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Haven't seen any Kubrick in about a year, but his films stay with me more than most. Of the ones you mention, favorite is probably FMJ, because it is at the same time one of the most symbolic films about war I have seen and one of the most accurately brutal (based on the opinions of friends/coworkers who were involved in Vietnam or other wars). Clockwork is good, but I prefer the book, and Burgess' resigned anger in the newer editions over the omission of the last chapter in America (and consequently in the movie) makes me wish for the more optimistic ending.
In terms of other Kubrickian faire, I think Eyes Wide Shut is one of the better movies about the everyday deceit involved in many domestic relationships, all the quasi-occult mindfuckery aside (though I have no problem with that either). The pivotal scene for me is the bedroom scene toward the beginning, where all these assumptions of domestic fidelity and tranquility are just stripped away. I have to wonder what roles like that would do to married actors playing them (especiallygiven that Cruise and Kidman split not long after.) The Shining is one of my favorite horror films; my only minor complaint is the casting of Jack Nicholson in the lead; while he does crazy better than almost anyone, he can't really look normal enough to start with so that you really feel the breakdown of his personality. Finally, early Kubrick is great; Paths of Glory (Kirk Douglas) is another scathing indictment of war (WWI) and while it lacks the viscerality of later Kubrick, it provides a more nuanced treatment of some of the issues in FMJ.
More generally, I think there are issues with Kubrick's directing style that merit discussion. He was known for obsessively retaking shots.The bouncing ball scene in The Shining took several hundred takes; at one point Scatman Crothers (Halloran) was reduced to tears after retaking a shot upwards of 200 times. Shelley Duvall reportedly suffered a near-collapse because of the stress the shooting of the film put on her. I question whether this treatment is ethical, even if it probably works to make a more impactful, emotionally charged film. Another interesting point is that all of his scripts (to my knowledge) are adaptations; what do people think motivated this choice, and what does it say about Kubrick as director? (Im going to try and read up on him in the next few months, so if I come up with an opinion on these, I'll put it up.) |
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