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Topic:
Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema
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JohnWesleyDowney
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
1/3 4:13pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: New DVD Set
- Date Edited:
1/3 4:14pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
JohnWesleyDowney
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The sad thing about the aforementioned Barry Lyndon is that it's one of Kubrick's most visually stunning and accomplished films. A pristine, perfect version is what's called for on that one. But what do studios know of such things?
And there's been a lot of revision on the part of some who didn't like the film initially, who have gone back and watched it and appreciated it on it's own terms. Martin Scorcese says Barry Lyndon is now his favorite Kubrick film. It deserves as much respect as any in the Kubrick catalogue.
I always felt that Barry Lyndon looked as though somehow Kubrick had managed to get the cast and crew into a time machine and they went back and filmed it in the 1700s, and then returned to 1975 to release it.
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Mastadge
Title:
Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Jun '99
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Date Posted:
1/3 5:12pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: New DVD Set
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They omitted LOLITA and BARRY LYNDON because the new restorations weren't ready by the time the set was released, and they wanted to get them right. And then they re-released them separately -- with the exact same transfers as in the last set, just new packaging. What a load of malarkey.
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-deeperfasterharder-
Registered:
Jun '07
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Date Posted:
1/3 11:21pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: New DVD Set
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It stinks of "rushjob". When will they learn? "Rushjobs" never pay off.
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JohnWesleyDowney
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
1/26 7:24pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: New DVD Set
- Date Edited:
1/26 7:39pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
JohnWesleyDowney
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For people here who are interested in Kubrick and his films, I would highly recommend the documentary STANLEY KUBRICK: A LIFE IN PICTURES. It honors his memory and his whole life. It's about 2 hours, 20 minutes long. Viewing it as a whole, it's a breathtaking look at an artist's journey. And while it was produced by Jan Harlan (Kubrick's brother in law, and the producer of many of Kubrick's films) they did not flinch from presenting some rather negative statements from some of the people who worked on Kubrick's films. Some of the criticism was rather harsh, but they allowed it, I think, to give a balanced look at the man. Kubrick had a rather extraordinary journey in life, and this DVD captures it.
They talk plenty about Kubrick's failures as well as his successes. Lots of incredible behind the scenes stuff. It helps a lot if you have an awareness of Kubrick's films. All of his features are touched upon. It takes a little patience to get through it, but in the end the viewer is rewarded with a fairly complete understanding of this unique filmmaker.
Martin Scorcese, Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen, Jack Nicholson, and plenty of others chime in on Kubrick's films and working methods.
Many of the issues people have with him that have been mentioned in this thread are addressed in the documentary. You get a well-rounded view. Was he cold? Yes, sometimes. Was he a warm, loving person? Yes, sometimes. Did he have a high opinion of the human race? No.
I highly recommend this DVD, especially for aspiring filmmakers, film critics and film fanatics. There was only one Kubrick. I don't think the film world could have withstood another one like him! 
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Palpateen
Registered:
Apr '00
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Date Posted:
1/27 12:36am
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures
- Date Edited:
1/27 12:37am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Palpateen
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John, I've watched that. Impressive documentary, a sneak peek behind the scenes of film history, at least Kubricks. An absolute must for any true film aficianado, even if they only like a few of his films. It's easy to see why the guy became so successful. One of the hardest working people I've ever seen. The 15 page instructional manual on how to care for that family pets that he left behind for his daughters while he was filming Barry Lyndon in Ireland was priceless!!! No detail escaped this man's attention!
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JohnWesleyDowney
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
1/28 6:01pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures
- Date Edited:
1/28 6:14pm (5 edits total)
Edited By:
JohnWesleyDowney
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I thought Martin Scorcese did an especially good job of putting the various Kubrick films in the framework of their times, which is great for younger viewers to have the context of when Kubrick's earlier films were made. Scorcese made a big, big difference in this Kubrick documentary.
I thought it was interesting that one of Kubrick's British colleagues pointed out that some of the films made about the cold war and nuclear dangers such as FAIL SAFE and SEVEN DAYS IN MAY now ring somewhat flat and lifeless. In contrast, DR. STRANGELOVE, which was made about the same time as those dramas retains a vitality because it's so funny and does a better job of commenting on the insanity than does those dramatic films. In my opinion, it's one of his films that still really holds up. Though I have a hard time getting anyone under 30 to watch a black and white film! 
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
3/14 12:34pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures
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An Appreciation of "Eyes Wide Shut"
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JohnWesleyDowney
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
3/16 7:39pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: "Eyes Wide Shut"
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That's a very interesting and well-thought out essay and I enjoyed reading it. I didn't agree with everything he said, but it was worth the time. I've read a lot of different interpretations of EYES WIDE SHUT on the net, as Kubrick's films always seem to draw all kinds of reactions. It's a misunderstood film by a sometimes misunderstood artist that people will be talking about for many years to come. I think the most important thing that I've learned about it is that the film functions with dream logic, not normal narrative logic, and if you just view the film on a surface level, you'll miss a great deal indeed.
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
3/28 8:00pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: "Eyes Wide Shut"
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I'm not sure I buy all of it, but it's an interesting viewpoint.
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
4/6 12:54pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: "Eyes Wide Shut"
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40 Years of 2001
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JohnWesleyDowney
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
4/6 5:14pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: 40 Years of "2001"
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That's a great article zaz, and so appropriate for the 40th anniversary week of the premiere of 2001. I especially love the quote from the PLAYBOY interview about the snobbery of New York film critics.
Sometimes artists are just here to entertain us, and sometimes they do more...they challenge us to think more, feel more, enlarge our perceptions. That's not always a popular thing to do, and sometimes people are outraged and critical when that happens. There's plenty of directors who do the standard stuff, entertaining us with popcorn films. But I think that it's always healthy to have a few people around who are pushing the envelope, Lynch and Kubrick and Cronenberg come to mind, who want to experiment. There's room in the world for everything.
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Vengance1003
Registered:
Mar '06
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Date Posted:
4/6 9:35pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: 40 Years of "2001"
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I lol'd at the LEGO version
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Companda
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
7/11 12:06pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: 40 Years of "2001"
- Date Edited:
7/11 12:07pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Zaz
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Stanley Kubrick: A Props Odyessy
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
8/3 3:38pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: Props
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Upped for use...
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JohnWesleyDowney
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
8/3 7:34pm
Subject:
RE: Dr Kubrick: Or How I Learned To Direct Cult Cinema: Props
- Date Edited:
8/3 7:47pm (4 edits total)
Edited By:
JohnWesleyDowney
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Zaz, I really want to thank you for posting that link to the various material on Kubrick.
The lengthy interview with his wife (which has a surprise ending!), the information on how all the Kubrick prop material has been archived, much of which is cinematic history, the video interview with actor Steven Berkoff who had a role in BARRY LYNDON, and LAST BUT NOT LEAST, the dozens of excerpts of private letters from Kubrick to people such as Marlon Brando, Arthur C. Clarke, Sir Laurence Olivier and even his TV repairman (!) are absolutely PRICELESS.
To anyone with even a passing interest in Kubrick I highly recommend going through all the material, especially the letters. Those private letters show his insanity and his humanity and his obsession with his work and his art. I found many of those letters to be absolutely fascinating, brief glimpses into the behind the scenes events of cinematic history, and very revealing insight into one of the movie world's most controversial figures.
One of my favorite parts - Kubrick stating in a letter that not only will Columbia Pictures not dictate anything regarding scripts, creative control, etc., they also aren't going to tell him how to comb his hair! 
Thanks again Zaz, as they say in the current vernacular: props to you for the props link.
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