Stanley Kubrick Essay Draft 1

Task 1 Breif

• 1964 Dr Strangelove
• 1968 2001 A Space Odyssey
• 1980 The Shining
• 1987 Full Metal Jacket

We watched films, which represent part of SK’s most mature and least compromised work. You will write an essay.  Your essay might include topics like:

• Delineations of characters
• Film Contexts
• Cinematic codes like Mise en scène
• Role of music and sound
• SK’s cinematic signature
• How you relate to his work

Ensure you include your own personal response to films.

You can use written or spoken word, or produce your assignment in other forms such as charts and diagrams. Ensure you make reference to theories/theorists and use Media terminology.

Use Harvard referencing and include a reference list/filmography.

Write 800 words minimum

Essay:

• “Few artists are as thorough in their delineation (The action of describing or portraying something precisely.) of character and environment, or in the orchestration of complex events”. Can you name and discuss, one scene, one moment in the films, which proves this?

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN!!!!!!!

• Choose two films. Explain why the two films you have chosen are significant.

‘2001 A Space Odyssey’ is pioneering in science fiction cinematic history. At the time this film was made man hadn’t been out to space yet which meant everything they came up with was either based on the little scientific knowledge we had but also all from their own imagination. Another thing is that CGI and FX wasn’t a thing back then so the special effects are all done through the lens, for example when it looks like ‘David Bowman’ is walking upside down the camera man is actually being suspended from the ceiling upside down to get the shot. When this film was first shown in the cinema there were 241 walkouts, this caused Kubrick to go into his house and hide away as he thought he had spent loads of money and failed. He later on gets a call to tell him that people do actually like it and that being different (the way that 2001 was in that time) is okay. It is incredible to think that it was once seen as an awful film, but today is seen as revolutionary and to some the best science fiction film. Personally it wasn’t to my taste and I thought the narrative was dragged out but I understand from a cinematic perspective that it is the starting point of the genre Sci-fi and allowed cinema to evolve in ways it may not have if it was never created.

Likewise Barry Lyndon is a pioneering film in itself. The film is set in the 18th century where there was no electricity. Kubrick came up with the idea of filming only with the light of candles as that is all they would have had in that era. Clearly just candle light isn’t going to produce enough light to create well-lit shots, therefore Kubrick had to come up with other ways to help light up the scene; such as reflective panels so that light could be reflected on to specific places. This way of lighting the set helped expand the world and makes us (the audience) feel as though it is real and that we are part of the film. Unfortunately the candles did cause a lot of problems such as when a shot needed to be re-filmed the candles would need to be replaced as they would have bent down by the time the first take was done. Another issue was that fire needs oxygen and with so many candles lit the sets had very little oxygen in them which caused the crew and actors to have trouble breathing. On top of that the candles created smoke which furthered the breathing issues. If Kubrick had tried to create this film today he would have been stopped due to health and safety. Ultimately this pioneering way of lighting a set was worth it and we are assured no one died.

• Compare and contrast two films

Full Metal Jacket vs Dr Strangelove:

Both are war films. Kubrick uses irony and satire in both films to mock the reasons behind war, Kubrick approaches these war films with humor. One example in Dr Strangelove is that a sign say ‘Peace is our profession’ and in FMJ Joker wears a helmet that says ‘Born to kill’ and has a peace sign next to it. The fact that both examples have a peace sign showing during the context shows that Kubrick is purposely satirising war.

Dr Strangelove’s context is based on the Cold War and the fear of nuclear war. Differently FMJ’s context is based on the Vietnam War which was more about fighting on foot.

During Dr Strangelove the audience is focused more on the higher powered men in the army where as is FMJ you are focused on the soldiers and are in the actual war zone. In my opinion I find FMJ more emotionally powerful as you can see the genuine fear in the soldiers eyes and it is less political, however is Dr Strangelove it is more politically based and therefore I do not feel as much emotion towards their situation

Both films objectify women. In Dr Strangelove there is only one female character and she is in her underwear, she is simply there to give company. Similarly, FMJ portrays all women as prostitutes and nothing more.

Dr Strangelove is filmed in black and white and FMJ is in colour.

• Describe the context in which the films were created?

Dr Strangelove was released in 1964 where the fear of nuclear war was very prominent. In 1952 the USA started testing thermonuclear weapons and shortly after the Soviets started testing them as well. Due to this fear of being bored throughout the 1950’s and early 1960’s American’s started building bomb shelters just in case. Then in 1960 John F. Kennedy became president and told everyone that the USA was not prepared for an attack against the Soviets, this caused more people to worry over the situation even more. The Cuban Missile Crisis (Russia was seen moving bombs into Cuba) in 1962 further increased this terror. These worries proved that an attack could happen at any moment which terrified everyone, so Kubrick used this focus and interest in the crisis to make a film.

