| Stanley Kubrick | |
|---|---|
 A picture of Stanley Kubrick. | |
|
Born |
July 26, 1928 (Bronx, New York, United States) |
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Died |
March 7th, 1999 (Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom) |
|
Ethnicity |
Jewish |
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Occupation |
Film director, film producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor |
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, producer, writer, and photographer. Many of his films were initially met with mixed reviews, but he is today considered to be one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, with his films being acclaimed as masterpieces decades after their release.
Style of filmmaking[]
Kubrick had many unique filmmaking methods. He was most noted for his slow-paced and meticulous style of filmmaking, which has also inspired other directors. Another one of Kubrick's well known talents was his amazing versatility, which allowed him to make successful films in almost every genre, such as anti-war, historical drama, romance, black comedy, science-fiction, political, period piece, and horror.
Life[]
Stanley Kubrick was born July 26th, 1928 in the Bronx, New York and was the first of two children. Although born to Jewish parents, he stated that he had no religious upbringing and also never had a bar mitzvah. He also didn't attend synagogue. However, after his death, his daughter and wife still said that Kubrick never denied his Jewishness. Ironically Kubrick [non Jewish wife] Christiane Kubrick uncle was Veit Harlan whose first wife Jewish actress/singer Dora Gerson Sluizer was murdered with her second husband and family in Auschwitz Poland February 14,1943
At age 12, his father taught him how to play the strategy game chess. Kubrick has recalled himself the game's significance to his filmmaking career: he said it was a game where you "had to sit and think about whether something's a good idea and if there are better ideas." Overall, he was a poor school student with a 67 grade average, despite the fact tests rated his intelligence to be above-average. He also skipped school sometimes to take in double-feature films. His poor grades couldn't let him receive any higher education after he graduated in 1945.
He died March 7th, 1999 at age 70, and was buried next to his favourite tree in the garden of his home in England.
Swords and Sandals[]
Kubrick's first insight in the film and image business was his job as photographer, for Look magazine in 1946. This, combined with his exceptional skills at chess, would give him his unique directorial style later on. From 1951 to 1960, Kubrick made several films and documentaries, one of which was Paths of Glory. Then, in 1960 Kubrick made Spartacus, which was his first big-budget epic. After Spartacus, he went on to direct more films, and his career eventually ended up spanning over four decades.
Filmography[]
| Films | Years |
|---|---|
| Fear and Desire | 1953 |
| Killer's Kiss | 1955 |
| The Killing | 1956 |
| Paths of Glory | 1957 |
| 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 |
Books about Kubrick[]
- Stanley Kubrick, Director: A Visual Analysis
- Stanley Kubrick at Look Magazine
- The Philosophy of Stanley Kubrick
- Stanley Kubrick: A Biography by John Baxter
- The Complete Kubrick
- Stanley Kubrick's Napoleon: The Greatest Movie Never Made
- Eyes Wide Open: A Memoir of Stanley Kubrick
- Eyes Wide Shut: Stanley Kubrick and the Making of His Final Film