Stanley Kubrick (July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) is one of the most influental directors of the last century. If there is one thing most obvious that his works have in common, it is a strong inclination to the unsettling, sometimes disturbing and most likely controversial.

From ancient history over horror to science-fiction and erotica, there seems to be no topic he did not create a master piece in. He always avoided to repeat himself, yet you just know when you watch a movie of his.



He was a perfectionist who often drove his actors to the extreme. Repeating seemingly simple scenes 5o times or actually endangering their health for a certain shot.
Obsessed with every detail of the movie, from camera to costume, he was also immaculate about researching whatever theme he had choosen for his next project.



Most of his movies were based on novels or short stories, often with the implication to make a better movie than the book was. "Lolita", a very controversial book due to its theme, was turned into a satire. Similar to the dark humour of "Dr. Strangelove" which featured a brilliant Peter Sellers.



Especially in his the later works he used classical music very often. In films like "2001: A Space Odyssey" this formed a high contrast to the sci-fi theme of the movie. But also in "A Clockwork Orange" classical music played a main role in the movie.



His photographic background is clearly one of the reasons for  his movies being visually extremely strong, creating fantastic worlds for the viewer to dive into.



Using the one-point-perspective to the extreme, for example, is one of his many trademarks, often unsettling yet always managing to catch the viewer.



He inspired a countless number of other directors and artists from pretty much every medium with his amazing works.

His Most Memorable Movies:

• Spartacus (1960)
• Lolita (1962)
• Dr. Strangelove (1964)
• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
• A Clockwork Orange (1971)
• Barry Lyndon (1975)
• The Shining (1980)
• Full Metal Jacket (1987)
• Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

There is a pace an rhythm to his movies, unusual in modern cinematography. He let the visuals of his movies speak for themselves and gave them time to fully sink in.
He created almost iconic styles and images, which are immediately recognizable as sprung from possibly only his mind.

Questions for the reader!

• Are you familiar with Stanley Kubrick at all?
• If so, do you like/enjoy his work?
• What is it that you like/do not like about it?
• Has his work ever inspired you to something? (For art or just sparked an interest for something)
• If you haven't seen his movies, will you try them now?