Being a cinema nerd, I think this is appropriate.
Bio-Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was born in Bronx, New York City, New York on July 26, 1928 to Jack, a doctor, and Sadie, a housewife with a younger sister, Barbara.
Stanley's educational life wasn't really that good, or at least, he never really adjusted to school, never really fit in, and never really cared or liked it, so it made it seem like his academic life was sad. He often skipped many days of school, he was a loner and underachiever in high school, ranking at the bottoms of his classes. Although he was very intelligent, Stanley thought he learned nothing at school and never read a book for pleasure until he was 19.
Jack, his father, tried everything to get his son into school. He even tried to send him over to his uncle, but nothing worked. That's when Jack showed his son the game of chess, and Stanley was hooked. He fell in love and became very good at chess. Jack was glad he was able to get his son in love and in passion with something.
By his 13th birthday, Jack wanted to try something new, with more Look magazine, and becoming an apprentice photographer to the magazine.
things to get his son interested in. So he bought a camera to give to Stanley, and immediately he fell in love with photography. Stanley went all around New York City taking pictures of everything that interested him. He became quite a skilled photographer and was able to capture some great
pictures using his "artists' eyes." In high school, he was able to make a living out of photographer, by selling some pictures to
Stanley Kubrick never went to college. With his almost failing academic career, no colleges would accept him, therefore, he never applied. Stanley didn't really seem that interested in college, because he had found his passion, the art of film and photography.
When the 1950's came along, Stanley was young and bright and was always trying new things. Some friends and him started making short films such as Day of the Fight [1951], which was a 16-minute documentary about an Irish boxer Walter Cartier, Flying Padre: An RKO-Pathe Screenliner [1951], and The Seafarers [1953], another documentary.
Once film had become his passion, Stanley experimented and worked at his first full-length film, Fear and Desire [1953], which would go down as Stanley Kubrick's worst film. After making short films for a while, even Stanley didn't think the film was that good, but he merely felt it as an experiment for some of the masterpieces and classics he would make later.
Stanley took another shot at making full-length films a little while later, making Killer's Kiss [1955], The Killing [1956], and another war film Paths of Glory [1957], which gave him Hollywood attention.
The star of Paths of Glory, Kirk Douglas, offered him to take over production of Spartacus, and Stanley agreed. He never really liked the film itself, nor did the cast and crew really like him taking over the whole production, but he managed to make the classic film and release it in 1960.
Stanley Kubrick moved to England after struggles in Hollywood and a failed second marriage with Ruth Sobotka. After marrying to Christiane Harlan, he made his first UK film Lolita [1962], based off the book Vladimir Nabokov.
During the Cold War, Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb [1964] would be a risk to make. Nuclear war and nuclear holocaust was the main theme of this film, but during this time, many people didn't think it would be good to make, considering many people were scared and worried that nuclear war and nuclear holocaust would break out at any time. Stanley Kubrick wrote the film, and he intended it to be a drama, but by the time he read the script over and over, he decided for it to be a comedy, since ideas were just too funny to be taken seriously.
Over the next few years, Stanley made one of his best films ever, a true masterpiece, a classic, and named one of the best if not the best film ever made, 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968].
Then, he made A Clockwork Orange [1971], followed by Barry Lyndon [1975], and after turning down making a sequel to The Exorcist [1973], he tried the horror genre with The Shining [1980], named one of the best horror movies ever made. It was based off the novel by Stephen King and even how good it was, Stephen King didn't really like it.
Stanley Kubrick was trying to settle down with his family for a few years, but eventually he made another war film, this time about Vietnam, Full Metal Jacket [1987].
When the 1990's hit, Stanley was trying various projects, but many were stalled and/or canceled. One of these was the making of A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Stanley wanted to try out some new filming techniques and new technology such as slow-motion, special effects, and more, but the new technology took a long time for it to become what Stanley wanted it to, therefore A.I stalled for many years.
