Thanks Michael, and for taking the time to respond in such detail.
The thing I find with SK is that his work is always watchable, even if the subject is something you are not sure you will like. When a director is this good there is always a tremendous amount to enjoy.
I agree with you about Eyes Wide Shut. I enjoyed so much about that film, and it was great to see Sydney Pollack in it! The Cruises gave good performances. I think it was a good opportunity for them to transcend their celebrity status at the time and show their acting chops, which I think they did.
I understand SK's early work as a photographer was the bedrock of his cinematic vision. I would love to see more of his photography. To think he sold his first photo to Look magazine at age 16. A prodigy, maybe.
I'm not at all surprised that the world of classical music has to contend with strong personalities. Feelings run deep during the creative process: excellence is demanded, discipline, dedication. Is it worth it? Only the person on the receiving end can decide, I suppose. That's why I so respect Shelley Duvall. She acknowledged how gruelling The Shining was, that SK could be cruel. She also said that it was a tremendous learning experience.
I think he is one of those directors that leave us in no doubt that cinema is a true art. He was exceptional.
Wonderful, wonderful piece. Kubrick is a topic that interests me endlessly. In my opinion, aside from the issue of whether his treatment of colleagues constitutes abuse, he made some artistic errors that I find significant. But even those things don’t keep me from thinking the films in question were great.
Even the Kubrick films where I have mixed feelings are films I can watch over and over. There are many directors for whom I have far greater affection, but that’s about taste rather than objective evaluation. In his best work, his technical virtuosity is in the service of undeniable emotional effects, and it’s hard to argue with that.
I think every great master stands alone, and I tend to find superlatives a dispiriting and wrongheaded approach to artistic evaluation. But when it comes to Kubrick, I can forgive people for using words like “greatest.” His achievement makes it difficult to avoid talking about him that way.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Karl. I agree that the overuse of superlatives renders them meaningless, and I really have to try to exercise restraint when talking about one of my enthusiasms. It's more meaningful to examine what you love about something and why, and explore the topic by listening to what others have to say. I'd be interested to know what you deem artistic errors. The trouble for me is that I admire Kubrick so much that I tend to watch with glazed admiration! Shelley Duvall clearly felt that working with him enriched her artistic life despite her experience in "The Shining". I so admire her for that. That's a woman who takes her art seriously.
Shelley’s performance in the Shining is for the ages, and she would be an intriguing minor footnote without it. (She is fascinating in the Altman film Three Women, a unique performance.)
I’ll tread lightly on the subject of artistic errors. I strongly dislike the campy material Kubrick added to Clockwork Orange, as I’m one of the few people who read the book first. I still think it’s a great film, but I don’t get what Kubrick was trying to do when he departed from the tone of the book at times.
There are other things here and there; I’m generally of the opinion that Nicholson has been indulged by directors, and I think that happens in the Shining. But he’s also quite horrifying. I find simmering Nicholson more effective than boiling over Nicholson, and I think that this kind of preference on my part is behind most of my objections to Kubrick decisions.
Kubrick’s artistic voice is oddly paradoxical; he’s the master of devastating understatement, but he’s often gratuitous.
In his earlier work, I think he balanced this better. But this doesn’t stop me from greatly enjoying the films I consider flawed. It’s a little glib, but I think his ability to balance those tendencies got progressively weaker. By the time Eyes Wide Shut happened, I think he’d lost all perspective about it. Still a compelling film for me, although my wife considers it the worst film she’s ever seen. Watching it in the theater was a very odd experience.
Full Metal Jacket is another interesting example. I think the second half is awful, but the first half is essential viewing.
Maybe the best verdict for me is that his prodigious talents and prodigious discipline meant that he sometimes crossed from discipline into obsessiveness, and he was so used to his convictions turning into gold that he lost the ability to question them. That, for me, is THE artistic error. I’ve made that error myself.
