Product Description
Garcia Mainar's critical study of the films of the late Stanley Kubrick includes analysis of all but his last work, Eyes Wide Shut, and offers both a formal analysis of the films based on style and narrative pattern, and a theoretical, postmodernist approach to ideas presented in the films. Garcia Mainar is particularly concerned with analyzing the relevance of spectacle in Kubrick's films, seeing it as a disruptive mechanism that can call into question the value and necessity of communication. He identifies different kinds of spectacle in the films, and proceeds to a detailed examination of these different forms in 2001 A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, and Full Metal Jacket. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Narrative and stylistic patterns in reviewing Kubrick...
It's about time someone would write up a profound review onsuch a profound director. Such a book should be almost the cinematiccontra to the excellent review, "Rhetoric of fiction", by Wayne C. Booth, where he examines the question: "Where does the real story lie?", to which th answer is, ofcourse, in the reader/viewer's mind, and not on the screen, or in the pages of the book. But this book is not such... Such examples are lacking in the book, which is very interesting, there's no mistake in it, but it doesn't examine the purpose of such narrative and stylistic tools, but only very broadly points them out.

Still, very good. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Stanley Kubrick is one of our most brilliant, innovative anddifficult filmmakers. Norman Kagan's analysis cuts a lucid paththrough those difficulties. He summarizes the plots of each ofKubrick's films, providing a running commentary as he goes along. Hemoreover lists thematic obsessions that run through all the films hedescribes, offering an intriguing sense of Kubrick's career as awhole. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Absolute rubbish! Hideously inaccurate and lacking in insight.
If you're looking for a collection of poorly-written and badly inaccurate plot summaries of Kubrick's work set alongside a summary of critics' reviews of his films, this is the book for you. Really a terrible work. There's literally LESS here than you would get from watching the films yourself and consulting the some of the fine Kubrick sites on the web which collect far more insightful critiques verbatim.

Worthless
I don't know why film critics think they can get away with this kind of thing. Imagine if somebody tried to "critique" a novel, a CD, or any other type of work by retelling the narrative (or lyrics, or whatever) in his own words. Dismissed without a second thought, needless to say. But film critics write 'em and get 'em published. To what end, I don't know.

That said, this book plumbs new depths in that it's ALL the author does. There's no technical background or critical apparatus at all,merely scene by scene retellings of the films along with a bit of blather about "themes". The book's errors have been mentioned, but it should be reiterated that these are of a number and level of ignorance that's truly jaw-dropping. (My favorite is Kagan's identification of the drunken Shriners of "Killer's Kiss" as "some kind of street entertainers".)

One of these days, Kubrick will get the film-by-film analysis he deserves. This one ain't even a beginning.

One wonders why Kagan bothered
Kagan's tome on the works of Stanley Kubrick breaks ranks with the films it seeks to illuminate by accomplishing something those works do not - Kagan's tome is terribly BORING and ultimately says very little about the subjects it hopes to explore.

Yes, the Third Edition covers every Kubrick film right up to Eyes Wide Shut, claiming to be the only book on Kubrick to do so. Even if that boast is true, it does very little to address the glaring flaws that make this book one to be avoided.

While all of Kubrick's films are covered, most of the text on each are rambling, haphazardly written summaries of the films' plots, information we presume a student of Kubrick will find wholly unnecessarily. Worse still, he often spends more time summarizing than examining; 21 pages are devoted to regurgitating the plot of Dr. Strangelove, for instance, with just 11 pages devoted to examining the film. Kagan throws a bit of editorial comment into those summaries, but such content is sparse and rarely enlightening.

The summaries are preceded by a brief - sometimes as brief as a paragraph or two - bit of text introducing the film. Generally speaking, entirely worthless.

Finally, each summary is followed by a half-hearted, and often too brief, attempt to examine the themes of the film and how Kubrick attempted to display those themes. Kagan manages to cut and paste portions of reviews that back his observations, but he rarely presents them in such a way to truly bolster his argument (or make the argument interesting for the reader), and for stretches one wonders just how much actual WRITING Kagan did. These thematic explorations are often so brief as to be frustrating, too. Barry Lyndon fans, for instance, will wonder if Kagan even SAW the film based on the two whole pages it gets.