In the meantime, Stanley worked on Eyes Wide Shut [1999], an erotic romance film starring former husband and wife Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. He worked on the film private and elusively until it was released.
Special effects and other film techniques and technology were increasingly becoming more advanced, and Stanley jumped right in in making A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Sadly, Stanley Kubrick died on March 7, 1999 fJaws (1975) , E.T. Extra Terrestrial (1982), and Schindler's List (1993)] said he was dear friends with Kubrick for a long time, and took over production of A.I. It was eventually released in 2001.
rom a heart attack that he suffered in his sleep. After the loss, director Steven Spielberg [known for
At the time his films were released, most of them were not as appreciated, but now most of them are considering works of masterpiece and classics. Stanley was a weird director, and not many people liked him. He was often mean to his cast and crew and was an over-the-top perfectionist, doing everything he could to make everything right, especially detail. Many people think this is what makes him a great director, and one of the greatest directors of all time. But the movies he produced will always be remembered, even after he passed.
Stanley's educational life wasn't really that good, or at least, he never really adjusted to school, never really fit in, and never really cared or liked it, so it made it seem like his academic life was sad. He often skipped many days of school, he was a loner and underachiever in high school, ranking at the bottoms of his classes. Although he was very intelligent, Stanley thought he learned nothing at school and never read a book for pleasure until he was 19.
| Stanley Kubrick, teenager |
By his 13th birthday, Jack wanted to try something new, with more Look magazine, and becoming an apprentice photographer to the magazine.
things to get his son interested in. So he bought a camera to give to Stanley, and immediately he fell in love with photography. Stanley went all around New York City taking pictures of everything that interested him. He became quite a skilled photographer and was able to capture some great
pictures using his "artists' eyes." In high school, he was able to make a living out of photographer, by selling some pictures to
Stanley Kubrick never went to college. With his almost failing academic career, no colleges would accept him, therefore, he never applied. Stanley didn't really seem that interested in college, because he had found his passion, the art of film and photography.
When the 1950's came along, Stanley was young and bright and was always trying new things. Some friends and him started making short films such as Day of the Fight [1951], which was a 16-minute documentary about an Irish boxer Walter Cartier, Flying Padre: An RKO-Pathe Screenliner [1951], and The Seafarers [1953], another documentary.
Once film had become his passion, Stanley experimented and worked at his first full-length film, Fear and Desire [1953], which would go down as Stanley Kubrick's worst film. After making short films for a while, even Stanley didn't think the film was that good, but he merely felt it as an experiment for some of the masterpieces and classics he would make later.
Stanley took another shot at making full-length films a little while later, making Killer's Kiss [1955], The Killing [1956], and another war film Paths of Glory [1957], which gave him Hollywood attention.
The star of Paths of Glory, Kirk Douglas, offered him to take over production of Spartacus, and Stanley agreed. He never really liked the film itself, nor did the cast and crew really like him taking over the whole production, but he managed to make the classic film and release it in 1960.
Stanley Kubrick moved to England after struggles in Hollywood and a failed second marriage with Ruth Sobotka. After marrying to Christiane Harlan, he made his first UK film Lolita [1962], based off the book Vladimir Nabokov.
During the Cold War, Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb [1964] would be a risk to make. Nuclear war and nuclear holocaust was the main theme of this film, but during this time, many people didn't think it would be good to make, considering many people were scared and worried that nuclear war and nuclear holocaust would break out at any time. Stanley Kubrick wrote the film, and he intended it to be a drama, but by the time he read the script over and over, he decided for it to be a comedy, since ideas were just too funny to be taken seriously.
Over the next few years, Stanley made one of his best films ever, a true masterpiece, a classic, and named one of the best if not the best film ever made, 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968].
| Stanley Kubrick behind the camera |
Stanley Kubrick was trying to settle down with his family for a few years, but eventually he made another war film, this time about Vietnam, Full Metal Jacket [1987].
