The Kubrick Canon (Top Ten)

Started by Myxo, June 20, 2003, 01:14:18 PM

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Myxo

How do you rank his major canon of films?

Paths of Glory
Spartacus
Lolita
Dr. Strangelove
2001: A Space Odyssey
Clockwork Orange
Barry Lyndon
The Shining
Full Metal Jacket
Eyes Wide Shut

My favorites go like this. (I've seen them all.)

1. Clockwork Orange (The dialogue. The music. My god, the music. The visuals! So good..)
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (What a toss-up! Is this my #1 favorite or is Clockwork Orange? Tough call..)
3. The Shining (I watch this at least once a year.)
4. Eyes Wide Shut (The best looking Kubrick film. Nicole Kidman isn't bad looking either.)
5. Dr. Strangelove ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.")
6. Paths of Glory (The only Kubrick film that has brought me to tears.)
7. Full Metal Jacket (As soon as the film leaves boot camp, it goes downhill.)
8. Barry Lyndon (Great film. I love the lighting.)
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.)

SoNowThen

1. Clockwork
2. Full Metal Jacket
3. Barry Lyndon
4. 2001
5. Eyes Wide Shut
6. Dr. Strangelove
7. Paths Of Glory
8. The Shining
9. (haven't seen) Lolita
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.

Alethia

dr. strangelove (no words to describe)

clockwork orange (no words to describe)

eyes wide shut (no words to describe)

lolita (he had a lot of fucking balls to make this back then, adrian lyne's version cant hold a candle to this one)

barry lyndon (makes me want to play chess for some reason.  brilliant.)

2001 (what can i say?  brilliant)

the killing (nifty little heist movie, interesting echoes in revervoir dogs to this one i think)

paths of glory (Powerful as hell)

the shining (good overall, but a little too long, stale at some points, and shelley duvall annoys the shit out of me in this one)

full metal jacket (brilliant first half, thought the second half was oddly weak, i dont think modine is a very good actor either, i didnt even like him in short cuts)

killers kiss (i don't know...)

spartacus (i don't think this is very good)

fear and desire (embarassingly bad)


sorry i went outside the canon a little bit.....

mutinyco

I can't see much of a point in ranking his films. He wasn't somebody who would've put too much emphasis on something like this. The guy was nominated for four consecutive Best Director and Best Screenplay Oscars -- and didn't attend a single ceremony.

Suffice it to say, I would lump 2001, Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut together. They fluctuate in importance for me -- however, I hold firm that 2001 is the single greatest motion picture ever made.

Anybody having problems with FMJ should letterbox it and watch it again. Use black electrical tape. Go to the shot during boot camp where everybody's marching and Gomer Pyle is behind them sucking his thumb. USE THE BOTTOM OF THE GROUP'S FEET AND THE TOPS OF THEIR RIFLES AS YOUR BOUNDARIES. By doing this you'll approximate a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Watch it like this and you'll shit your pants. Guaranteed.
"I believe in this, and it's been tested by research: he who fucks nuns will later join the church."

-St. Joe

Pubrick

Quote from: mutinycoUSE THE BOTTOM OF THE GROUP'S FEET AND THE TOPS OF THEIR RIFLES AS YOUR BOUNDARIES. By doing this you'll approximate a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Watch it like this and you'll shit your pants. Guaranteed.
never thought it would make a difference, but consider my screen taped and gagged!
under the paving stones.

Myxo

Quote from: mutinycoI can't see much of a point in ranking his films. He wasn't somebody who would've put too much emphasis on something like this. The guy was nominated for four consecutive Best Director and Best Screenplay Oscars -- and didn't attend a single ceremony.

You do realize that I wasn't asking for a general rank right? I was asking what everyones favorites were. I agree that "best ever" film lists are stupid. But, I don't see any harm in asking somebody, "Hey, you've seen all of Kubrick's films. Which ones do you like the most? Watch the most?" Whatever.

Derek237

I'd say my favs go in this order....

1. A Clockwork Orange

2. The Shining. Nicholson rules.

3. Full Metal Jacket

4. Eyes Wide Shut

5. Dr. Strangelove

6. Lolita

7. Paths Of Glory

8. 2001

9. Spartacus

10. Barry Lyndon


Wow, he really hasn't made that many films when you think about it....

sphinx

sphinx apologizes in advance for calling anyone a list-fucker

here's my list!



TAKE THAT, LIST-FUCKERS!

Myxo

Quote from: sphinxsphinx apologizes in advance for calling anyone a list-fucker

here's my list!



TAKE THAT, LIST-FUCKERS!

Awesome. ;)

Gold Trumpet

It is true Kubrick never gave much thought to lists. That also could be saying all of us who do them here don't really either. Kubrick has been caught publically providing a list of his top ten favorite movies before, even if they weren't really his personal favorites, he did make one in the early 1960s. My own feelings on list making is that they are harmless and since they don't take emphasis for me over explaining a movie, I see nothing wrong.

~rougerum

life_boy

Quote from: sphinx



Exactly my thoughts.

Ernie

haven't seen them all....

clockwork
2001: a space odyssey
the shining
full metal jacket
eyes wide shut
barry lyndon
dr. strangelove
spartacus

***beady***

Clockwork orange
The Shining
2001: Space Odyssey
Full Metal Jacket
Dr. Strangelove
Eyes Wide Shut

I havn't seen the others yet, so I can hardly comment on them, or rank them.

LostEraser

in order:

1. Dr. Strangelove
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
3. Eyes Wide Shut
4. The Shinning
5. Paths Of Glory
6. Lolita
7. A Clockwork Orange
8. Full Metal Jacket
9. Barry Lyndon
10. The Killing
Capra tells us that, in effect, love's dreams are only dreams and that they will never quite bear translation into practical forms of relationship and expression. They will never be realized in the world but only in our consciousness and in our most daring and glorious works of art - but that, for Capra, is no reason to abandon love's dreams.
--Ray Carney, American Vision: The Films Of Frank Capra

cowboykurtis

Quote from: mutinyco
Anybody having problems with FMJ should letterbox it and watch it again. Use black electrical tape. Go to the shot during boot camp where everybody's marching and Gomer Pyle is behind them sucking his thumb. USE THE BOTTOM OF THE GROUP'S FEET AND THE TOPS OF THEIR RIFLES AS YOUR BOUNDARIES. By doing this you'll approximate a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Watch it like this and you'll shit your pants. Guaranteed.

i have had numerous debates about this subject -- i have still have not found solid proof one way or another -- from what i could find, kubrick wanted full metal in 1.33 -- as well as the shining and ews. i have heard vivian kubrick and the estate assured that the WB dvd release was to  stanleys specifications as far as aspect ratios -- others have told me the prior films i mentioned were shot for 1.85 and initially exhibited in 1.85, and it was not till later, that kubrick decided to "remove" teh masks. Does any one have the real story behind this, with valid scources to back it up. i've been going back and forth with this for years now.
...your excuses are your own...