Favorite Directors Series: #2

The second in this series that I'm writing is dedicated to a legendary figure in film:

Stanley Kubrick





I think the greatest aspect of Kubrick's film making is his visions being quite ahead of their time in the areas of social relevance. Some of Kubrick's most popular films contained themes that weren't accepted upon the film's original release. However, as Kubrick's fan base grows in this century, we find that his ideas are probably just as (if not more) relevant to today's society.

Not only was he a brilliant auteur, but he was just an overall unique mind and it showed through his.. unconventional films.

My favorite Kubrick film is, hands down, 2001: A Space Odyssey. This film is one of my favorite films of all time. I love it for it's slow pace, elegant musical sequences and for it's refusal to conform to any of cinema's conventional methods.



Visually brilliant and mentally exhausting, this is one of film's greatest achievements. I don't want to overly praise the story itself, as it was mostly Clarke's (R.I.P.), so I'm mostly going to focus on the technical achievements. This film is a visual work of art. I could mute the sound and just watch the visuals, it works so well. This is truly putting film-as-a-visual-medium to the work it should be put to.

It defies typical plot structure and to a lot of people crawls by at a snail's pace. However, there are so many things going on that if one is willing to put their brains to work, it's a very rich, rewarding cerebral experience.

A film that was heavily under appreciated in it's own time, it is finally receiving much of the recognition it deserves. And the fact that Kubrick predicted many of today's technological advances (this was made in the 60's) is quite impressive.

My second favorite Kubrick film, Barry Lyndon, is the definition of perfect cinematography. Again, I could turn off the sound and just look at the visuals. It's like a beautiful painting.... that moves.



Everything about the cinematography is perfect: the framing, lighting, camera movement and placement, etc... It's a stunning work. Aside from that, the film is also thematically heavy, commenting on the dangers of social classes and the desire for power.

Many claim that this isn't you typical "Kubrick" film, but I beg to differ. It's slow, patient, meditative and deceptively cold. It makes you think that it takes a callous look at these characters -as if we're only onlookers- yet he involves you in a very subtle way.

Though it clocks in at three hours, it never gets boring, as the story is engaging and the film gorgeous to look at. Heck, I even got Tommy to watch it with me, and we both loved it.

Another Kubrick masterpiece, A Clockwork Orange, is one of the most controversial films of all time. Which is understandable, as it's the tale of a psychopathic teenager who gets his jollies from committing acts of violence. He is sent to prison, given a procedure that turns him off of violence, and is re-released into the world.



Yes, this film is violent and pretty explicit, but I that's what makes it so misunderstood. Though I really don't want to comment on the social aspects of this film (because that was mainly due to the author of the novel Anthony Burgess), I will say that this is one of Kubrick's films that was way ahead of it's time.

Again, this film is wonderful to look at. Kubrick frames his shots so brilliantly; constantly putting Alex in the center of the screen as a means of forcing us to observe and understand him. The film also brilliantly plays with your emotions. You hate Alex in the first act, find him interesting in the second, and feel utterly sorry for him in the last act.

Yes, the films content is disturbing, but it's completely necessary. Had they avoided depicting the acts of violence and instead done something like... have a narrator go: "Alex was a very bad boy who liked to rape women and attack homeless guys," the impact would have totally been diminished.

It's a powerful film with an interesting statement, though some of it's more hardcore fans kind of scare me.

The master of mood, Kubrick created an absolutely terrifying adaptation of Stephen King's novel with The Shining. (I haven't seen this film the way Kubrick intended it to be seen, as I saw it on TV; heavily edited. I did see enough to properly talk about it though.)



This is a really hard film to watch because it's just so... messed up, so I really don't recommend it at all, but it's still a typical Kubrick movie: perfectly made. The tension is so think from the first frame to the last that you feel like a huge weight is lifted when the film ends. Of course, it looks great and again Kubrick likes to stick his main psycho right in the center of the screen frequently.

It's a very claustrophobic film. Plus, it's so scary. I wont even describe stuff because it wouldn't nearly do the scenes justice. One of the greatest psychological horror films of all time.

Kubrick liked to tackle all different genres, so it's only natural that he would mess around in the war genre. Full Metal Jacket is quite an interesting ride. It's probably, in my opinion, Kubrick's most disturbing film.



This film isn't really an anti-war film, the way I see it. It merely focuses more on the mental state of the soldiers and less on the "action" or "patriotism" and definitely veers away from the "machismo" that lies so heavy on most war films. We follow a group of soldiers from basic training to their actual time on the war front in Vietnam. We watch as they go from human beings, to empty killing machines.

However, as pessimistic as this movie is, Kubrick still offers some hope by allowing us to see a more human side of the soldiers every once in awhile; suggesting that the Marine's methods of turning the men into "killing machines" hasn't fully taken it's toll.

The movie actually has a really brilliant script, and the boot camp sequences border on hilarious. Especially the drill sergeant's lines.

And Kubrick also messed around in the comedy genre too, with the brilliant Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb; a scathing social satire about... well... a lot of stuff that has to do with Russia and bombs.



This film has brilliant acting and writing. It's a perfect comedy; intelligent and just hilarious! It really showcases Kubrick's flexibility in film making.

The film is fast paced and very funny. It also doesn't let up in it's quest to satirize everyone it can think of; and it also employs the use of stereotypes in a way that's... not too far fetched. It also has some surprisingly stunning visuals (although that should be a given with a Kubrick movie). Peter Sellers (who plays many roles) is perfect! His comedic timing is genius.


Kubrick is a director that it has taken me quite some time to really appreciate. He is a very acquired taste, but once you get that taste, you understand his brilliance. I still have a few of his movies to see (Lolita, Eyes Wide Shut, The Killing, Killers Kiss), but I don't really see those films disappointing me.

I love Kubrick for his visual style mostly, as well as his careful handling of his subject matter. Plus, man can he offend people without actually doing anything offensive! Haha.

Great artist. Wish he was still alive, making amazing art.

UP NEXT: M. Night Shyamalan