When the 1990's hit, Stanley was trying various projects, but many were stalled and/or canceled. One of these was the making of A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Stanley wanted to try out some new filming techniques and new technology such as slow-motion, special effects, and more, but the new technology took a long time for it to become what Stanley wanted it to, therefore A.I stalled for many years.
| Stanley Kubrick, the later years |
Special effects and other film techniques and technology were increasingly becoming more advanced, and Stanley jumped right in in making A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Sadly, Stanley Kubrick died on March 7, 1999 fJaws (1975) , E.T. Extra Terrestrial (1982), and Schindler's List (1993)] said he was dear friends with Kubrick for a long time, and took over production of A.I. It was eventually released in 2001.
rom a heart attack that he suffered in his sleep. After the loss, director Steven Spielberg [known for
At the time his films were released, most of them were not as appreciated, but now most of them are considering works of masterpiece and classics. Stanley was a weird director, and not many people liked him. He was often mean to his cast and crew and was an over-the-top perfectionist, doing everything he could to make everything right, especially detail. Many people think this is what makes him a great director, and one of the greatest directors of all time. But the movies he produced will always be remembered, even after he passed.
List of Stanley Kubrick Films
Eyes Wide Shut 1999
Genre [s]: Romance, Drama Running Time: 159 min [2 hr 32 min] Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman Rating: R Release Date [s]: July 16, 1999
Unfortunately, this was Kubrick's last film. You see, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman used to be married and they both became husband and wife in this film as well. The plot is simple, a doctor, Cruise, and an art curator, Kidman, prepare themselves for a night of elegant and beautiful erotic sexual intercourse for the wife to pay back to her husband for almost cheating on him. The film is not a pornographic film, it states sex, the pros and cons of marriage, and love as an art, a beautiful work of magic that only Stanley Kubrick would be able to truly capture.
Genre [s]: Romance, Drama Running Time: 159 min [2 hr 32 min] Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman Rating: R Release Date [s]: July 16, 1999
Unfortunately, this was Kubrick's last film. You see, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman used to be married and they both became husband and wife in this film as well. The plot is simple, a doctor, Cruise, and an art curator, Kidman, prepare themselves for a night of elegant and beautiful erotic sexual intercourse for the wife to pay back to her husband for almost cheating on him. The film is not a pornographic film, it states sex, the pros and cons of marriage, and love as an art, a beautiful work of magic that only Stanley Kubrick would be able to truly capture.
Full Metal Jacket 1987
Genre [s]: War, Drama Running Time: 116 min [1 hr 56 min] Starring: Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey Rating: R Release Date [s]: June 26, 1987
It had been seven years, and people wanted more Stanley Kubrick. After settling down with his family for a few years, he got back in the game and made another war film, this time, about the Vietnam War. Full Metal Jacket focuses on a U.S. Marine that sees the horror and the experiences that war has to offer, from the boot camp to battlefield. Most people remember the stereotypical sergeant as he yells at the recruits and orders them to do all sorts of things we usually would hate to do. R. Lee Ermey, the actor who plays the sergeant, improvised much of the original script, adding dark humor, memorable lines, and some great scenes.
Genre [s]: War, Drama Running Time: 116 min [1 hr 56 min] Starring: Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey Rating: R Release Date [s]: June 26, 1987
It had been seven years, and people wanted more Stanley Kubrick. After settling down with his family for a few years, he got back in the game and made another war film, this time, about the Vietnam War. Full Metal Jacket focuses on a U.S. Marine that sees the horror and the experiences that war has to offer, from the boot camp to battlefield. Most people remember the stereotypical sergeant as he yells at the recruits and orders them to do all sorts of things we usually would hate to do. R. Lee Ermey, the actor who plays the sergeant, improvised much of the original script, adding dark humor, memorable lines, and some great scenes.
