Ida Z's Film Class Notes: Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick
1)Stanley Kubrick began his career as a photographer in New York City and
2) began directing feature films in the early 1950s.
3) Kubrick was a perfectionist and decided on every detail of his films himself,
from scripting to editing.
4)He worked very slowly.

Mast and Kawin point out that an essential Kubrick theme
1) is man's love affair with death.
2) He worked in many genres including:
a) literary drama (Lolita, 1962),
b)film noir (The Killing, 1956),
c)the war film (Paths of Glory, 1957
d)Full Metal Jacket, 1987),
e)political satire (Dr. Strangelove, 1964)
f)horror (The Shining, 1980)
g)sci-fi (2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968).

Clockwork Orange (1971)
1) Kubrick's 1971 adaptation of Anthony Burgess’s dystopian crime novella A Clockwork Orange
depicts youth gangs in a dystopian Britain.
2) The film employs disturbing, violent images to communicate social and political commentary.
3) In the United States, the film was released with an X rating.
4) After Kubrick replaced 30 seconds from two scenes, the film was released with an R rating in 1973.
5) The film employs a distinct visual style and classic soundtrack composed by Wendy Carlos.

Introduction to film clip:
1)The opening shot of A Clockwork Orange shows Kubrick's visual mastery.
2)The camera begins on the face of Alex (Malcolm McDowell)
3)and slowly moves backwards to reveal an elaborate mise-en-scène.
4)The shot introduces us to a world of violence and hopelessness in a unique way.

A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971):