Kubrick's Best Film

Started by Tiff, January 08, 2003, 06:14:44 PM

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Sanjuro

Quote from: MyxomatosisSeen em all. However, I can't sit through #9 and #10 again.

9. Lolita (Bleh. It was alright. Perhaps the only so-so Kubrick film for me.)
10. Spartacus (Too long. Way too long. It is a good film, but I can't watch this again.)


gotta agree with you on spartacus. though lolita i can watch over and over again coz its just pure genius.
"When you see your own photo, do you say you're a fiction?"

bigperm

Safe As Milk

cowboykurtis

Quote from: Myxomatosis
7. Full Metal Jacket (As soon as the film leaves boot camp, it goes downhill.)

This is also the problem i have with fmj -- the boot camp is wonderful -- i feel the movie climaxes with piles meltdown -- the rest seems this long cathartic conclusion -- the end definately resonates however -- but what i always found interesting was; this is one of the only films where Kubrick seems to be taking an active angle, i.e argueing a point -- his intention was to make an anti-war movie -- when you decide to make an anti-war movie theres inevitably an inherent agenda -- to convey that war is bad -- tehres the tendency to focus more on proving your point then to conveying a story; thats not to say that theres not story here...
...your excuses are your own...

SoNowThen

Quote from: cowboykurtis
Quote from: Myxomatosis
7. Full Metal Jacket (As soon as the film leaves boot camp, it goes downhill.)

This is also the problem i have with fmj -- the boot camp is wonderful -- i feel the movie climaxes with piles meltdown -- the rest seems this long cathartic conclusion -- the end definately resonates however -- but what i always found interesting was; this is one of the only films where Kubrick seems to be taking an active angle, i.e argueing a point -- his intention was to make an anti-war movie -- when you decide to make an anti-war movie theres inevitably an inherent agenda -- to convey that war is bad -- tehres the tendency to focus more on proving your point then to conveying a story; thats not to say that theres not story here...

I always thought his point was that soul brothers were too beaucoup...
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

Pubrick

actually FMJ wasn't an anti-war movie, he already made that with Paths of Glory, according to Michael Herr who wrote the film with him, kubrick was trying to consider the subject of war "without a moral position or political position, but rather as a phenomenon".

this is the most misunderstood aspect of FMJ, it shows war as it is, and anything shown as Being is neither right nor wrong. the ending is even constructed in a way that creates a conflict which should conclusively annihilate any notions of right and wrong, it is at once merciful and vengeful. yet neither of those definitions grasp the full significance of it, it's really sumthing else entirely.
under the paving stones.

Ghostboy

I watched Barry Lyndon again the other day and am able to understand its true brilliance now. My first viewing of it a year or so ago left me thinking that it was beautiful to look at but rather episodic and shallow. It IS episodic, as any film with clearly divided chapters would be, but the depth of character -- so subtly hidden in those long, quiet shots -- was something I missed completely before. The film presents such an encompassing view of one man's life that I'm now rather stunned by Kubrick's amazing economy in his storytelling.

Full Metal Jacket, the only other Kubrick film I didn't immediately love, will get my attention next.

I also recently came to the conclusion that Eyes Wide Shut is not only probably my favorite Kubrick film, but possibly my favorite film of all time (an evolving rank determined equally by a film's merits and what was happening personally around the time that I saw it).

Jeremy Blackman

I'm exhausted with people saying "the boot camp was great, but after that, well..."

The boot camp is the prologue. If you don't like the second half, you really don't like the movie.

cowboykurtis

Quote from: Pubrickactually FMJ wasn't an anti-war movie.

i disagree with this -- regardless of his intention, i feel it was just as much as an anti-war movie as paths of glory.
...your excuses are your own...

cowboykurtis

Quote from: Jeremy BlackmanI'm exhausted with people saying "the boot camp was great, but after that, well..."

The boot camp is the prologue. If you don't like the second half, you really don't like the movie.

im now interested in taking another look at this film -- kubri9ck is by far my favorite director -- i have seen fmj numerous times and it is my least favorite of his films -- but you have inspired me to give to another viewing.
...your excuses are your own...

Pubrick

Quote from: cowboykurtisi disagree with this -- regardless of his intention, i feel it was just as much as an anti-war movie as paths of glory.
that's fine, i was debating ur original post where kubrick's intentions were the basis of ur review.
under the paving stones.

Myxo

Quote from: GhostboyI also recently came to the conclusion that Eyes Wide Shut is not only probably my favorite Kubrick film, but possibly my favorite film of all time (an evolving rank determined equally by a film's merits and what was happening personally around the time that I saw it).

It is god damn good, and way underrated.

modage

Quote from: GhostboyI also recently came to the conclusion that Eyes Wide Shut is probably my favorite Kubrick film (an evolving rank determined equally by a film's merits and what was happening personally around the time that I saw it).
hey me too!  i thought it was 2001, but last year when i went through the bulk of his films consecutively, i realized that eyes wide shut was actually my favorite.  maybe because it was the only one i got to see in the theatre?  or maybe just because it has the strongest impact on me.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Sanjuro

yeah eyes wide shut is way underrated...

man dont you just wish that kubrick was still alive and still making films?
it would be exciting to anticipate his upcoming masterpiece
"When you see your own photo, do you say you're a fiction?"

Big Owl

I know what you mean . Its a pain in the ass when you've finally seen all his movies even  fear and desire and
theres no more left (except his short films) its like ....WELL WHAT NOW?

The way i look at it PTA is the closest thing today to what Kubrick did ...still its just not the same
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cowboykurtis

Quote from: Pubrick
Quote from: cowboykurtisi disagree with this -- regardless of his intention, i feel it was just as much as an anti-war movie as paths of glory.
that's fine, i was debating ur original post where kubrick's intentions were the basis of ur review.

point taken
...your excuses are your own...