The Shining 1980
Genre [s]: Horror, Mystery Running Time: 146 min [ 2 hr 26 min] Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall Rating: R Release Date [s]: May 23, 1980
Named one of the best if not the best scary movie of all time, The Shining is about a family that goes away on a vacation to a Colorado mansion, which ends of being haunted. Ghosts drive the dad insane and he goes on a murderous rampage to kill his family. Meanwhile, the son of the family has this special power called The Shining, where he can look into the past, present, and future. This is Kubrick's first shot at the horror genre and he made it into a classic film. Jack Nicholson, the actor who plays the insane dad, improvised a lot of his acting, such as the famous "Here's Johnny" line. From famous acting, to writing, to the scariness, making a not well-known novel into a classic piece of literature, this film will stay in our hearts as a true masterpiece.
Genre [s]: Horror, Mystery Running Time: 146 min [ 2 hr 26 min] Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall Rating: R Release Date [s]: May 23, 1980
Named one of the best if not the best scary movie of all time, The Shining is about a family that goes away on a vacation to a Colorado mansion, which ends of being haunted. Ghosts drive the dad insane and he goes on a murderous rampage to kill his family. Meanwhile, the son of the family has this special power called The Shining, where he can look into the past, present, and future. This is Kubrick's first shot at the horror genre and he made it into a classic film. Jack Nicholson, the actor who plays the insane dad, improvised a lot of his acting, such as the famous "Here's Johnny" line. From famous acting, to writing, to the scariness, making a not well-known novel into a classic piece of literature, this film will stay in our hearts as a true masterpiece.
Barry Lyndon 1975
Genre [s]: Romance, Drama Running Time: 184 min [3 hr 4 min] Starring: Ryan O' Neal, Marisa Berenson Rating: PG Release Date [s]: December 18, 1975
Not only do the two main characters fall in love, you fall in love with the film, the beauty of the film, the structure, being able to turn an epic novel to the big screen.
Genre [s]: Romance, Drama Running Time: 184 min [3 hr 4 min] Starring: Ryan O' Neal, Marisa Berenson Rating: PG Release Date [s]: December 18, 1975
Not only do the two main characters fall in love, you fall in love with the film, the beauty of the film, the structure, being able to turn an epic novel to the big screen.
A Clockwork Orange 1971
Genre [s]: Crime, Sci-Fi Running Time: 136 min [2 hr 16 min] Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee Rating: X Release Date [s]: February 2, 1972
This film shows that Stanley Kubrick is fearless, is not afraid, takes risks, goes beyond the limits, and is a true perfectionist, therefore making this film a masterpiece. This film takes place in future Britain where a very odd criminal named Alex DeLarge is jailed in a government-developed experiment therapy program planned to get rid of crime, but things go out of control. This film was banned and rated X, and Stanley Kubrick was criticized by now that we really see the true film, the incredible acting, the writing, the weirdness and oddness of the plot and film itself, and the fearlessness of the director to create such a classic, we really appreciate it.
Genre [s]: Crime, Sci-Fi Running Time: 136 min [2 hr 16 min] Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee Rating: X Release Date [s]: February 2, 1972
This film shows that Stanley Kubrick is fearless, is not afraid, takes risks, goes beyond the limits, and is a true perfectionist, therefore making this film a masterpiece. This film takes place in future Britain where a very odd criminal named Alex DeLarge is jailed in a government-developed experiment therapy program planned to get rid of crime, but things go out of control. This film was banned and rated X, and Stanley Kubrick was criticized by now that we really see the true film, the incredible acting, the writing, the weirdness and oddness of the plot and film itself, and the fearlessness of the director to create such a classic, we really appreciate it.
2001: A Space Odyssey 1968
Genre [s]: Sci-Fi, Adventure Running Time: 160 min [2 hr 40 min] Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood Rating: G Release Date [s]: April 11, 1968
Often credited as the best film of all time by many sources, Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey takes us on an adventure of a lifetime in space when a space team try to uncover something they found on The Moon. The spaceship is controlled by a super-intelligent computer known as HAL-9000, one of the most memorable "characters" in cinema history. The film is a different film, known to be weird. The photography is beautiful and features a light show when the man goes into the wormhole to 15 minutes of a spaceship boarding the mothership, the film was made as a relaxation, where you really wouldn't have to think. The film itself has a simple plot, simple writing, and decent acting, but it feels as if you are taken along the astronauts in the experience on the big screen.
