Review of Barry Lyndon (1975) by Chris K — 09 Apr 2009

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE.

Stanley Kubrick's highly controversial outlook on a modern societies morality is not short on shocks or beautiful cinematography, whether it is a classic remains debatable. Shrowded in its banned status (in the UK anyway), this withdrawn film almost destroyed his career as members of the public ran amok inciting the same level of violence they had witnessed in this film. I find this quite ironic when you observe the means of which Alex is subject to new 'methods' in the hospital. A Clockwork Orange is less a film you enjoy and more an experience. Despite its high amount of sexual violence (one involving a sculptured cock) there is a deep message here, that does not just stop at the whole 'love thy neighbour as thou should love thyself'. A Clockwork Orange is then in fact cleverer than it is often made out to be. It is innovative, stylish and the blackest of black comedies, yet it still garnered best picture and best director nominations, which at least shows that the Academy haven't always been self-righteous, rigid and traditional old farts. The cockney rhyming slang was toned down from the novel (which I have read) to allow better understanding. The behavourist psychological theories (I have studied them) that this film invokes are frighteningly close to real life tests (though usually on animal :-( ). Overall the performances are believable with the evil Malcolm McDowell playing the perpetrater and then the victim we feel empathy for. This in turn shows how the medias exposure and our 'conditioned' behaviour makes us become 'cognitive misers', a term used to describe someones short cut to thinking, applied to this film we coudl say that Alex has brought upon himself biases and prejudice against all sorts of people, and while he is no nihilist, it never allows him to explore his own morality. A Clockwork Orange is a very good film, but will never be one that wears out the DVD drive, partly because of its topic, but also due to its scary similarities to my own dystopian Britain.

Final Score: 91/100.

BARRY LYNDON.

Barry Lyndon was not a commercial success, like most of Kubricks films, but its biggest flaw was its epic three hour length. Something which many people would be unprepared to sit through. With some of the most stunning cinematography in the history of film, Kubrick's period piece has not aged a day and charting the rise and fall of irish lad (Ryan O'Neal) in high artistocratic English society is a brilliant premise. Unfortunately Kubrick's cohesive nature and perfection is diluted much in the same sense as dark director David Fincher's recent Benjamin Button endeavour was. Mixing O'Neal's tale full of love, war and betrayl makes Barry Lyndon a very dark story, and with its sombre ending it never really satisfies the period drama taste buds. It plays safe, making it bland and at times boring. It is my second viewing of the feature and the 4x oscar winning film didn't unlock anymore secrets unlike the repeated viewings of Eyes Wide Shut and Full Metal Jacket. The acting is brilliant if played out a little twee and corny, but this is balanced with some exhilerating and suspenseful war sequences. After the devilishly dark slice of satirical humour which was A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon as its sucessor had a lot to live upto, and despite some divine moments of 18th century etiquette Lyndon falls short in the entertaining department. It's soft irish score is at times distracting and out of place and many scenes drag on far too long thatn they should. It all feels a bit self-indulgent, and the fact that I enjoyed the film more on my first watch does it little favours. Overall the fine characters and good script is not executed particularly well, resulting in a hash but unmessy film, that needed a bit more power and strength to pull it out of period piece abyss. Disappointing.

Final Score: 73/100.

THE SHINING.

I have already reviewed Kubrick's 1980 horror classic a year ago, and my feelings on the film remain about the same. Full of over the top, theatrical performances and little plot, Stanley's vision is more on the aesthetic feel of the film, and strays so far from the best-selling novel that it was no surprise that Stephen King was unimpressed. However it stays as a staple of Stanley Kubricks classics, a pinnacle and landmark of his achievements but is now often more critically mauled for just being another vehicle for Kubrick to make a film look pretty with his legendary imagery. Stephen King himself criticised the films lack of focus on issues such as 'disintegration of family', and the alcoholism subplot was barely touched so he was inclined to be part of a tv mini series in 1997 (only lukewarm reviews) which restored the adaptation faithfully, but what ever your opinions are of the adaptation there is no denying that this is film making at its best. As with over classics the sheer amount of quotability and iconicness and has always surrounded this film as a masterpiece. I don't think it's perfect my any means especially in terms of really deep character development, but the musical scores, the twisted imagery and the psychological torment on offer here, still smother practically every horror film since, even 29 years after its release. The relentless tension and pace keeps you so engaged that the 2 hour europeon cut flys by remarkably quickly. Whats also worth noting is that though there are minimal characters there is never a sense of boredom, the theme of isolation in what is essentially a 'haunted house' tale is really focused on and driven in deep. Overall it is still one of the most frightening films ever made due to its artistic filmography, its graphic imagery and possibly the best musical accompaniment to any horror film. A true genre classic that hasn't aged at all. I prefer the extended version which pads out the film with more detail, and thankfully doesn't quell the monstrous mood or Shelley Duvall's outstanding role here.

Final Score: 86/100.