In the end, however, the book fails because it offers the reader no real insight into the cinema of Stanley Kubrick. Not in the creation of these films; the production; the historical importance; the cinematic importance. Virtually nothing is offered on the history of these productions, how Kubrick went about creating each film, notes of interest, or reasons why the films stand out from the pack - things one would think are essential in a boom called "The Cinema of Stanley Kubrick."

So why two stars for a book so, well, bad? It is a valuable resource in that it summarizes some Kubrick films no longer readily available for viewing. Kubrick students may find some of use for this book in that, at least. Other than that:

SKIP THIS BOOK.

An Inept Excuse For A Bad Thesis
I have a theory: Kagan needed to write a thesis.He decided that Kubrick's work demonstrated the repetition of certain themes, and decided to "argue" accordingly.He wrote synopsis' of all Kubrick's films, then added a few pages to the end of each to justify his [Kagan's] "arguments".

And voila -- a thesis, a C-, and next year it's the PHD...

This is sophomore stuff.If you want critical insight read Nelson; if you want Bio, read Lobrutto; scandal, read Baxter; character, read Herr or Raphael; general information, read Cimet or Walker.

A Shiner for Kubrick criticism.
The main problem with this book is the overall sloppy job of writing. It is clear that the author failed to take notes during the films, for his descriptions are filled with incorrect statements about things as basic as the story and other errors. In his analysis of The Shining, for example, he spends a few pages recounting the plot. In doing so, however, he switches many of the events around and getting them out of order. Furthermore, he also has a habit of getting the names of characters mixed up, or getting the wrongs names altogether. If you're looking for a much better book on Kubrick, try Thomas Nelson's Kubrick: Inside a Film Artist's Maze. ... Read more

Product Description
The classic study of Kubrick--available once again and fully updated

If Stanley Kubrick had made only 2001: A Space Odyssey or Dr. Strangelove, his cinematic legacy would have been assured. But from his first feature film, Fear and Desire, to the posthumously released Eyes Wide Shut, Kubrick created an accomplished body of work unique in its scope, diversity, and artistry, and by turns both lauded and controversial.

In this newly revised and definitive edition of his now classic study, film critic Michel Ciment provides an insightful examination of Kubrick's thirteen films-including such favorites as Lolita, A Clockwork Orange, and Full Metal Jacket-alongside an assemblage of more than four hundred photographs that form a complementary photo essay. Rounding out this unique work are a short biography of Kubrick; interviews with the director, as well as cast and crew members, including Malcolm McDowell, Shelley Duvall, and Jack Nicholson; and a detailed filmography and bibliography.

Meshed with masterful integrity, the book's text and illustrations pay homage to one of the most visionary, original, and demanding filmmakers of our time.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Must-Have
I know it's been said before, though never with this sense of urgency: this book is a MUST HAVE for anyone into Kubrick's work, anyone with a passion for film-making or simply anyone looking for a great book on art & film. Profusely illustrated with rarely seen images and written in a style that goes from the intimate to the most general aspects of Kubrick's life, going through this book will make you feel like an acquaintance of the great master witnessing a friendly discussion on set. A must have indeed.

Kubrick-The Definitive Edition
One of the most interesting books I have read on Kubrick.Plenty of set photos. A great addition to any Kubrick library.

An excellent overview of entire Kubrick's career
With Stanley Kubrick dead and his final film released, Michael Ciment had the opportunity to update his biography/analysis of the great director's career. Rather than rewrite the entire book, he's decided to update it with new interviews and an additional chapter or two on Eyes Wide Shut. (The previous edition was updated to include Full Metal Jacket.) He's also added a lot more photographs --- stills from the films and images of Kubrick at work. The photos of Kubrick working on EWS are particularly interesting.

Early in the book, after a short biographical chapter, Ciment goes through a list of common motifs in Kubrick's films. These include the use of masks, actors in dual roles, character playing games such as chess and cards within the film, circular set design, and a close shot of a main character's eye. Because this section was not updated to include Full Metal Jacket or Eyes Wide Shut, you can decide for yourself if these motifs were carried on in the those two films. (In my opinion, many of the motifs are not found in his last two films.)

This is followed by an essay on 'Kubrick and the Fantastic,' a dull and pretentious piece that doesn't add much. It leads to the best part of the book, the second half, in which Kubrick and his collaborators are interviewed. Kubrick responds to questions with answers that are full of information, but he's evasive when he describes his own films. Later on, the author explains why: Kubrick felt his movies should be self-explanatory (after multiple viewings) and didn't like the "What's this movie about?" question.