From reading about SK and watching docs I understand that Nicholson wanted to be less histrionic in Shining but SK wanted him to really go for it. Shelley got a Razzie award which was later withdrawn when they realised what she'd been through. Personally I find those performances make the movie one of the best: his slide into helpless madness and her abject terror, which shows her character's iron backbone as she fights for her life and that of her child.
As regards Clockwork Orange, McDowell says that some of the business you refer to was contributed by him in filming, and SK used it in the final cut. It can be disconcerting when you've read the book and the film doesn't match your vision of it. A perennial problem for readers, viewers, screenwriters an directors.
Thanks for your contribution. It's great to have your take.
Generally, my feeling is that none of these quibbles on my part change my ultimate verdict. It’s like I went to a party with the most amazing food ever and I didn’t like one of the appetizers. Big deal.
Soooo much to dig into here Jules! You tricked me at the start - I thought you had worked with him 😅
That detail about the lighting and candlelight really got me. His films are as delicate as they are horrifying. You’ve made me want to go back to these films for pre Halloween fun and joy. I’ve forwarded this to my husband who finds any films that aren’t on MUBI for me.
Oh my word, I WISH! 😆 Like I said I'd have done anything to be in those credits. Well, not anything but you know what I mean! In fact an actor who appeared in Barry Lyndon ended up being SK's personal assistant - Leon Vitali. Just shows how some people would do anything to work with him.
Happy viewing! It's got to be "The Shining" for Halloween, surely...😉
I'm in the same boat — I've never seen Barry Lyndon either! I don't know why, since every time I watch a clip from the film I tell myself, "It's like this film was made just for you, Michael." This post has inspired me to finally check that box on my Kubrich to-do list!
It's a pleasure, Mike. Woody Allen said that the first time he saw "2001" he didn't really get it. It was only on second viewing that his eyes were opened. Apparently that was the experience of a lot of people. I think you might like Barry Lyndon. It wasn't to everybody's taste and apparently he was upset by it's lukewarm reception but I think it is an amazing spectacle. It is literally as if he went back in time to film it. Astonishing.
All great points, Jules! Glad to hear you’re also an Eyes Wide Shut fan. I remember when it was released, there were so many expectations around it being his final film and all the pageantry of it featuring Tom and Nic that I think the high quality of the film got lost in the shuffle.
And if you haven’t read the story Kubrick based it on, Arthur Schnitzler’s Traumnovelle, I definitely recommend diving in. It’s a fascinating point of comparison with the film.
Thanks for the recommendation. I will indeed take a look. It would be fascinating to see it on the printed page as SK first saw it. The first time I saw the film I remember being so impressed by it, and bewildered by the air of disappointment. I thought it was up to his usual impeccable standard. Taste. There's no accounting for it! 🫤
Fabulous piece, Jules. SK is without doubt one of my favorite directors, even if there are still a number of his films I still haven't devoted time to. (Why not spread out the artistic immersion for as long as possible?) Clockwork Orange changed me in high school, I could rewatch the Shining every week, and I'm one of those people who will defend Eyes Wide Shut, despite its many issues, till the cows come home.
I love the discussion surrounding his temperament that you wove throughout the work. The classical music world has to contend with similar discussions around cults of personality related to the "maestros" on the podium. Only now are the "old world" conductors who use verbal aggression and emotional manipulation to achieve the results they want in performance being taken to task for this brutal path to musical performance (a la last year's Tár).
Also, thank you for including so many wonderful photos from the exhibition you saw! Just seeing the mint-green dresses the twins wore in the Shining on display sent chills down my spine! There was a fabulous show at the Museum of the City in New York a few years back that focused exclusively on his early photography — it was wild to see him honing his keen eye in still shots for years before turning to motion pictures.
Very much enjoyed listening, thanks! I don't think I caught this- where was the exhibition and is it traveling? Seeing those twin girl dresses from the Shining just in the picture here thoroughly creeps me out!
Hi Miter. It was in London in 2019 so I don't know whether it went elsewhere. I've just done a quick search and I can't find anything more recent but I would hope he is being exhibited somewhere, the archive is vast.
