Film Formalism Stanley Kubrick as a Formalist Filmmaker

Table of Contents 1) Stanley Kubrick 2) 2001: A Space Odyssey 3) Barry Lyndon

Stanley Kubrick Kubrick as Auteur (who stamps unmistakable personality and vision on his/her films) Kubrick as formalist

Stanley Kubrick At the age of 16 his photos were published in the Look magazine. Employed as a photographer and contributed 600 photos to the magazine. His formative years Nurturing and demonstrating keen visual sense

Stanley Kubrick Kubrick’s first film Self-financed short documentary, Day of the Fight (1951)Day of the Fight Documentary on prizefighters Look magazine photojournalism = documentary film Capturing mood and atmosphere - the primary aim of his documentary films

Stanley Kubrick Three documentary films (1951-2) 13 feature films ( ) Fear and Desire (1953) the first feature - about four soldiers trapped behind the enemy line and their escape is sidetracked by a woman and an enemy general.

Stanley Kubrick Killer’s Kiss (1955) - a prizefighter intervenes when a girl is assaulted by her employer/lover. This incident brings the two together and the fighter is threatened to be killed. The Killer (1956) getting out of prison, a man masterminds a race track heist but the plan is made complicated by various people.

Stanley Kubrick Paths of Glory (1957) - the bureaucracy of the French army execute three of its soldiers on charges of cowardice. Though the narrative and the theme are simple, Kubrick manages to create powerful images by frequently using telephoto lenses. Spartacus (1960)

Stanley Kubrick Kubrick’s self-exile to England Lolita (1962) - the first work of an auteur. Controversial motif and his camera captures the danger and allure of lust. Kubrick discovered in this film Peter Sellers.

Stanley Kubrick Highly aesthetic composition Eloquent photography Powerful acting Creative and masterful editing Thought-provoking themes The deciding factor

Stanley Kubrick Dr. Strangelove: or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb (1964) – a US Air Force general goes insane and orders a nuclear attack on Soviet Union.

Stanley Kubrick US President and his advisors try to recall bombers to stop a nuclear war. Expressionistic set – 130 ft (w) x 100 ft (l) x 35 ft (h) in Shepperton Studios – with gigantic map, shiny black floor, and a circle of lights.

Stanley Kubrick Eely, satiric ending – montage of shots of mushroom clouds taken from US nuclear tests and bombing of Nagasaki Mixed with a hit song, Vera Lynn’s We Will Meet Again

Stanley Kubrick 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - SF film

Stanley Kubrick Clockwork Orange (1971) - Adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ novel; extremely violent juvenile delinquent is captured and put on a trial rehabilitation programme via psychological conditioning.

Stanley Kubrick Use of 9.8 mm wide-angle lenses to emphasize the film’s dream quality Futuristic set and costume design mixed with contemporary 1970s styles.

Stanley Kubrick Bedroom sex scenes are shown slow and fast motion. Display of unemotional, mechanical and inhumane nature of the activities.

Stanley Kubrick Barry Lyndon (1974) - a history film / costume drama

Stanley Kubrick Shining (1980) - Horror film based on Steven King’s novel. A caretaker writer of an off- season hotel is influenced by a supernatural being and goes insane trying to murder his wife and son.

Stanley Kubrick Full Metal Jacket (1987) - the training of Vietnam recruits and the corruption of the narrator in the war. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) -

2001: A Space Odyssey Made in 1968, a year after Bonnie and Clyde Took two and a half year and cost $10.5 million.

2001: A Space Odyssey Mythic vision of the relationship between man and machine Philosophical contemplation

2001: A Space Odyssey Audacious visual design and use of colours Bold use of music, Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zaratustra

2001: A Space Odyssey Very bold Associative cut (graphic match) Ellipsis of several million years from the prehistoric age to 2001

2001: A Space Odyssey Simplified and geometrical set design and composition (Mismatching) Juxtaposition of Johan Strauss’ Blue Danube and the floating space station

2001: A Space Odyssey In Section II a monolith similar to the one which appeared in Section I is found. Inexplicable experiences on Saturn. In Section III a battle between astronauts and the super computer, HAL. State of art composition and editing

2001: A Space Odyssey Section IV: The surviving astronaut’s hallucinatory trip through space and time

2001: A Space Odyssey The astronaut arrives as an old man in a white bedroom furnished in Louis XVI style. The final frame - his rebirth as embryonic Star- Child.

2001: A Space Odyssey Being enigmatic, mystical and sensuous, what is 2001: A Space Odyssey about? It resists interpretation. The film is ‘… essentially a nonverbal experience … It attempts to communicate more to the subconscious and the feelings than it does to the intellect.’ Stanley Kubrick

Barry Lyndon The film almost equal to 2001: Space Odyssey in historical importance Historical drama made in 1975 and based on William Thackeray’s novel in the 19th century

Barry Lyndon Exterior scenes were mainly shot in Ireland. Designs were made after landscape paintings of Antoine Watteau

Barry Lyndon Costume and hair design made after Thomas Gainsborogh’s portrait paintings.

Barry Lyndon Interior scenes were given 18 th century feel Behaviours Emulated from William Hogarth paintings

Barry Lyndon Expressively lit and photographed Most sensuous photography Photographed by John Alcott, (Clockwork Orange and Shining) over 300 days between 1973 and 74 Shot only with candle lights without electric lights