The interviews with actors, set designers, co-writers, and costume designers are very good. Everyone has the same reaction: Kubrick exasperated them as he demanded their best work . . . but they wouldn't trade that experience for anything in the world. It's a testament to Kubrick that he choose people who were not petty. (The only sour note is Frederick Raphael, the co-screenwriter for Eyes Wide Shut. He seems smart, but not in Kubrick's league.)

If you're a casual Kubrick fan, this book is a worthwhile introduction. The photos are very good and, as an overview, it's excellent. It is, however, pretentious at times in the analysis of the films. For the hardcore Kubrick fan who has read (or is planning to read) everything on the director, this book ranks third or fourth. Read Baxter's and Herr's books first.

We were waiting
This book has been held in high regard ever since it first appeared.Earlier editions were becoming collectible and were always disappearing from libraries.

I guess it was safe for a reappearance following the passing of Stanley Kubrick and the completion of his body of work.The book has been reworked beautifully, including all of the amazing color photos, essays, and interviews from before plus some new additions, namely chapters on Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut chapters.There are additional interviews with various collaborators.

In short, in the wake of Kubrick books that sprouted up following the director's death in 1999, Ciment's Kubrick ranks right at the top.It's a gorgeous volume, and the interviews (done by Ciment following Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, and The Shining) are some of the most enlightening words from the director.

Highly recommended for the Kubrick fan and the film buff.Also recommended is Thomas Allen Nelson's Kubrick: Inside a Film Artist's Maze.

DEFINITIVE, INDEED!
I am glad Mr. Ciment waited until Kubrick's oeuvre was completed before updating what is, indeed, the very last word on this very unique artist's films.Everything is here from the first edition which was out-of-print for quite awhile plus the films that were made after.With Stanley Kubrick's death we now have the very best study of the themes, techniques and recurring visions of a very singular artist.Anyone who wants to understand the evolution of Stanley Kubrick can disregard all the other flawed books out there and put this one on the shelf as a keeper.With detailed analysis and tons of pictures, any serious fan of his films will appreciate this as only the subtitle says it is - the definitive edition. ... Read more

Product Description
Noted publicly for such films as Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining, among others, privately Stanley Kubrick lives in seclusion. Now biographer John Baxter breaks through the mystique to reveal the man behind the movies, timed to coincide with the release of Kubrick's latest film--Eyes Wide Shut. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Vampiric Baxterization
Skip this one!
Like a deaf dumb and blind troll attempting to describe why he thinks Rodin's The Thinker aint so great.
Anyone with even a passing familiarity with the real Stanley Kubrick will quickly suss out what a snarky gossipy little twit this author is.

Distortions, misquotes, anecdotes taken out of context -- every chapter larded withLord Baxter's porky opinion masquerading as enlightened analysis.
Cinema parasitism at its worst.
Baxter should stick with Page 6 trash at the Daily Mail.

Never thought I'd ever be sympathetic with Ken Russell, but noticing
that he's already suffered this same sort of Baxterization gives me pause.

Enigma
Stanley Kubrick was an enigma of a man.Because of the secrecy that shrouded his life, there is much that fans of his work may never know.John Baxter's work is gives insight mostly into Kubrick's films and their creation.

Baxter's first two chapters seem irrelevant and tedious in the scope of the book.They only serve to allow Baxter to praise Kubrick's work.After these chapters, we are introduced to Stanley's growth and development in films.Kubrick's early films which he thought were bad in hindsight, show his growth and experimentation.Going through his other films, I found the chapters which discussed "A Clockwork Orange" and "2001" to be the best presented.This is adventageous because these are his best loved films.

I believe that it was merciful for "Eyes Wide Shut" to be given so little coverage since Kubrick never truly was able to put his final stamp on the film.He tinkered with work often up until days before its release.Aside from his horrid choice of actors, his death left this work unfinished.

Kubrick's idiosincrisies, including his fear of cars, flying, and distrust for machines, are discussed in the book.While they may seem irrevelant, these discussions help us to know who Kubrick was.The discussions are no more irrelevant than some sections of the book which talk about events regarding his movies that have little to do with the overall picture.Also, I felt it was unnecessary to go into discussion of every script he rejected.Some ideas he rejected to quickly to be important enough to mention.

I was grateful that Baxter mentioned "Artificial Intelligence", being developed by Kubrick.Fans are curious as to how his final script may have looked.I am certain that it would have been better than Speilberg's.