Yes it was really odd standing in front of props and costumes you know like the back of your hand. Laurence Olivier's costume from "Spartacus" was there. That gave me a bit if a wobble I can tell you! I also remember seeing some correspondence from Sue Lyon who played the title role in "Lolita". I was so glad he was such a hoarder!
Another great article, well researched and full of detail. Kubrick is undoubtedly one of the Twentieth Century's great film directors. Choosing a favourite is always difficult and alongside '2001' (one of the greatest artistic achievements of the century), I would add 'Paths of Glory'. Not as well known as the others but the one I enjoy most. It has the usual 6 or 8 great set piece scenes that Kubrick is known for, but the storyline is probably more coherent and easier to follow than most of his other films. Perfectly paced with an anti-war message that recurs in many of his films. Strange how 'Spartacus' is usually ignored in his oeuvre, too Hollywood perhaps?
Thanks, Argon Mick. And for mentioning a film that isn't usually chosen by fans. I don't think I have watched it all the way through but I have seen clips and read about it, and it looks pretty unequivocal in its condemnation of war, the idea of lions led by donkeys. Would that be fair? Of course there is that incredible scene at the end where Christiane sings to the rowdy soldiers and they fall silent. That kind of memorable scene bears the SK hallmark I think.
I don't think he had as much creative control over Spartacus, and he and Kirk Douglas had strong opinions about what they wanted. Collaborations can be joyful but also tough!
Your assessment of lions led by donkeys would be a fair comment. I guess it's difficult to make the morally correct decisions when in the middle of something that is already morally reprehensible? Yet those who keep their dignity in extraordinary times are often the heroes. Good point about Spartacus, somebody needs to be in control of the vehicle 😉
Yes there is a scene when a general or whatever is telling Kirk Douglas that he's going to have his men shot for cowardice when they were in an impossible position. Lives sacrificed because his pride has been dented. Really rams home the consequences of putting a sociopath in a position of power. A human life is nothing to them.
Yes I got the impression from one of the docs that Stanley and Kirk were quite strong-willed so maybe they butted heads a bit but all for the good of the film, I'm sure.
Thank you Julia for your research, passion and insight. I haven’t ever seen A Clockwork Orange but it’s one of those films I feel I should have done. I like the aesthetics but am put off because of the violence.
Eyes Wide Shut is interesting. Never seen it til earlier this year. The imagery in that is very eerie. The Christmas tree lights particularly.
Very layered.
I don’t know if you are aware of the conspiracy theories around all that, his death and him in general. There is further interest surrounding a tape that professes to be him ‘confessing’ to have filmed the ‘moon landings’. I am wary of any such thing these days with the advancement of AI but remember following his daughter on Twitter and she definitely had ‘a foot on conspiracy lane’, so to speak.
Definitely an interesting guy.
It’s interesting the way different directors employ very different approaches to getting the most out of actors. His doesn’t sound the most ethical method, the way you describe it but maybe that psychological pressure served to make the tension so believable.
A Clockwork Orange is strong stuff. It's brilliant, of course, but very nasty! I think it showed that SK had no qualms about finding the best way to say something, even if it was very challenging indeed. He was prepared to portray depravity, madness and ugliness. They are complicated things to address if you are not going to risk being labelled exploitative.
I think commentators could argue forever about the character of the man and whether there was a dark side. I'm inclined to think not, I hope not, but even if there was, his war films revealed great empathy and humanity, and importantly, many spoke of him with great affection, particularly his wife, who refuted the negative stories that sometimes swirled about him.
On balance I enjoyed Eyes Wide Shut to a large extent. Very cryptic, I thought, but I liked the fact that Sydney Pollack was in it!
Interesting about the conspiracy theories and I don't know much about them. I think the moon landings would have been hard to fake but who knows? The truth is out there! 😉
Thanks Michael, and for taking the time to respond in such detail.
The thing I find with SK is that his work is always watchable, even if the subject is something you are not sure you will like. When a director is this good there is always a tremendous amount to enjoy.