Arthur C. Clarke is probably one of the first authors to base his book ,2001: A Space Odyssey, on a screenplay that he wrote with Kubrick. The book was released a few months after the film and fills in many details that were left out of the film. 2001 was made and released before man had stepped on the moon in 1969, this film is clearly inspired by the fascination of unknown territory and the excitement surrounding the possibility of visiting the moon.

Kubrick uses ‘The Shining’ to show all that is wrong with American society. During the scene you see themes such as racism, classism, and the breakdown of families. Racism is represented thorough Dick Hallorann a hotel staff member and using the ‘N’ word and other resist comments. Also the fact that the hotel is buried on an Indian burial ground implies racism. The Indian burial ground also represents that racism has occurred throughout history and really society should have stopped by now. Kubrick ironises and juxtaposes the racism as Hallorann and Hallorann’s service station worker friend, Larry Durkin, are the only positive adult male characters in the film.

At the end of the film Kubrick shows the effect of classism and racism through the black and white picture as there is not a single black person in the picture.

In many films at this time families were meant to stay together and Kubrick breaks this stereotype and shows that it is more regular for families to break apart.

Full Metal Jacket is based on the Vietnam war that took place in 1955- 1975. Many people were scared of the idea of a war and when one happens not only are the people worrying but the whole country goes into lock down. Full Metal Jacket was released after the war and it satirizes what happened, but also revels in the victory America achieved.

 

• How did these films do at the box office?

Dr Strangelove: $9.4 million

2001 A Space Odyssey: $138–190 million

The Shining: $44.4 million

Full Metal Jacket: $46.4 million

• Which other films were released at the same time?

1964 Dr Strangelove: My Fair Lady, Goldfinger, Mary Poppins, A Fist Full of Dollars, Becket, Fail Safe, Zulu.

1968 2001 A Space Odyssey: Barbarella, Once Upon a Time in the West, Planet of the Apes, Romeo and Juliet, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Night of the Living Dead, Oliver!.

1980 The Shining: Star Wars:Episode V, The Blue Lagoon, The Blues Brothers, Friday the 13th, Flash Gordon.

1987 Full Metal Jacket: The Princess Bride, Predator, Dirty Dancing, Jaws: The Revenge, The Lost Boys, Lethal Weapon, Good Morning, Vietnam.

• Cinematic codes: please choose one film and describe all the elements included in the Mise en scène. (revise Mise en Scene)

Look at this scene from Full Metal Jacket. Kubrick has used one point perspective here as shown by the white lines on the picture. This technique is something that occurs a lot in his films.

Kubrick also uses symmetry here through the way that all the men are dressed the same, holding their guns the same and lay in alternating directions. Even the clothes hanging down from the beds on the left side of the frame are the same. These are things Kubrick meticulously planned out.

This shot uses high key lighting as it is well-lit and the frame looks very natural, you  can’t see any artificial lighting, because of this you feel as though you are laying there with them.

• Sound: what is the role of music and sound in Kubrick’s film? Please make examples

Kubrick uses a lot of classical music in his films he used many composers work such as Beethoven, Bach, Purcell, Rossini, Khachaturian, Bartok, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky. Kubrick had a love for classical music and apparently before set he would listen to classical music and it would be played out loud to get everyone in the mindset.

One example is in 2001 A Space Odyssey, Kubrick uses a piece by Richard Strauss called ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’. One reason for using it in the ape scene is to show that they have intelligence and the idea of using the bone of its ancestor as a weapon proves the evolution of human kind. The classical music helps build on this point as people who listen to classical music is seen as intelligent.

Another example of how Kubrick uses music is the Mickey Mouse song played at the end of FMJ. The song is up beat and is played when they have just won the war. The song symbolises coming of age. The upbeat song invites everyone to join democracy, freedom, capitalism.

• Can you apply narrative theories?

I will now apply Todorov’s theory to Full Metal Jacket; In the beginning everything is fine Joker and Pyle are training to be in the marines this is the equilibrium then Pyle becomes insane this is the disequilibrium. Pyle then committing suicide and life continuing his training and getting into to journalism creates the new equilibrium.

I will also apply Todorov’s theory to The Shining. The family moving to the hotel when they are a stereotypical happy family is the equilibrium. Jack becoming evil and psychotic is the dis equilibrium. The disequilibrium is solved when Shelly and Danny escape and Jack is frozen in the ice; this creates new equilibrium.

The story starts off with how man kind became what it is in the present, this just sets up what will happen later on. To create equilibrium you see the spaceship with the astronauts on it living a fairly normal life and HAL working as he should be, without fault. To create disequilibrium we then see HAL show faults in its programming which then makes HAL become evil. To solve this problem The astronauts have to shut HAL down which was difficult but they achieved it, this creates new equilibrium and therefore leaves the film with a satisfying ending.

