Why is Stanley Kubrick classed as one of the greatest directors?
While having an interest for movies, but more concise, good movies, you hear about different actors, producers, directors, filmmakers etc, but one person has come up a lot while researching information. Stanley Kubrick has been mentioned a lot in my research, so hearing about this film maker I watched a few of his movies.
I watched his early short films (Flying Padre, Day of the Fight and The Seafarers), they were alright, so I then watched some of his more acclaimed and more well know films like Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket. After watching them I didn't think they were bad films but I didn't think they were the best films I have ever seen, like a lot of people say they were.
So thinking about this I was wondering why people class him as one of the best directors ever, I have heard that it is because cinematography as he was previously a photographer. Or was it that he could get the best performances out of actors? I was just wanting to know why people class him as the best director, and knowing, was it me who just doesn't like his story plots or is he outdated and his movies don't connect with modern day audiences? So I was asking anyone to give input to reasons to his fame.
Best Answer
A brief summary of Stanley Kubrick's Films:
Sparatcus (1960)
Nominated for 6 Academy awards, winner of 4.
96% on Rotten TomatoesLolita (1962)
4 Golden Globe award nominations
1 BAFTA award nomination
1 Academy award nomination
95% on Rotten TomatoesDr. Strangelove (1964)
99% on Rotten Tomatoes
4 Academy award nominations
7 BAFTA award nomibations (4 wins)2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
96% on Rotten Tomatoes
made more than 190 million dollars
3 Academy award nominations (1 win)A Clockwork Orange (1971)
89% on Rotten Tomatoes
Barry London (1975)
96% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Shining (1980)
Made 44 million against a budget of 19 million
92% on Rotten TomatoesFull Metal Jacket (1987)
Made 46 million
94% on Rotten TomatoesEyes Wide Shut (1999)
74% on Rotten Tomatoes
made 55 million dollars
Nominated for several awards.
Additional points:
On a personal level (since the question is also slightly subjective), I have watched The Shining and Full Metal Jacket, and they are among my favorite films ever.
Kubrick often picked very controversial and complex stories which others found too difficult to make a movie on. eg. - Lolita and Clockwork orange.
Check AFI's 100 years 100 films/thrills/..., Kubrick's films are all over these.
Summing it up, Kubrick was indeed very successful at his trade. His films enjoyed both critical & commercial success. His films won a lot of awards. That is why he is considered among the best (by a lot of people)
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Why Stanley Kubrick is considered one of the best directors of all time?
Stanley Kubrick is one of the greatest directors of all time. He worked hard and obsessed over every detail in every frame. His best films not only exude this authoritarian control, but they also talk about our relationship with the world he presents.Why is Kubrick so influential?
Stanley Kubrick was a very influential and controversial director. His films were noted for their unique cinematography, attention to detail and an inspired use of music scores. Kubrick covered many genres, including horror, comedy and science fiction.Who is considered the greatest film director of all time?
50 Directors and 100 Must-See MoviesMovieMaker Magazine - 25 Most Influential Directors of All-Time (2002)1. Alfred Hitchcock14. John Cassavetes2. D.W. Griffith15. Billy Wilder3. Orson Welles16. Jean Renoir4. Jean-Luc Godard17. Francis Ford Coppola9 more rowsWhy is Stanley Kubrick considered a genius?
The name Stanley Kubrick brings to mind cinema, perfection, symmetry, and depth. A director so good that conspiracy theorists believed that he directed fake moon landing. Kubrick was a cinematic connoisseur.Stanley Kubrick - The Greatest Filmmaker of All Time
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Answer 2
Few if any directors controlled their sets, props, lighting and cameras like Kubrick - I honestly don't think anyone would be allowed to do that to the extents he went to on a modern film. Watch 'Room 237' about the making of 'The Shining' - you'll see some real precision and use of visual metaphor at work.
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