I agree with you about Eyes Wide Shut. I enjoyed so much about that film, and it was great to see Sydney Pollack in it! The Cruises gave good performances. I think it was a good opportunity for them to transcend their celebrity status at the time and show their acting chops, which I think they did.
I understand SK's early work as a photographer was the bedrock of his cinematic vision. I would love to see more of his photography. To think he sold his first photo to Look magazine at age 16. A prodigy, maybe.
I'm not at all surprised that the world of classical music has to contend with strong personalities. Feelings run deep during the creative process: excellence is demanded, discipline, dedication. Is it worth it? Only the person on the receiving end can decide, I suppose. That's why I so respect Shelley Duvall. She acknowledged how gruelling The Shining was, that SK could be cruel. She also said that it was a tremendous learning experience.
I think he is one of those directors that leave us in no doubt that cinema is a true art. He was exceptional.
Wonderful, wonderful piece. Kubrick is a topic that interests me endlessly. In my opinion, aside from the issue of whether his treatment of colleagues constitutes abuse, he made some artistic errors that I find significant. But even those things don’t keep me from thinking the films in question were great.
Even the Kubrick films where I have mixed feelings are films I can watch over and over. There are many directors for whom I have far greater affection, but that’s about taste rather than objective evaluation. In his best work, his technical virtuosity is in the service of undeniable emotional effects, and it’s hard to argue with that.
I think every great master stands alone, and I tend to find superlatives a dispiriting and wrongheaded approach to artistic evaluation. But when it comes to Kubrick, I can forgive people for using words like “greatest.” His achievement makes it difficult to avoid talking about him that way.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Karl. I agree that the overuse of superlatives renders them meaningless, and I really have to try to exercise restraint when talking about one of my enthusiasms. It's more meaningful to examine what you love about something and why, and explore the topic by listening to what others have to say. I'd be interested to know what you deem artistic errors. The trouble for me is that I admire Kubrick so much that I tend to watch with glazed admiration! Shelley Duvall clearly felt that working with him enriched her artistic life despite her experience in "The Shining". I so admire her for that. That's a woman who takes her art seriously.
Shelley’s performance in the Shining is for the ages, and she would be an intriguing minor footnote without it. (She is fascinating in the Altman film Three Women, a unique performance.)
I’ll tread lightly on the subject of artistic errors. I strongly dislike the campy material Kubrick added to Clockwork Orange, as I’m one of the few people who read the book first. I still think it’s a great film, but I don’t get what Kubrick was trying to do when he departed from the tone of the book at times.
There are other things here and there; I’m generally of the opinion that Nicholson has been indulged by directors, and I think that happens in the Shining. But he’s also quite horrifying. I find simmering Nicholson more effective than boiling over Nicholson, and I think that this kind of preference on my part is behind most of my objections to Kubrick decisions.
Kubrick’s artistic voice is oddly paradoxical; he’s the master of devastating understatement, but he’s often gratuitous.
In his earlier work, I think he balanced this better. But this doesn’t stop me from greatly enjoying the films I consider flawed. It’s a little glib, but I think his ability to balance those tendencies got progressively weaker. By the time Eyes Wide Shut happened, I think he’d lost all perspective about it. Still a compelling film for me, although my wife considers it the worst film she’s ever seen. Watching it in the theater was a very odd experience.
Full Metal Jacket is another interesting example. I think the second half is awful, but the first half is essential viewing.
Maybe the best verdict for me is that his prodigious talents and prodigious discipline meant that he sometimes crossed from discipline into obsessiveness, and he was so used to his convictions turning into gold that he lost the ability to question them. That, for me, is THE artistic error. I’ve made that error myself.
From reading about SK and watching docs I understand that Nicholson wanted to be less histrionic in Shining but SK wanted him to really go for it. Shelley got a Razzie award which was later withdrawn when they realised what she'd been through. Personally I find those performances make the movie one of the best: his slide into helpless madness and her abject terror, which shows her character's iron backbone as she fights for her life and that of her child.
As regards Clockwork Orange, McDowell says that some of the business you refer to was contributed by him in filming, and SK used it in the final cut. It can be disconcerting when you've read the book and the film doesn't match your vision of it. A perennial problem for readers, viewers, screenwriters an directors.