Genre [s]: Sci-Fi, Adventure Running Time: 160 min [2 hr 40 min] Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood Rating: G Release Date [s]: April 11, 1968
Often credited as the best film of all time by many sources, Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey takes us on an adventure of a lifetime in space when a space team try to uncover something they found on The Moon. The spaceship is controlled by a super-intelligent computer known as HAL-9000, one of the most memorable "characters" in cinema history. The film is a different film, known to be weird. The photography is beautiful and features a light show when the man goes into the wormhole to 15 minutes of a spaceship boarding the mothership, the film was made as a relaxation, where you really wouldn't have to think. The film itself has a simple plot, simple writing, and decent acting, but it feels as if you are taken along the astronauts in the experience on the big screen.
Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1964
Genre [s]: Comedy, War Running Time: 95 min [1 hr 35 min] Starring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott Rating: PG Release Date [s]: January 29, 1964
This classic film about a psychotic war general that starts a nuclear holocaust and a room of politicians and generals that tried to stop him went down as one of Stanley Kubrick's best. Although he did some weird things to this movie, such as making it black-and-white, but added a green table that the politicians and the generals sat around. This was a weird move. Then he tricked a serious. George C. Scott into loosening up for "practice takes" that he used for the actual film. The film when it came out was kind of weird as well, since the Cold War was going on, and people actually did fear nuclear holocaust. During script writing, which Kubrick did, he decided to make it a comedy to light the mood on a serious topic.
Genre [s]: Comedy, War Running Time: 95 min [1 hr 35 min] Starring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott Rating: PG Release Date [s]: January 29, 1964
This classic film about a psychotic war general that starts a nuclear holocaust and a room of politicians and generals that tried to stop him went down as one of Stanley Kubrick's best. Although he did some weird things to this movie, such as making it black-and-white, but added a green table that the politicians and the generals sat around. This was a weird move. Then he tricked a serious. George C. Scott into loosening up for "practice takes" that he used for the actual film. The film when it came out was kind of weird as well, since the Cold War was going on, and people actually did fear nuclear holocaust. During script writing, which Kubrick did, he decided to make it a comedy to light the mood on a serious topic.
Lolita 1962
Genre [s]: Romance, Drama Running Time: 152 min [2 hr 28 min] Starring: James Mason, Sue Lyon Rating: Approved Release Date [s]: June 12, 1962
This film was really good, but was definitely not appreciated by everyone. By this time, Kubrick was living in England, and when the film was released, it was almost banned from theaters because of the content and rated X. There was no rating system yet in the U.S. The reason the film was almost banned was because it focuses on a pedophile falling in love with a supposedly 12-year-old girl. Kubrick was going to go really far and take a lot of risks, but he decided to censor a lot of the film in order for it to be released for public's eyes.
Genre [s]: Romance, Drama Running Time: 152 min [2 hr 28 min] Starring: James Mason, Sue Lyon Rating: Approved Release Date [s]: June 12, 1962
This film was really good, but was definitely not appreciated by everyone. By this time, Kubrick was living in England, and when the film was released, it was almost banned from theaters because of the content and rated X. There was no rating system yet in the U.S. The reason the film was almost banned was because it focuses on a pedophile falling in love with a supposedly 12-year-old girl. Kubrick was going to go really far and take a lot of risks, but he decided to censor a lot of the film in order for it to be released for public's eyes.
Spartacus 1960
Genre [s]: Action, Biography Running Time: 197 min [3 hr 17 min] Starring: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier Rating: Approved Release Date [s]: October 7, 1960
This biographical film about a slave named Spartacus who revolts against the Roman Republic was a conflict behind the scenes where the director was fired and Kubrick was the replacement, but in between struggles, he didn't have full control of the film, therefore it didn't turn out the way he wanted it too. It still is considered a classic, and got many awards for the acting, the sets, costumes, and cinematography, even if it is incredibly long.
