Stanley Kubrick

WHY SHOULD WE CARE? Because Kubrick was a true original. He never had a blockbuster and never won unanimous critical praise - yet he was given an unprecedented level of freedom by Hollywood. He used it to make films with big themes in many different genres. Whilst his films were philosophically based, they also presented moviegoers with some of cinema's most abiding images. He also generated some pretty interesting gossip.

WHAT SORT OF FILMS IS HE FAMOUS FOR?
Kubrick made war films (Paths of Glory, Full Metal Jacket), comedies (Dr. Strangelove, Lolita), sci-fi films (2001), thrillers (The Killing), costume epics (Barry Lyndon) and horror films (The Shining). All bear the Kubrick stamp.

WHO DID HE WORK WITH?
Kubrick rarely worked from original material and he usually collaborated in the scriptwriting process. He re-wrote Vladimir Nabokov's screenplay for Lolita (after estimating that it would result in a 9-hour film) and he wrote 2001 with Arthur C. Clarke. After deciding that Dr. Strangelove should be filmed as a black comedy he brought on board writer Terry Southern and he worked with cult novelist Jim Thompson on The Killing and Paths of Glory. It is a myth that his demanding nature meant that few people would consider working with him twice. He often worked with actors on more than one film - Peter Sellers, Kirk Douglas and Sterling Hayden to name but a few - and there was even more continuity behind the camera.

WHEN WAS HE WORKING?
His first feature film, Fear and Desire, was released in 1953. Hardly prolific, by the time he died in 1999 he had made just 13 feature films.

WHO DID HE SLEEP WITH?
Kubrick was married three times, to Toba Metz 1948-54, Ruth Sobtka 1955-1957 and Christiane Harlan from 1958 until his death in 1999. Kubrick met Christiane when she played the German peasant girl who sings for the soldiers at the end of Paths of Glory.

WHAT DO THEY TELL YOU AT FILM SCHOOL?
That Kubrick was renowned as one of the most technically accomplished directors and was clued-up on all aspects of film-making. On The Killing he told famed cameraman Lucien Ballard how to light the scenes and on Spartacus told the cinematographer Russell Metty to sit in a corner and do nothing. Metty won an Oscar for his work. Kubrick also pioneered several film-making techniques such as front projection, motion control and use of the steadicam. 2001 was the first film to use product placements and before Barry Lyndon no-one had been able to shoot by candlelight. Kubrick found a camera lens that had been manufactured for NASA , modified it so it was usable, and then copyrighted it.