A Suetonian Biography!
Uncompromising to Stanley Kubrick, STANLEY KUBRICK: A BIOGRAPHY (c.1997) by John Baxter, is a first order inquiry which took the Suetonian view towards biography and depicted its subject as a gelid autuer director motivated by an obsessive/compulsive need to control his environment in order to materialize his artistic vision on film. John Baxter focused on the opinions, observations, and views of those who worked for Stanley Kubrick; and also those who claimed to have been alienated by him.

Apparently following the advice of former British prime minister Lloyd George when that prime minister stated:"All biographies should be written by an acute enemy", John Baxter picked up on every error, mistake, and indecision of Stanley Kubrick in the course of his career. This gave Stanley Kubrick a historical perspective which included a somewhat realistic account of the man behind some of America's most influential motion pictures ever produced.

Yet biography is not history and John Baxter's work contained some obvious logical and historic errors as when he included a photograph indicating actress Ms. Suzanne Christiane as Kubrick's future second wife; or in his bibliography giving Vincent LoBrutto's book of Kubrick a copyright of 1996- yet in Lobrutto's work, the T.P. verso indicated 1997 as the copyright.

Kubrick's intelligence, or motive, was also brought into question by John Baxter as he included in his book an explanation of Kubrick's compulsive notetaking by erudite British actress Ms. Adrienne Corri that "All this notetaking is just a way of accumulating what other people know" and also, "He (Kubrick) was not an intelligent or a curious man". But one need only to have seen in 1968 the premeire of'2001: A Space Odyssey' in 'Cinerama' (with the wrap-around screen) to be convinced that there was a brilliance behind its direction. But Baxter alluded to brilliance only in the sense of a Bobby Fischer or of a Thomas Edison - that is, brilliant in a limited and focused capacity.

While John Baxter's bibliography on Stanley Kubrick included some obvious short-comings to the careful reader, it also contained some undeniable eyewitness observations of the subject's character.

A good book to read in accompany with John Baxter's view is: 'STANLEY KUBRICK: A Biography'(c.1997) by Vincent LoBrutto, which gives a kinder Plutarchian view of its subject. It would be advantageous to also read: 'STANLEY KUBRICK: A Life In Pictures' (c. 2002) by Mrs. Suzanne Kubrick, with her objective collection of mostly black & white Kubrick photographs, mostly shot in his studios.

With new information appearing all the time, the definitive biography on Stanley Kubrick has yet to be written (there are 400 biographies on Mahatma Ghandi) and both John Baxter and Vincent LoBrutto's account are good starting points on the life of Stanley Kubrick.

Enjoyable read for non-expert movie lovers.
Helps you realize why you love Kubrick, if you can read between the lines and if you don't get fixated on the tales of Kubrickophobism. While entertaining, they are not all that the book is about. The author does not present Kubricks work in 5-syllable Aestheto-socio-philosophical terms, nor does he fuss about the geometrical aspects of panning and scanning, yet he encourages you to re-visit Kubrick, and multiply your viewing experince!

Not a text book, for sure!

A look at the man, not the movies
Not being a Kubrick fundi and not knowing all that much about the man behind the (enormous) myth, I found this book readable and interesting.I have to agree that it does not contain much in the way of analysis of Kubrick's movies, but that is probably not what the author had set out to do.It would have been a colossal and much less accessible work had he dealt at length with each of the movies.

What I cannot understand is the reaction of some of the reviewers, saying that the author was intent on crucifying Kubrick.That was certainly not my impression when I read the book, but then I do not regard Kubrick as per se a wonderful person becasue he made acclaimed movies.He comes across as a much warmer and more human person than I expected, give his reclusive lifestyle, but also as someone who had some flaws, like an inability to start and finish projects.And that is also what was said about him after his death, so I think Baxter is maybe not that far off the mark in his portrayal. ... Read more

Product Description

    Director of some of the most controversial films of the twentieth century, Stanley Kubrick created a reputation as a Hollywood outsider as well as a cinematic genius. His diverse yet relatively small oeuvre—he directed only thirteen films during a career that spanned more than four decades—covers a broad range of the themes that shaped his century and continues to shape the twenty-first: war and crime, gender relations and class conflict, racism, and the fate of individual agency in a world of increasing social surveillance and control. 
    In Depth of Field, leading screenwriters and scholars analyze Kubrick's films from a variety of perspectives. They examine such groundbreaking classics as Dr. Strangelove and 2001: A Space Odyssey and later films whose critical reputations are still in flux. Depth of Field ends with three viewpoints on Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut, placing it in the contexts of film history, the history and theory of psychoanalysis, and the sociology of sex and power. Probing Kubrick's whole body of work, Depth of Field is the first truly multidisciplinary study of one of the most innovative and controversial filmmakers of the twentieth century.