Genre [s]: Action, Biography Running Time: 197 min [3 hr 17 min] Starring: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier Rating: Approved Release Date [s]: October 7, 1960
This biographical film about a slave named Spartacus who revolts against the Roman Republic was a conflict behind the scenes where the director was fired and Kubrick was the replacement, but in between struggles, he didn't have full control of the film, therefore it didn't turn out the way he wanted it too. It still is considered a classic, and got many awards for the acting, the sets, costumes, and cinematography, even if it is incredibly long.
Paths of Glory 1957
Genre [s]: War, Drama Running Time: 88 min [1 hr 28 min] Starring: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker Rating: Approved Release Date [s]: October 25, 1957
Often named as Kubrick's "forgotten film," Paths of Glory was his first and one of his best war films, let alone one of the best war films of all time. Focusing on a group of soldiers in WWI, this black-and-white film has great writing, great acting, beautiful photography, and the story was emotionally intense and really sucked people in to trench warfare during WWI.
Genre [s]: War, Drama Running Time: 88 min [1 hr 28 min] Starring: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker Rating: Approved Release Date [s]: October 25, 1957
Often named as Kubrick's "forgotten film," Paths of Glory was his first and one of his best war films, let alone one of the best war films of all time. Focusing on a group of soldiers in WWI, this black-and-white film has great writing, great acting, beautiful photography, and the story was emotionally intense and really sucked people in to trench warfare during WWI.
The Killing 1956
Genre [s]: Crime, Thriller Running Time: 85 min [1 hr 25 min] Starring: Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray Rating: Approved Release Date [s]: June 6, 1956
By this time, Stanley Kubrick was getting the hang of film-making. This film was one of his best films and really made him famous and popular. The film's plot is pretty simple, about a group of crooks that plan and execute a racetrack robbery, but it still is considered a really good film.
Genre [s]: Crime, Thriller Running Time: 85 min [1 hr 25 min] Starring: Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray Rating: Approved Release Date [s]: June 6, 1956
By this time, Stanley Kubrick was getting the hang of film-making. This film was one of his best films and really made him famous and popular. The film's plot is pretty simple, about a group of crooks that plan and execute a racetrack robbery, but it still is considered a really good film.
Killer's Kiss 1955
Genre [s]: Crime, Drama Running Time: 67 min [1 hr 7 min] Starring: Frank Silvera, Irene Kane Rating: UR Release Date [s]: October 1, 1955
Also starring Frank Silvera, Killer's Kiss focuses on a man who's waiting for his lover at a train station and tells us his past to pass the time. Stanley Kubrick wasn't getting better at film making, but he still did have low budget on this film. The acting was bad and it was basically used as another experiment film.
Genre [s]: Crime, Drama Running Time: 67 min [1 hr 7 min] Starring: Frank Silvera, Irene Kane Rating: UR Release Date [s]: October 1, 1955
Also starring Frank Silvera, Killer's Kiss focuses on a man who's waiting for his lover at a train station and tells us his past to pass the time. Stanley Kubrick wasn't getting better at film making, but he still did have low budget on this film. The acting was bad and it was basically used as another experiment film.
Fear and Desire 1953
Genre [s]: War, Drama Running Time: 62 min [1 hr 2 min] Starring: Frank Silvera, Kenneth Harp Rating: NR Release Date [s]: April 1, 1953
This is considered Kubrick's worst film, even he thought it was. This is not surprising since he'd been making short films for a long time, and was experimenting with full-length films. This movie is about a group of soldiers trapped in war and must face their fears and desires. The film had terrible budget constrictions and was made for $50,000, which isn't a lot. Therefore, Stanley tried his best to use the money he had to build sets, add effects, and more but it just didn't turn out that great. It was one of the only times Stanley Kubrick directed, produced, edited, and filmed, and it was more of a learning experience than a real movie.
