Kubrick

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by averica, Apr 11, 2019.

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  1. Ghostworld

    Ghostworld Senior Member

    Location:
    US

    When have you seen a “normal” performance in a Kubrick film! A Kubrick trademark is stiff acting! He
    Makes everyone give this same slow, deliberate,
    mannered delivery! I mean, that’s part of the “Kubrick style.” He turns his actors into little Kubrick robots. You don’t seen any method acting or improv in his films! If you want to compare performances, compare Tom Cruise in “Eyes” to Ryan 0’neill in “Barry Lyndon”. - two big leading men starring in his films. And I’d say they both deliver the exact same style of performance...slightly off tempo and wooden.... the Kubrick style!


    When you mention The Shining interview that’s a perfect example of this mannered approach of Kubrick’s — that deliberatie, slight behind the pace delivery - is what creates that surrealist feel. Nobody talks like that in real life. It’s deliberately impressionist. He hangs into every edit a two seconds longer than needed to draw even more tension out and elongate the moment. It’s a definite style and very neat.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2019
  2. Hot Ptah

    Hot Ptah Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    Paths of Glory and Dr. Strangelove are my favorites. Each is a great film, a towering achievement.
     
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  3. the pope ondine

    the pope ondine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia

    I read somewhere the typical later-day Kubrick dialogue is "line" (3 second pause) "next line", haven't tested it out but sounds about right lol
     
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  4. Khaki F

    Khaki F Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kenosha, WI. USA
    Kubrick deals in creating atmospheres, and has created some brilliant ones. The problem is, after a few viewings the atmosphere evaporates and you're left with the drama... which is usually a bit thin, and dependent on the visual aura. Full Metal Jacket is probably the closest I've seen to a good balance between the two.
     
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  5. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    I would argue that Andrei Tarkovsky achieved the same feat.
     
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  6. Jack Lord

    Jack Lord Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I always took it as a look at human conditioning- turning normal guys into killing machines. And every machine busts a part now and then (Private Pyle).

    I do not consider either FMJ or Apocalypse Now to be Vietnam movies per se. Yes that is the setting and there are some comments and observations. But ultimately the Vietnam War is secondary in both. Just the background setting for bigger things.

    Platoon attempts to be THE Vietnam movie. Everything is in there: Fragging, racial tension, a nod to My Lai, dope, and of course the obligatory helicopters and Rock & Roll.
     
  7. Hardy Melville

    Hardy Melville Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    I am a fan of all the films of his I have seen, which does not include some early ones. Ones I hope to get to, soon. Overall Kubrick is my second favorite director all time after Bergman, who he was a big fan of, and I see certain similarities.

    My favorite Kubrick film is Barry Lyndon. Aside from its visual beauty, the adaptation of the story from Thackeray is brilliant. I see the main point of it as examining the conflict between intentionality and determinism, between seeing ourselves as masters of our fates and the grinding way that the World operates.

    In order after BL I love 2001, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining and Dr. Strangelove. I also have great respect for Lolita although I have only seen it twice, and Spartacus, which I know Kubrick himself had some issue with. But he did a great job there with an excellent cast.

    Full Metal Jacket is a bit problematic. While I mostly admire it, it somehow does not work as well as it might have. Eyes Wide Shut I also admire while feeling it is not quite finished.
     
  8. unclefred

    unclefred Coastie with the Moastie

    Location:
    Oregon Coast
    My comparison of O'Neal's performance is against the performances in the other Kubrick films I admire. Compared to them his was underwhelming and hurt the film. So I guess that makes him 'more stiff.

    Although another lead that was not the greatest was Matthew Modine in FMJ.
     
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  9. The Shinning is the only example when a so so novel is turned into a great movie, it uses to be the other way around. But we're talking about Kubrick here.
     
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  10. jjhunsecker

    jjhunsecker Senior Member

    Location:
    New York city
    One could also say "Psycho", and perhaps even "The Godfather"
     
  11. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    I'd go further and say they require repeat viewings. Several Kubrick films didn't really click with me at first, but there's so much going on, both visual and narrative, that by the third viewing I was blown away. Even the ones that do click get better each time.
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2019
  12. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    Love most of his movies not all for sure.

