7 Favorite Stanley Kubrick Films

[Brahmsian]

These are my top 7, which happen to be the only ones I've seen. I'll have to watch the others to see how they compare.

A Clockwork Orange (1971)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
The Shining (1980)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Spartacus (1960)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)

(The use of music in "Eyes Wide Shut" is outstanding -- one of my favorite soundtracks. I find the Jocelyn Pook compositions equally as affective as the Ligeti.)

Tony - go watch Barry Lyndon.  I'll just say this - Slow movement of Schubert's 2nd Piano Trio.   

[Brahmsian]

There are three people I thank for turning my attention to classical music, and making it my number one passion:

1) Stanley Kubrick

2) Wendy Carlos

3) Ludwig van Beethoven

[DavidW]

3) Ludwig van Beethoven

A bit of the old Ludwig van my droogie?

[Brahmsian]

This will be my version of George's Sviatoslav Richter thread.  At least one post from me on every page.   

[Brahmsian]

A bit of the old Ludwig van my droogie?

Man.....that was the most 'difficult' book I've ever read.  I had to print a Nadsat slang translation on the internet, and use it when I read the book.  I very short book, but it felt like it was 1,000 pages long, as I had to constantly check on the language and slang.   

[Szykneij]

Tony - go watch Barry Lyndon.  I'll just say this - Slow movement of Schubert's 2nd Piano Trio.   

Just checked it out on IMDb. Lots of great music in that film:

"PIANO TRIO IN E-FLAT, OP 100 (second movement)"
Composed by Franz Schubert

"GERMAN DANCE No.1 IN C-MAJOR"
Composed by Franz Schubert


"CELLO CONCERTO IN E-MINOR (3rd. movement)"
Composed by Antonio Vivaldi


"CONCERTO FOR 2 HARPSICHORDS AND ORCHESTRA IN C-MINOR (adagio)"
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach



"IDOMENEO (march)"
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart



"Sarabande"
Written by George Frideric Handel
From the Suite for Harpsichord No. 4 in d minor, HWV 437
Arranged for orchestra

plus lots of Irish folk music.

[Brahmsian]

Just checked it out on IMDb. Lots of great music in that film:

"PIANO TRIO IN E-FLAT, OP 100 (second movement)"
Composed by Franz Schubert

"GERMAN DANCE No.1 IN C-MAJOR"
Composed by Franz Schubert


"CELLO CONCERTO IN E-MINOR (3rd. movement)"
Composed by Antonio Vivaldi


"CONCERTO FOR 2 HARPSICHORDS AND ORCHESTRA IN C-MINOR (adagio)"
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach



"IDOMENEO (march)"
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart



"Sarabande"
Written by George Frideric Handel
From the Suite for Harpsichord No. 4 in d minor, HWV 437
Arranged for orchestra

plus lots of Irish folk music.

Yes Tony, it is a great, great soundtrack.  I have the soundtracks to 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange (both original soundtrack, and original score of music written by Wendy Carlos), Barry Lyndon, The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut.

The Handel Sarabande is used in various forms throughout in Barry Lyndon.  Very effective.

[DavidW]

Man.....that was the most 'difficult' book I've ever read.  I had to print a Nadsat slang translation on the internet, and use it when I read the book.  I very short book, but it felt like it was 1,000 pages long, as I had to constantly check on the language and slang.   

I applaud your effort! (I haven't read it, guess I should)

[Mirror Image]

I've only seen The Shining and Full Metal Jacket. I liked The Shining pretty good. Full Metal Jacket was an interesting film, but Kubrick isn't really a director I'm fascinated by. I like David Cronenberg a lot better, but I know, I know this isn't about Cronenberg films.

[Brahmsian]

I applaud your effort! (I haven't read it, guess I should)

It is a good read, trust me.  But, do yourself a favor - print out a translation sheet on the internet.  You WILL thank me for it. 

[Rinaldo]

Tony - go watch Barry Lyndon.

Just checked it out on IMDb. Lots of great music in that film

I'd say for a classical fan, Barry Lyndon is a must. When the ominously arranged Handel sarabande swings into full blast during a certain funeral scene, I get chills to the bone every single time.

I've only seen The Shining and Full Metal Jacket. I liked The Shining pretty good. Full Metal Jacket was an interesting film, but Kubrick isn't really a director I'm fascinated by.

If you like Cronenberg (fascinating filmmaker, I'll second that), give Eyes Wide Shut a try. Not that it's similar to his work but there is some overlap.

And I think seeing 2001 at least once is sort of a "cultural obligation".

[TheGSMoeller]

For Kubrick fans - a question:

Which film of his to you think made the best use out of music and sound?  I think that is very hard one to answer.  Well, it is for me. 

Favorite Kubrick Film: Barry Lyndon
Best use of music and sound: tie - A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon

I am so incredibly moved and impressed with Barry Lyndon, no other film in my view has captured an era so perfectly. Every shot could be a painting. The use of candles as the only source of light in some scenes is breathtaking. And oh, the Schubert trio 

Wendy Carlos is such an important factor of A Clockwork Orange's unique presentation.

[Mirror Image]

If you like Cronenberg (fascinating filmmaker, I'll second that), give Eyes Wide Shut a try. Not that it's similar to his work but there is some overlap.

I'm not too impressed with Nicole Kidman's or Tom Cruise's acting, so I'm not sure if I'd be convinced by either of their roles.

[Brahmsian]

I'm not too impressed with Nicole Kidman's or Tom Cruise's acting, so I'm not sure if I'd be convinced by either of their roles.

MI, please give Eyes Wide Shut a try.  You might be surprised just how good these two are in this movie.

[Mirror Image]

MI, please give Eyes Wide Shut a try.  You might be surprised just how good these two are in this movie.

I probably will, Ray. Sometimes actors can surprise you.

[mc ukrneal]

MI, please give Eyes Wide Shut a try.  You might be surprised just how good these two are in this movie.

I'm not a Kubrick fan, and I thought Eyes Wide Shut was pretty awful. I'd much rather go for some of the earlier movies (like a Clockwork Orange), which I think are much better.

[escher]

Only two votes for Paths of glory? 

[escher]

I'm not a Kubrick fan, and I thought Eyes Wide Shut was pretty awful.

It's difficult to me to recall many movies with so much atmosphere as Eyes wide shut.

anyway, my seven favorites:

2001
full metal jacket
paths of glory
shining
eyes wide shut
barry lyndon
Dr.strangelove

[Drasko]

In order of preference (current)

Barry Lyndon
2001: A Space Odyssey
Lolita
Eyes Wide Shut
Paths of Glory
The Shining
A Clockwork Orange
Dr. Strangelove
The Killing
Full Metal Jacket
Killer's Kiss

Haven't seen those two short documentaries and his first feature, and never felt Spartacus was much of a Kubrick film, he was more a hired hand on that one.

[petrarch]

I also like Kubrick a lot. Here are my favorites:

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Barry Lyndon (1974)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
The Shining (1980)

(The use of music in "Eyes Wide Shut" is outstanding -- one of my favorite soundtracks. I find the Jocelyn Pook compositions equally as affective as the Ligeti.)

Indeed. An interesting experiment I did shortly after I watched the movie was to get the soundtrack and reverse the music for the masked ball scene; as I imagined, the words are a recording of roman liturgy played backwards... but the effect is eerie (and brilliant!).

Another interesting tidbit is that the wonderful Women of Ireland piece that plays throughout Barry Lyndon (in an arrangement by the Chieftains) was composed in the late 1960s (if I am not mistaken), although it sounds Irish traditional and much older.