog]

Full Metal Jacket is absolutely spot on for a Marine movie. I think lucking out getting R Lee Emery in it made it a grand slam. My only grip is it"s 2 completely different movies. Boot camp is the best & most realistic experience.

 

[Mr Janny]

Interesting take on FMJ. Definitely two halves to that movie. I like both halves, but possibly like the 2nd half even better than the first. The whole “Fog of War” aspect.

The scene where Cowboy becomes squad leader just because he picks up the comm, and then loses control of his unit immediately costing the lives of two of the men under his command, and then ultimately his own, to the hands of a female sniper. Poignant and incredibly well shot.

I also really like the scene with Lieutenant Lockhart where he makes all the slight changes to the way the war is reported. “Winning of hearts and minds”.

Not to mention the music choices. “These Boots are Made for Walkin” and “Surfin Bird”. The whole second half is crazy.

I'm with you. I used to not understand how the second half of the movie fit in, but the more you watch it, it makes sense. In fact, Kubrick flat out tells you what he's doing with the scene where Joker is being interrogated by the officer about his uniform having both "Born to Kill & the Peace sign" on it, where he talks about the Duality of Man.

Each half of the movie is a mirror of the other one.
First half: Rules are everything.
Second half: No rules other than survival. Chaos
First half: Private Pyle, inept, child like, out of shape, overwhelmed, etc.
Second half: Animal Mother, capable, ruthless, dominant, chiseled, etc.
First half: Hartman is God
Second half: There is no God

Those are just a few of the parallels, but the "Jungian Thing" scene is Kubrick, pretty blatantly, telling you what story he's trying to tell.

 

[gipper2001]

I’ve tried to start Barry Lyndon multiple times. Admittedly I have a general disdain/active non interest in that era of period film. Everything feels insufferable.

Any recco you can give to it aside from cinematography/use of light?

Barry Lyndon is actually quite funny in parts including the narrator. I am not a Ryan O'Neal fan but he's great in this. I admit I thought it was pretty slow the first time I watched it, it's a Kubrick film that gets better with subsequent viewings. Also, Kubrick's musical choices here are incredible.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I like movies but am not what you'd think of as a movie buff. Kubrick is a mixed bag for me.

• Dr. Strangelove is one of my all time favorite movies.
• Full Metal Jacket is #2 for me from the Kubrick list.
• I can take or leave The Shining and 2001: A Space Odyssey. I am a big sci-fi guy so not caring for Odyssey is near blasphemy. Never been a horror film fan at all.
• Path of Glory is a GREAT war movie but not one I can watch again. Just to depressing.
• Most of the rest are in my don't care category.

 

[matclone]

Amazing the performances he got from the actors in Dr. Strangelove, including those of Peter Sellers, Sterling Hayden, George C. Scott, Peter Bull, and Slim Pick'ns (who said he went from being "Hey You" to "Mr. Pickens" in studios after his role in that film)