Stanley Kubrick

Discussion in 'Movies' started by Carnivore, May 29, 2004.

  1. Carnivore

    Carnivore Visitor

    Although I have only seen three of his films so far, I would definitely consider Stanley Kubrick as one of my favorite directors, if not my absolute favorite. What Kubrick did with his films was completely different from anyone else out there, and it is especially remarkable that he was so well-known and respected by a mainstream audience. It's ironic, because some of the elements of his films are so avant-garde compared with typical Hollywood films, yet he managed to live and thrive among that scene. I dearly wish that there were mainstream directors out there now as daring as Kubrick was. I eventually intend to see The Shining and A Clockwork Orange, but so far, I have just seen 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dr. Strangelove, and Full Metal Jacket.

    2001 is my favorite Kubrick film that I've seen, and is also one of my favorite films, period. Everything about this film is flawless to me; it is just a total masterpiece in film. I get shivers down my spine whenever I watch it, whether those shivers are sustained from beautiful scenes (the floating space ships and classical music) or from startling ones (Dave Bowman's trip through another dimension). I could discuss the notable qualities of this film for a long time, but I'm not going to dive into them quite yet.

    It took me several times to fully understand the humor and plotline of Dr. Strangelove, but now I think that it is a fantastic, hilarious film. The way that it mocks the proceedings of governments is just brilliant. "You're going to have to answer to the Coca-Cola company"...lol.

    I just saw Full Metal Jacket for the first time recently, and that was also very, very good, although not nearly as good as the other two I've seen from Kubrick. I think that the camera work creates an incredibly intense, visceral effect, which works perfectly with the story being told, and the acting is also excellent. And once again, I can't think of anything that's quite like it, even in the genre of war-themed films.
     
  2. Pressed_Rat

    Pressed_Rat Do you even lift, bruh?

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    If I had to narrow it down to just three it would be...

    1)A Clockwork Orange
    2)Barry Lyndon
    3)Paths of Glory

    Honorable mentions to The Shining, Dr. Strangelove, and Eyes Wide Shut.
     
  3. nightwanderer

    nightwanderer Member

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    Hes one of my favorite directors. I havent seen all of his films but my favorites are 2001, the shining, and a clockwork orange.
     
  4. Penny

    Penny Supermoderaginaire

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    Oh yeah, he was a genius! I've only seen A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut by him though... I have to see more! I was too young when I saw A Clockwork Orange, so I can hardly remember it, but still, after seeing a few scenes of it again a while ago I found it impressing, and I absolutely love the soundtrack. Barry Lyndon has to be my very favorite... that movie is just... I'm sorry, I can't find words to describe it :D It's a chef-d'oeuvre. And well, I personally hated Eyes Wide Shut: the direction is GREAT, but the story is too weird... he died right after that movie, right?
     
  5. Penny

    Penny Supermoderaginaire

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    OH I forgot to say that I saw parts of The Shining, but I was very young as well... my mom is a Kubrick's fan and she was watching it and when she realized that I was in the room behind the couch watching it too she paused it and told me to go to my room cause "it's not a movie for you!!" hehe
     
  6. nightwanderer

    nightwanderer Member

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    Id like to see eyes wide shut. I remember it getting bad reviews but sometimes that means the films good but it just wasnt the "hollywood" way. but alot of kubricks films didnt look anything like hollywood films besides the big budget. He was almost like an independent director with a huge budget.
     
  7. wiufcaoltp

    wiufcaoltp Welcome To The Interzone

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    My favorite line from Dr. Strangelove is "you can't fight in here; this is the war-room". Hahah. I am such a fan of Kubrick. I've seen Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, 2001, Barry Lyndon, The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut. All of them are terrific, my favorite maybe being A Clockwork Orange.

    Ed, Eyes Wide Shut has it's qualities, but it's... weird. I don't mind weird, I love weird! But it's awfully hard to keep track of what's happening, and I suppose that's because it goes in so many different directions at once, but it doesn't really lead anywhere. By the time Tom Cruise gets to that mansion with all those masked people having an orgy it ceases to have a plot.
     
  8. nightwanderer

    nightwanderer Member

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    ahh Nick! you told me what happens! :p

    Yeah I like weird too, I'm used to not knowing whats going on since im a big lynch fan. However, in his films, sometimes, you usually know whats going on, you can follow it, you just dont know why, or how.
     
  9. Carnivore

    Carnivore Visitor

    I too have heard mixed reviews about Eyes Wide Shut. I remember that when it came out, my dad liked it a lot, and my mom didn't. I don't know whether they would let me see that one or not; it's questionable. I would be a little reluctant to see it though, because I personally can't stand Tom Cruise as an actor. With Kubrick though, it probably wouldn't matter.
     