Thanks for your contribution. It's great to have your take.
Generally, my feeling is that none of these quibbles on my part change my ultimate verdict. It’s like I went to a party with the most amazing food ever and I didn’t like one of the appetizers. Big deal.
Soooo much to dig into here Jules! You tricked me at the start - I thought you had worked with him 😅
That detail about the lighting and candlelight really got me. His films are as delicate as they are horrifying. You’ve made me want to go back to these films for pre Halloween fun and joy. I’ve forwarded this to my husband who finds any films that aren’t on MUBI for me.
Thank you for this post!
Oh my word, I WISH! 😆 Like I said I'd have done anything to be in those credits. Well, not anything but you know what I mean! In fact an actor who appeared in Barry Lyndon ended up being SK's personal assistant - Leon Vitali. Just shows how some people would do anything to work with him.
Happy viewing! It's got to be "The Shining" for Halloween, surely...😉
Update: we're starting with Barry Lyndon tomorrow night! I've never seen it, so excited.
Ahhh I hope you will find a lot to enjoy in it Kate. If not you'll know never to take any notice of my recommendations in future! 🫤.
High stakes!
I'm in the same boat — I've never seen Barry Lyndon either! I don't know why, since every time I watch a clip from the film I tell myself, "It's like this film was made just for you, Michael." This post has inspired me to finally check that box on my Kubrich to-do list!
I was going to watch it tonight but there are multiple team England sporting events taking over my TV. Let’s compare notes when we get to it 🩵
Definitely! 👯♀️
Very interesting. I loved "2001" and hadn't heard of "Barry Lyndon" before, but should watch it. Thanks, Julia.
It's a pleasure, Mike. Woody Allen said that the first time he saw "2001" he didn't really get it. It was only on second viewing that his eyes were opened. Apparently that was the experience of a lot of people. I think you might like Barry Lyndon. It wasn't to everybody's taste and apparently he was upset by it's lukewarm reception but I think it is an amazing spectacle. It is literally as if he went back in time to film it. Astonishing.
All great points, Jules! Glad to hear you’re also an Eyes Wide Shut fan. I remember when it was released, there were so many expectations around it being his final film and all the pageantry of it featuring Tom and Nic that I think the high quality of the film got lost in the shuffle.
And if you haven’t read the story Kubrick based it on, Arthur Schnitzler’s Traumnovelle, I definitely recommend diving in. It’s a fascinating point of comparison with the film.
Thanks for the recommendation. I will indeed take a look. It would be fascinating to see it on the printed page as SK first saw it. The first time I saw the film I remember being so impressed by it, and bewildered by the air of disappointment. I thought it was up to his usual impeccable standard. Taste. There's no accounting for it! 🫤
Fabulous piece, Jules. SK is without doubt one of my favorite directors, even if there are still a number of his films I still haven't devoted time to. (Why not spread out the artistic immersion for as long as possible?) Clockwork Orange changed me in high school, I could rewatch the Shining every week, and I'm one of those people who will defend Eyes Wide Shut, despite its many issues, till the cows come home.
I love the discussion surrounding his temperament that you wove throughout the work. The classical music world has to contend with similar discussions around cults of personality related to the "maestros" on the podium. Only now are the "old world" conductors who use verbal aggression and emotional manipulation to achieve the results they want in performance being taken to task for this brutal path to musical performance (a la last year's Tár).
Also, thank you for including so many wonderful photos from the exhibition you saw! Just seeing the mint-green dresses the twins wore in the Shining on display sent chills down my spine! There was a fabulous show at the Museum of the City in New York a few years back that focused exclusively on his early photography — it was wild to see him honing his keen eye in still shots for years before turning to motion pictures.
Very much enjoyed listening, thanks! I don't think I caught this- where was the exhibition and is it traveling? Seeing those twin girl dresses from the Shining just in the picture here thoroughly creeps me out!