Product Description
The Pocket Essential Stanley Kubrick by Paul Duncan "The grandmaster of filmmaking" Stephen Spielberg Kubrick Lives! As soon as news came in that Stanley Kubrick had died in his sleep, everyone was there to praise him. He was a grandmaster, a titan, the last of the great old-time directors. This is true, but it makes him sound as though he was behind the times which, when you watch his films, is obviously not the case. Kubrick-s work, like all masterpieces, have a timeless quality. His vision is so complete, the detail so meticulous, that you believe you are in the three-dimensional space displayed on a two-dimensional screen. Kubrick may be dead, but his films live. Kubrick was one of those rare directors who was both commercial AND artistic. This is because he was not afraid to embrace traditional genres (War, Crime, Sex, SF, Horror, Love) and, at the same time, stretch the boundaries of film with controversial themes: underage sex in Lolita; ultraviolence in A Clockwork Orange; erotica in Eyes Wide Shut. What-s in it? As well as an introductory essay, each of Kubrick-s films is reviewed and analysed, including his last film, the sexually-explicit and controversial Eyes Wide Shut. This is the first time ALL Kubrick-s films have been featured in one book. An exciting new series of Info Books. Pocket Essentials is a new series for the MTV generation brought up in the three-minute culture. Short, snappy text. Easy to read. Rivetting. Enthusiastic. Fresh. Critical. Packed with facts, backed up with opinion, crammed with information, this is the first step into the world of films and books. This series will spotlight film directors. Paul Duncan is co-founder of Crime Time magazine, edited The Third Degree:Crime Writers In Conversation (available from No Exit), and has written a biography of Gerald Kersh and the Pocket Essential Alfred Hitchcock. Praise for Paul Duncan-s previous book: The Third Degree:Crime Writers In Conversation: "Outstanding-guaranteed to intrigue anyone interested in what makes contemporary fiction tick." ... Read more

Product Description
The screenplay for Stanley Kubrick’s disturbing and exhilarating masterpiece, featuring 800 film stills chosen by the director.

This unique illustrated screenplay features 800 still images from “A Clockwork Orange,” selected by Stanley Kubrick when the film was first released in 1971. As Kubrick comments in his introduction: “I have always wondered if there might be a more meaningful way to present a book about a film. To make, as it were, a complete graphic representation of the film, cut by cut, with the dialogue printed in the proper place in relation to the cuts, so that within the limits of still photos and words, an accurate (and I hope interesting) record of a film might be available… This book represents that attempt.”

Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel by Anthony Burgess. ... Read more

Product Description
The Wolf at the Door explores the remarkable formal and substantive patterns of cinematic discourse on Germany and the Holocaust in Stanley Kubrick's films. It is the first book on Kubrick to place his cinema into the full context of his life and times-his Jewish past, early years spent under the shadows of fascism and war, and his 1957 marriage into a German family of artists and filmmakers-all provoked his deeply ambivalent preoccupation with the history of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. While personal and artistic reservations caused Kubrick to abandon several plans for a film on the Holocaust, this preoccupation combined with related cultural discourses in the 1970s, and culminated in a curiously indirect but compelling Holocaust subtext in his 1980 horror film, The Shining. The Wolf at the Door draws on intensive study of all of Kubrick's films, interviews with members of Kubrick's immediate family, and archival research in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Israel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I was a skeptic...
until I took his class - now this book goes further into a connection that you will continue to think about everytime you watch Kubric's movies. Read it...watch the movies again ...then read the book... it has literally changed the way I view movies! ... Read more

Product Description
This text covers all of Kubrick's films, including his final one "Eyes Wide Shut", looking at classics such as "Lolita", "Dr. Strangelove", "A Clockwork Orange" and "The Shining". It also considers the director's idiosyncratic style of film-making and his distrust of the major film studios. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent analysis but not a complete survey.
This slim, yet concise book provides an excellent behind the scenes look at one of filmdom's most famous directors.James Howard has done an excellent job of demolishing the myths which surround Kubrick andpresenting a fascinating portrait of a virtuoso whose eye for detail is arguably unsurpassed in film history.Howard reveals that Kubrick'sslavish attention to details was such that he considered placingtoothbrushes on the set of BARRY LYNDON which were authentic in details tothose actually used in the nineteenth century.