Genre [s]: War, Drama Running Time: 62 min [1 hr 2 min] Starring: Frank Silvera, Kenneth Harp Rating: NR Release Date [s]: April 1, 1953
This is considered Kubrick's worst film, even he thought it was. This is not surprising since he'd been making short films for a long time, and was experimenting with full-length films. This movie is about a group of soldiers trapped in war and must face their fears and desires. The film had terrible budget constrictions and was made for $50,000, which isn't a lot. Therefore, Stanley tried his best to use the money he had to build sets, add effects, and more but it just didn't turn out that great. It was one of the only times Stanley Kubrick directed, produced, edited, and filmed, and it was more of a learning experience than a real movie.
How Stanley Kubrick Made His Films: The Insane Director
As amazing as his films were, Stanley Kubrick was not the best director. He was very mean to a lot of his cast and crew and in some movies, the cast and crew had conflicts with him on set. A lot of people saw him as insane, but this was only because he was an over-the-top perfectionist, played close attention to detail, and wanted his films to be real and unique from each other.
Some examples of his true insanity were films like Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb [1964], where it was a black and white film, but Kubrick insisted on using a green table for the politicians to sit around, even when the audience would not be able to see it. Also, Kubrick tricked actor George C. Scott by insisting he do "practice takes" where he could loosen up and act silly before the real take. Scott did not want to play a comical character, but Stanley Kubrick used the "practice takes" where Scott was joking around and being silly in the real film. Nevertheless, Kubrick got what he wanted from the actor.
Another example is in Paths of Glory [1957], where Kubrick forced actor Adolphe Menjou to do the same scene 17 times. After a few long takes, the actor started getting frustrated and by the time many takes were done, the actor started screaming, cussing, and insulting the director for making him stop doing the same scene. Kubrick just waited for the actor to be finished and then said to do the scene again.
Other examples are in The Shining [1980]. In one scene, the mom [Shelley Duvall] leans over at a typewriter and sees what her insane husband had typed. It reads, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" over and over again for probably more than hundred pages. Most people would think that it would be copied, but no, Kubrick ordered his secretary to type the line over and over again, all day, every day, for months. In the "Here's Johnny!" scene, probably the most famous scene in the movie, the mom defends herself with a knife and actually does cut the dad's [Jack Nicholson] hand when he tries to break through the locked door. Fortunately, they did about two or three takes. Finally, since Jack Nicholson wasn't really the perfect madman at times, in his acting, Stanley Kubrick himself took a shot at being an insane madman and scared Shelley Duvall so much she started crying and screaming. He was filming her reaction as well, so she wasn't only acting scared, she really was scared. Therefore, that's what made the scene so real.
In an example of him being a perfectionist, in Full Metal Jacket [1987], he wanted ruined buildings, and instead of finding ruined buildings in a city, he destroyed buildings with a wrecking ball, telling the controller to knock down specific parts of specific buildings, and if they messed up, they'd have to find a new patch of buildings to destroy.
Stanley Kubrick wasn't only a perfectionist and mean, but he did whatever it took to make the scene in his mind. Even it was deadly and dangerous. Such as A Clockwork Orange [1971], when Malcolm McDowell, the actor who plays the protagonist Alex in the film, had his eyes forced open with metal clamps for an incredibly long time. This was dangerous and McDowell's cornea was scratched. He also nearly murdered his cast and crew in Fear and Desire [1953] when he wanted a crop-sprayer to make a cool fog effect, it still contained poison and nearly killed his cast and crew.
Stanley Kubrick also took many risks, not physically, but in his film-making like in 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968] when he used IBM as the owners of HAL-9000 and the rest of the spaceship or in Lolita [1962], where he used a 14-year-old girl who played a 12-year-old girl that attracted a pedophile, the plot of the book. Kubrick had to take out a lot of original stuff planned to save it from being banned but the film still got an X rating from Britain and a lot was censored from the public.