  10. nightwanderer

    nightwanderer Member

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    I know how it is to not like an actor but if the films good, i think youll still enjoy it.
     
  11. Penny

    Penny Supermoderaginaire

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    Me, it's not Tom Cruise that I don't like, it's Nicole Kidman... she's scary, I think, she seems so cold! And she's not a very good actress in my opinion, even though I liked her in The Others. But that's not the topic... but I'm not a huge fan of Tom Cruise either... like Nick says, his problem is that he "always plays Tom Cruise".

    Eyes Wide Shut isn't shocking at all, anyone above 12 could see it... I mean they show some people having sex but not in a dirty or violent way... like I said before, the direction is great, but there's no story, or if there is, I don't get it... That couple just seems to be bored with each other, or they're getting old or something, and Tom Cruise gets into this depressing orgy thing, that shouldn't even be called an orgy, cause an orgy is supposed to be happy and colorful and all... lol not that I've ever been to one!! it's too old fashioned in my opinion, like too latin, Rome and such. It's such a dark movie, really too fucking weird. And I don't understand why those guys want to scare Tom Cruise's character either...
     
  12. backtothelab

    backtothelab Senior Member

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    Yes, Kubrick is amazing. My signature picture is was actually filmed with Slitscan photography, which was used to create the stargate scene in 2001 space odyssey. Just a little fact I'd like to mention. I never liked though, how in clockwork orange, he used the American version of the book to write the script. The moral of the story was totaly lost.
     
  13. madcrappie

    madcrappie crazy fish

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    personally, I like Full Metal Jacket the most out of all the Kubrick films.

    Eyes Wide Shut was horrible..... and what is up with another director coming in and digitally adding robed people in the orgy scene?? Im not sure if Kubrick would have actually gone along with redoing that scene just so that he could get an R rating instead of a dreaded X. Its just people having sex. come on now.

    Dr Strangelove and A Clockwork Orange are other faves of mine. 2001 has its moments, but it seems to drag on too long in certain parts.
     
  14. Carnivore

    Carnivore Visitor

    I saw The Others a long time ago, and at the time, I thought it was pretty good, but I don't know if I'd like it now. I can't really remember what my opinion of Kidman's acting was back then, and I can't formulate one now, because that's the only film I've seen with her in it. The reason I don't like Cruise isn't so much that he "always plays Tom Cruise", but that he's so wooden and unrealistic. He needs to get more involved in the characters he plays.
     
  15. Penny

    Penny Supermoderaginaire

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    I agree with your opinion on Cruise's acting in most of his movies... but I personally thought he was great in Vanilla Sky. It was a difficult role, I think...

    GOD! WE REALLY NEED THE MOVIES FORUM BACK!!!!
     
  16. freakwentflyer

    freakwentflyer Member

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    Dr. Strangelove, is one of my all time favorite films. "There's no fighting in the war room!"
     
  17. Penny

    Penny Supermoderaginaire

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    Can some moderator copy this thread to the Movies forum, please? I'd do it but I'm not a Super Mod! ;)
     
  18. Penny

    Penny Supermoderaginaire

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    I asked this thread to be moved onto this forum, thought it'd be a more appropriate place for it (but of course, this forum wasn't back yet when it was poste, so, I can't blame my friend Chris :p)
     
  19. The_Noxious_Offender

    The_Noxious_Offender Member

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    I love everything by Kubrick, but my favorites would have to be A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut.
     
  20. Benny DaBuff

    Benny DaBuff Member

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    My humble rating of Kubrik’s films: (4 stars are tops)

    1. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) **

    2. Full Metal Jacket (1987) ***


    3. Shining, The (1980) * ***1/2
    I found Barry Lyndon unbearably boring back in 1975, but saw it a couple of years ago and was blown away – Has anyone mentioned that he only used natural light or candles to light the whole movie?


    4. Clockwork Orange, A (1971) ****
    I consider Clockwork, 2001 and Strangelove his masterpieces.

    5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) ****


    6. Dr. Strangelove (1964) ****

    7. Lolita (1962) ***

    8. Spartacus (1960) ***

    9. Paths of Glory (1957) ***
    The three star rating is based on a very shady memory of liking it when I saw it too many years ago. I must watch this one again.


    10. Killing, The (1956) Not/Seen

    11. Killer's Kiss (1955) N/S

    12. Fear and Desire (1953) N/S
     

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