    Fav. would be Dr. Strangelove. Who knew George C. Scott could be funny.
     
  13. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    In fact, Scott resented the fact that Kubrick used the funniest takes. Which is one reason Kubrick shot so many of them.
     
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  14. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Stanley Kubrick's worst film is better than a lot of directors' best films. He's really, really good.

    The worst thing I can say about Kubrick's films is that they're kind of "emotionless" and "distant," but that was his intent. Eyes Wide Shut has these flaws, because it's the story of two people in a marriage but we kind of distantly observe them going through all kinds of stress and problems. It's a strange film. Several of his films (like Barry Lyndon) fall into the category of "really well-made, technically beautiful, but kind of boring and uninvolving." But 2001, Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove... those are amazing films that hold up well under repeated viewing. Even Full Metal Jacket and The Shining, both of which are flawed films, have some really great moments that will stick with you for years.

    I agree with that somewhat, except that I always felt like we were just watching the characters go through an experience without necessarily understanding why they did it. So that's what I meant by "uninvolving. " Barry Lyndon is a prime example. I dislike a lot of The Shining because Kubrick tossed out so much of Stephen King's story (particularly the ending), but by god, it's not boring.
     
  15. Jack Lord

    Jack Lord Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I did not take to the Shining at first because the book scared the hell out of me in a way that the movie did not. But like most things Kubrick, it has grown on me.
     
  16. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    Fun fact: Nabokov wrote the original screenplay for Lolita. Kubrick realized it was far too long for a movie script and made drastic cuts. Nabokov didn't realize this until Kubrick screened the movie for him. Nabokov loved it anyway and called Kubrick "a great artist", praise the novelist rarely heaped on anyone.
    The Nabokov screenplay was published years later and, while well worth reading, is indeed totally unworkable for film.
     
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  17. clashcityrocker

    clashcityrocker Forum Resident

    Location:
    Great White North
     
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  18. Complier

    Complier Senior Member

    Location:
    Harrisburg, PA

    "They didn't have crewcuts in ancient Rome!!!!"
     
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  19. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    "Ralphie has a legitimate beef."
     
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  20. I think Modine was the weakest lead actor Kubrick ever worked with.
     
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  21. Dr. Funk

    Dr. Funk Vintage Dust

    Location:
    Fort Worth TX
    Very true...….but Kirk's hair was pretty sweet.
     
  22. Purple Jim

    Purple Jim Senior Member

    Location:
    Bretagne
    Grab the box set averica (bargain!) and let us know your reactions to each of those must-see movies.
     
  23. All excellent films. "Spartacus" remains flawed but still enjoyable while "Paths of Glory" remains one of his best films but lesser known. "The Killing" hints at his later greatness and is a marvelous film on its own.
     
  24. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    Spartacus wasn't really a Kubrick project. It was a Anthony Mann project until he was fired a week into shooting. Kubrick was brought on by Kirk Douglas on the strength of their work on Paths of Glory. Kubrick touches abound in Spartacus, but it was a conventional script and a Douglas star vehicle. The experience left Kubrick embittered toward the Hollywood system; he moved to England after Spartacus opened and never left.
     
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  25. Tim Lookingbill

    Tim Lookingbill Alfalfa Male

    Location:
    New Braunfels, TX
    A lot of what you describe could possibly have come about from his self taught documentary film work in the early 50's where he started out as a filmmaker. But Kubrick was a photographer from the get go, a medium that exudes a more slow and contemplative representation of reality. Robert Altman has similar qualities in his movies since he also was a documentary film maker with a sort of "just the facts, ma'am" approach.

    We're all used to the over the top acting and action of what came before Kubrick such as gangsters, westerns, thrillers and melodramas. But really do you think Kubrick would get rattled if he directed Brando in "A Street Car Named Desire"? You talk about loud and over the top method acting. Who does that in a documentary? A documentary is closer to representing reality than method acting which came from New York stage acting, far from reality.
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2019
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