Review of Lolita (1962) by Matt F — 17 Dec 2011

"Lolita", one of my all-time favourites and one of Kubrick's very best works, is both likeable and disturbing, sometimes simultaneously. The subject matter - namely sexual deviance and obsession - remain unsettling, even with the author of the (at the time) scandalous book penning a much more sanitized screenplay.

In this sense, the effect of the censorship board's power in 1962 (the year this film was released) made for necessarily subtle sexual references that, while tame by today's standards, often function as really funny sight gags.

In fact, the approach by Kubrick to make this film as a predominantly dark comedy has led to this film ageing gracefully, with the director's always immaculate cinematography and production design looking more and more handsome to the eye as the years pass.

In addition, the performances in the principal characters are all top-notch, particularly Shelley Winters as the horniest widow you'll ever meet and the then-16 Sue Lyon as the childish, but still undeniably sexy title character.

This film works as both a comedy and a peculiar study of the consequences of such illicit desires. It's also on my "movie bucket list" - in other words, you definitely have to see this one before you kick the bucket.