Hi Miter. It was in London in 2019 so I don't know whether it went elsewhere. I've just done a quick search and I can't find anything more recent but I would hope he is being exhibited somewhere, the archive is vast.
Yes it was really odd standing in front of props and costumes you know like the back of your hand. Laurence Olivier's costume from "Spartacus" was there. That gave me a bit if a wobble I can tell you! I also remember seeing some correspondence from Sue Lyon who played the title role in "Lolita". I was so glad he was such a hoarder!
Ahh, got it. Yes, that sounds great, I will have to keep an eye out!
Another great article, well researched and full of detail. Kubrick is undoubtedly one of the Twentieth Century's great film directors. Choosing a favourite is always difficult and alongside '2001' (one of the greatest artistic achievements of the century), I would add 'Paths of Glory'. Not as well known as the others but the one I enjoy most. It has the usual 6 or 8 great set piece scenes that Kubrick is known for, but the storyline is probably more coherent and easier to follow than most of his other films. Perfectly paced with an anti-war message that recurs in many of his films. Strange how 'Spartacus' is usually ignored in his oeuvre, too Hollywood perhaps?
Thanks, Argon Mick. And for mentioning a film that isn't usually chosen by fans. I don't think I have watched it all the way through but I have seen clips and read about it, and it looks pretty unequivocal in its condemnation of war, the idea of lions led by donkeys. Would that be fair? Of course there is that incredible scene at the end where Christiane sings to the rowdy soldiers and they fall silent. That kind of memorable scene bears the SK hallmark I think.
I don't think he had as much creative control over Spartacus, and he and Kirk Douglas had strong opinions about what they wanted. Collaborations can be joyful but also tough!
Your assessment of lions led by donkeys would be a fair comment. I guess it's difficult to make the morally correct decisions when in the middle of something that is already morally reprehensible? Yet those who keep their dignity in extraordinary times are often the heroes. Good point about Spartacus, somebody needs to be in control of the vehicle 😉
Yes there is a scene when a general or whatever is telling Kirk Douglas that he's going to have his men shot for cowardice when they were in an impossible position. Lives sacrificed because his pride has been dented. Really rams home the consequences of putting a sociopath in a position of power. A human life is nothing to them.
Yes I got the impression from one of the docs that Stanley and Kirk were quite strong-willed so maybe they butted heads a bit but all for the good of the film, I'm sure.
Thank you Julia for your research, passion and insight. I haven’t ever seen A Clockwork Orange but it’s one of those films I feel I should have done. I like the aesthetics but am put off because of the violence.
Eyes Wide Shut is interesting. Never seen it til earlier this year. The imagery in that is very eerie. The Christmas tree lights particularly.
Very layered.
I don’t know if you are aware of the conspiracy theories around all that, his death and him in general. There is further interest surrounding a tape that professes to be him ‘confessing’ to have filmed the ‘moon landings’. I am wary of any such thing these days with the advancement of AI but remember following his daughter on Twitter and she definitely had ‘a foot on conspiracy lane’, so to speak.
Definitely an interesting guy.
It’s interesting the way different directors employ very different approaches to getting the most out of actors. His doesn’t sound the most ethical method, the way you describe it but maybe that psychological pressure served to make the tension so believable.
A Clockwork Orange is strong stuff. It's brilliant, of course, but very nasty! I think it showed that SK had no qualms about finding the best way to say something, even if it was very challenging indeed. He was prepared to portray depravity, madness and ugliness. They are complicated things to address if you are not going to risk being labelled exploitative.
I think commentators could argue forever about the character of the man and whether there was a dark side. I'm inclined to think not, I hope not, but even if there was, his war films revealed great empathy and humanity, and importantly, many spoke of him with great affection, particularly his wife, who refuted the negative stories that sometimes swirled about him.
On balance I enjoyed Eyes Wide Shut to a large extent. Very cryptic, I thought, but I liked the fact that Sydney Pollack was in it!
Interesting about the conspiracy theories and I don't know much about them. I think the moon landings would have been hard to fake but who knows? The truth is out there! 😉