• How would you describe Kubrick’s cinematic signature?

A lot of his content is very creepy for example when Pyle goes insane and he’s sitting on the toilet:

Another example is the character Jack from the shining in general.

Some other things that Kubrick is known for are:

• Taboo subject matter presented frankly.
• Morally questionable protagonists.
• Characters as caricatures.
• Women portrayed as objects.
• Long tracking shots.
• Unusual use of zoom.
• Wide-angle lenses.
• Extremely long takes.
• Wide shots.

 

• Do you have a favourite film and what elements within the story lines or in the structure of his films do you relate to?

Out of all the films that we watched my favourite was Full Metal Jacket. I enjoyed how it was humorous yet had serious notes to it. I also enjoyed watching our main character, Joker, start off in his marine life and develop into someone who could be seen as a hero. This build up

• What have you learnt from Kubrick’s work that you’ll be using in your work?

One point perspective. Todorov’s theory. Symmetry

Bibliography:

1. The Guardian. 2018. 2001: A Space Odyssey: the best sci-fi and fantasy film of all time | Film | The Guardian. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/21/space-odyssey-kubrick-science-fiction. [Accessed 05 March 2018].
2. The Criterion Collection. 2018. Kubrick’s Candle Tricks in Barry Lyndon – From the Current – The Criterion Collection . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/5059-kubrick-s-candle-tricks-in-barry-lyndon. [Accessed 05 March 2018].
3. Historical Context – Dr. Strangelove. 2018. Historical Context – Dr. Strangelove. [ONLINE] Available at: https://sites.google.com/a/depauw.edu/dr-strangelove/historical-context. [Accessed 05 March 2018].
4. SparkNotes: 2001: A Space Odyssey: Context. 2018. SparkNotes: 2001: A Space Odyssey: Context. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/2001/context/. [Accessed 14 March 2018].
5. Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’: American Deterioration Through Americana | The Artifice. 2018. Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’: American Deterioration Through Americana | The Artifice. [ONLINE] Available at: https://the-artifice.com/stanley-kubrick-the-shining-americana/. [Accessed 14 March 2018].
6. List of the lengths of United States participation in wars – Wikipedia. 2018. List of the lengths of United States participation in wars – Wikipedia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_lengths_of_United_States_participation_in_wars#Lengths_of_U.S._combat_forces.27_participation_in_wars. [Accessed 14 March 2018].
7. What is the definitive style of Stanley Kubrick? What makes a Stanley Kubrick movie different from the rest? – Quora. 2018. What is the definitive style of Stanley Kubrick? What makes a Stanley Kubrick movie different from the rest? – Quora. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-definitive-style-of-Stanley-Kubrick-What-makes-a-Stanley-Kubrick-movie-different-from-the-rest. [Accessed 14 March 2018].
8. Dr. Strangelove, 1964. [DVD] Stanley Kubrick, United Kingdom, United States: Columbia Pictures.
9. 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968. [DVD] Stanley Kubrick, United Kingdom, United States: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
10. The Shining, 1980. [DVD] Stanley Kubrick, United Kingdom, United States: Warner Bros.
11. Full Metal Jacket, 1987. [DVD] Stanley Kubrick, United Kingdom, United States: Warner Bros.
12. Dr. Strangelove – Wikipedia. 2018. Dr. Strangelove – Wikipedia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Strangelove. [Accessed 17 March 2018].
13. 2001: A Space Odyssey (film) – Wikipedia. 2018. 2001: A Space Odyssey (film) – Wikipedia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_(film). [Accessed 17 March 2018].
14. The Shining (film) – Wikipedia. 2018. The Shining (film) – Wikipedia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shining_(film). [Accessed 17 March 2018].
15. Full Metal Jacket – Wikipedia. 2018. Full Metal Jacket – Wikipedia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_Metal_Jacket. [Accessed 17 March 2018].
16. http://www.ranker.com. 2018. No page title. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.ranker.com/list/best-movies-of-1964/ranker-film. [Accessed 17 March 2018].
17. IMDb. 2018. IMDb: Most Popular Feature Films Released 1968-01-01 to 1968-12-31 – IMDb. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/search/title?sort=moviemeter,asc&title_type=feature&year=1968,1968. [Accessed 17 March 2018].
18. IMDb. 2018. IMDb: Most Popular Feature Films Released 1980-01-01 to 1980-12-31 – IMDb. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/search/title?title_type=feature&year=1980,1980&sort=moviemeter,asc. [Accessed 17 March 2018].
19. Paul Byrnes. 2018. Kubrick knew the score, and he used it. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/kubrick-knew-the-score-and-he-used-it-20130114-2cpnb.html. [Accessed 17 March 2018].