So from almost killing his fellow cast and crew and scaring the living hell out an actress to make her act right to forcing a man's eyes open for a long time to forcing an actor to do 17 takes, Stanley Kubrick was seen as an insane director. But that doesn't mean his films aren't incredible and amazing. And if it mattered to Kubrick, it really showed in his beloved films that many people still watch and enjoy today.
Some examples of his true insanity were films like Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb [1964], where it was a black and white film, but Kubrick insisted on using a green table for the politicians to sit around, even when the audience would not be able to see it. Also, Kubrick tricked actor George C. Scott by insisting he do "practice takes" where he could loosen up and act silly before the real take. Scott did not want to play a comical character, but Stanley Kubrick used the "practice takes" where Scott was joking around and being silly in the real film. Nevertheless, Kubrick got what he wanted from the actor.
Another example is in Paths of Glory [1957], where Kubrick forced actor Adolphe Menjou to do the same scene 17 times. After a few long takes, the actor started getting frustrated and by the time many takes were done, the actor started screaming, cussing, and insulting the director for making him stop doing the same scene. Kubrick just waited for the actor to be finished and then said to do the scene again.
Other examples are in The Shining [1980]. In one scene, the mom [Shelley Duvall] leans over at a typewriter and sees what her insane husband had typed. It reads, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" over and over again for probably more than hundred pages. Most people would think that it would be copied, but no, Kubrick ordered his secretary to type the line over and over again, all day, every day, for months. In the "Here's Johnny!" scene, probably the most famous scene in the movie, the mom defends herself with a knife and actually does cut the dad's [Jack Nicholson] hand when he tries to break through the locked door. Fortunately, they did about two or three takes. Finally, since Jack Nicholson wasn't really the perfect madman at times, in his acting, Stanley Kubrick himself took a shot at being an insane madman and scared Shelley Duvall so much she started crying and screaming. He was filming her reaction as well, so she wasn't only acting scared, she really was scared. Therefore, that's what made the scene so real.
In an example of him being a perfectionist, in Full Metal Jacket [1987], he wanted ruined buildings, and instead of finding ruined buildings in a city, he destroyed buildings with a wrecking ball, telling the controller to knock down specific parts of specific buildings, and if they messed up, they'd have to find a new patch of buildings to destroy.
Stanley Kubrick wasn't only a perfectionist and mean, but he did whatever it took to make the scene in his mind. Even it was deadly and dangerous. Such as A Clockwork Orange [1971], when Malcolm McDowell, the actor who plays the protagonist Alex in the film, had his eyes forced open with metal clamps for an incredibly long time. This was dangerous and McDowell's cornea was scratched. He also nearly murdered his cast and crew in Fear and Desire [1953] when he wanted a crop-sprayer to make a cool fog effect, it still contained poison and nearly killed his cast and crew.
Stanley Kubrick also took many risks, not physically, but in his film-making like in 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968] when he used IBM as the owners of HAL-9000 and the rest of the spaceship or in Lolita [1962], where he used a 14-year-old girl who played a 12-year-old girl that attracted a pedophile, the plot of the book. Kubrick had to take out a lot of original stuff planned to save it from being banned but the film still got an X rating from Britain and a lot was censored from the public.
So from almost killing his fellow cast and crew and scaring the living hell out an actress to make her act right to forcing a man's eyes open for a long time to forcing an actor to do 17 takes, Stanley Kubrick was seen as an insane director. But that doesn't mean his films aren't incredible and amazing. And if it mattered to Kubrick, it really showed in his beloved films that many people still watch and enjoy today.
Famous Scenes from Stanley Kubrick Films
There are many famous scenes from many Stanley Kubrick films. Here are just a few from a few of his movies.
Eyes Wide Shut
The Shining
Barry Lyndon
A Clockwork Orange
2001: A Space Odyssey
Dr. Stranglove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Lolita
Spartacus
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