Review of Barry Lyndon (1975) by Jeffrey F — 27 Oct 2012

Perfectly cold, measured, and discrete in its presentation of the man. It has Kubrik written all over it, with his signature cyclical structure, this time, rags-to-riches-to-rags. The shots are lovely, the music and the country almost inseparable.

Though the film lacks the warm-heartedness of, say, a Tom Jones, it's objectivity is more thought provoking and helps sustain the very long film through all of its stages. One reaches the conclusion asking "What did just happen?" The feeling of tragedy is offset by the feeling that it is all rather insignificant, as if to say, such is life.

My favorite of Kubrik's films, with Paths of Glory coming in a close second.