7 Favorite Stanley Kubrick Films

[Grazioso]

Wow, not much love for earlier Kubrick The Killing? Paths of Glory? Great stuff.

Come to think of it, David Lean seems to suffer a similar fate, with the massive color epics often drawing much more fanfare than great earlier work like Brief Encounter, Great Expectations, etc.

[Szykneij]

Can you imagine anyone else playing the role of Jack Torrence?

Dennis Hopper?

[71 dB]

For Stanley Kubrick fans.

I don't know if I am a real fan but I consider him a very good director.

I have only seen 7 newest Kubrick films so Dr. Strangelove is the oldest. I really like (and voted for here):

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

The other four I don't find as enjoyable for the following reasons:

Dr. Strangelove is crazy, A Clockwork Orange is weird, Barry Lyndon is boring (I think I don't get that film at all) and Full Metal Jacket is depressing.

Spielberg's A.I. is one of my absolutely favorite movies (it is as if it was made for me!). As everybody knows, it was a Kubrick project for years.

[Sergeant Rock]

Although Dr. Strangelove is one of my top 10 films of all time, I'm not much of a Kubrick fan. I only voted for Paths of Glory, Lolita, Barry Lyndon and Strangelove.

Perhaps I'm doing 2001 a disservice, having only seen it once on a smallscreen TV years after its theatrical release, but it bored me to death. In a theater, in the 60s, preferrably stoned, it might have meant something? I don't know.

Shining is a great film but I don't like the genre. Clockwork is a great film about characters I abhor. Reading the book once, seeing the film once...more than enough for me.

Full Metal Jacket loses points for the lamentable use of the sir sandwich, which taught Hollywood (and now the world) that this is the way soldiers/marines/airmen respond to questions (Sir, yes sir).  A complete fabrication. Doesn't exist in reality. Besides that, if I must see a film about Nam, I prefer one that doesn't focus on psychokillers. Still, I like my Gunny Ermey action figure 



Despite having a few beautiful and erotic scenes (the "orgy" isn't one of them: formal wear and masks? that was just silly), Eyes Wide Shut was not believable, neither the characters nor the situation. If it had been set in the place and period of the novel (Vienna, the 20s) it might have made more sense. The casting didn't bother me; in fact, the obvious lack of chemistry between real life husband and wife Kidman and Cruise fit their characters.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Dennis Hopper?

The problem with Hopper is, he never looks anything but psycho 

Sarge

[Szykneij]

The problem with Hopper is, he never looks anything but psycho 

Sarge

That's true. He'd need a stand-in for the sane scenes!   

[Brahmsian]

Perhaps even Clint Eastwood - I could have pictured as Jack Torrance.  I thought the chemistry between Nicholson and Duvall however was amazing.  Both characters slightly over the top, but only just a little.

I thought Shelley Duvall was amazing as Wendy.  For some strange reason, she kinda looks sexy in this movie.  It's those big dark eyes, and dark hair.  I'm a sucker for both of those. 

[Szykneij]

I thought Shelley Duvall was amazing as Wendy.  For some strange reason, she kinda looks sexy in this movie.  It's those big dark eyes, and dark hair.  I'm a sucker for both of those. 

hmmm ...   What about as Olive Oyl?

[Brahmsian]

hmmm ...   What about as Olive Oyl?

Tony, that is interesting that you bring this up.  As some people mentioned Robin Williams might have made a good candidate for the Jack Torrance role.  Ironic, since Williams (as Popeye) was Duvall's co-star in Popeye.  And, also released in 1980.

[DavidW]

I thought Shelley Duvall was amazing as Wendy.

That's probably because Kubrick terrorized her to get the performance that he wanted!

[Todd]

For some strange reason, she kinda looks sexy in this movie.

Uh, er, hmm.

[eyeresist]

I picked 2001 and The Shining. The others I find problematic, for various reasons. I'm surprised no-one's mentioned Lolita yet. That is a nifty little film.

I'm also surprised how rarely it's pointed out that Kubrick deliberately made Shelley Duvall look like Minnie Mouse in The Shining. It helps build Jack's skewed view of the world.

There have never been many "Kubricks" out there, moviemakers indulging in grand projects & striking for absolute perfection. The only one still active is Malick and unlike Kubrick (whom I perceive as nearly flawless), his stuff is far from perfect.

Well, there's not much money in being a genius! Kubrick was lucky his name became a commercial asset. Otherwise he would never have made so many big budget films.

BTW, I thought there was something to Snyder's Sucker Punch film. It's certainly flawed (esp. the train sequence is tedious when it's supposed to be exciting and moving), but there is some "there" there.

[Brahmsian]

Out of all the movies I've seen of Kubrick's, Lolita is my least favourite.  That being said, I still think it is a pretty good film.  James Mason and Peter Sellers are both fantastic.

[snyprrr]

I hated The Shining until I was told that in this one, he exposes his involvment in the moon landing hoax. Apparently there are loads of clues here, including the number of the room. In the scene where the boy enters the room, he's wearing an Apollo sweater, etc.,...

There's a book.


"I don't avoid women, Mandrake. I just don't..."

Purity of Essence (is there a band with that name?)

[Brahmsian]

After viewing Paths of Glory last night, for the first time.  I would definitely change my vote to include it in my Top 7.  Wow, was it ever good!   

[Cato]

Out of all the movies I've seen of Kubrick's, Lolita is my least favourite.  That being said, I still think it is a pretty good film.  James Mason and Peter Sellers are both fantastic.

Quilty/Peter Sellers: "I'm Spartacus!"

Riot!   

[Cato]

This is one of those very rare occasions where I thought the film was countless times better than the novel.  Yes, I know Stephen King hated it, as Kubrick strayed away from the novel quite a bit.

Well.....go watch the made for TV movie of The Shining, made years later, starring Steve Weber and Rebecca De Mornay.  You will see a much better representation to Stephen King's novel.   However, it is nowhere near as powerful, chilling and stirring as Kubrick's vision.  In fact, I thought it was a downright awful movie, to be honest.   

I have mentioned this several times before: Alfred Hitchcock had a rule that mediocre books (e.g. The Shining) could more easily be made into great movies.  Great novels, because they are great in various ways, will always have a psycho-spiritual depth impossible to attain in a movie.

Thus Spake Hitchcock!

[DavidW]

I like the novel of The Shining, but thought the miniseries was boring.  The movie while not being faithful at all to the novel, is one of my favorites.  Film ain't books, ya gotta be able to be inspired by a work but make it your own.  That is what Kubrick did.

[snyprrr]

I notice you don't have the 'Moon Landing' footage as a favorite. Why?

[eyeresist]

Because it's bullshit.