My primary criticism ofthe book is that it was billed as "complete survey of Kubrick's career-- including EYES WIDE SHUT."Well, yes and no.Though the book didinclude a chapter on Kubrick's last film, I was disappointed to find thatHoward had written the book before the film's release.Commentary onKubrick's swansong are thus limited to rumors of the sort which Howarddiligently sought to dispel in the earlier chapters of the book. Apparently, the book was rushed into publication to coincide with therelease of EYES WIDE SHUT and to cash in on Kubrick's untimely death.If asecond, revised edition were to be released (which included Howard'sknowledgeable critique of Kubrick's last film) this book would merit fourstars.Recommended with reservations.

Interesting yet slightly flawed overview of Kubrick's films
I would really love to give this book three and a half stars, but unfortunately that's not an option here. This book gives a detailed account of Kubrick's films, including history of the shooting, cast and crewcomments, and excellent photos. The only problem I have with the book isthe author's completely biased view of Kubrick. I understand that having afan write the book makes perfect sense, but any quote that is of a vaguelynegative nature toward Kubrick is treated with total horror and disdain.Kubrick was a genius -- there's no doubt about that -- but he was notperfect, and Howard refuses to acknowledge this.

That particular issueaside, this book is essential for anyone who's a fan of the late, greatStanley Kubrick.

Highly recommended for Stanley Kubrick's film fans.
James Howard's Stanley Kubrick Companion surveys all the films of Kubrick's career, including Eyes Wide Shut, his 1999 latest. Chapters examine plots, approaches, and styles unique to Kubrick's film projects.This is a highly recommended pick for students of film in general andscience fiction film in particular.

Great Addition to Film Library--A Wealth of Info
This is the third book about Kubrick's work I have and all three are immense in information.This one is particularly good in that it has lots of good photos, is easily readable, and offers extensive information on allof Kubrick's films, right down to the insignificant details that otherbooks overlook.Example: it recounts all of the projects that Kubrickplanned on working on such as A.I and his long-awaited Napoleon film.Itgoes into tons of details about the making of each film, the criticalreaction, Kubrick's little touches, follow-ups and other spin-offs eachmovie produced, in short everything about each of Kubrick's films.Also,complete and accurate summaries of each plot, cast and credits lists, lotsof photos of the rarely-seen director and even much kind insight as to thedirector's personality and private life on his English estate.I was alittle disappointed that Howard didn't wait another four or five months sohe could include all of the details about Eyes Wide Shut as well, becausenow all that exists are rumors and info about the making of the film, butits distracting to read about the movie being top-secret when now it haslong been out in the open.Anyway the book is packed with facts for anyfan.

re previous review
Not really a review, this, but a comment on the review by Lee Hill.

Thanks, Lee for your review, and glad you enjoyed the book.

However, I might just correct one small point - I have not read either of the Kubrick biographies by John Baxter or Vincent LoBrutto (Ideliberately avoided them, as they were published while I was working on myown book and I didn't want to be influenced by them one way or another),and I certainly don't mention either of these authors anywhere in mybook.

If I do 'carp' about other biographers (and I hope I don't) then itis only at the laziness and inaccuracy which leads them to repeatunsubstantiated rumours and myths - something I deliberately aimed todispel.

Anyway, please don't take this as a major complaint, and I doappreciate you taking the time to review the book.

(Incidentally, if itseems conceited that I gave the book a five star rating, I only did sobecause it is not possible to submit text without a rating attached, andyou wouldn't expect me to give it a lousy review would you ?) ... Read more

Product Description
Stanley Kubrick had a great talent for creating memorable images-such as his famous jump cut from a bone tossed into the prehistoric sky to a spaceship orbiting the earth in 2001. Like the composer of a great symphony, Kubrick also had the ability to draw his memorable moments into a lyrical whole. Balancing harmony with discord, he kept viewers on edge by constantly shifting relationships among the dramatic elements in his movies. The results often confounded expectations and provoked controversy, right up through Eyes Wide Shut, the last film of his life. This book is an intensive, scene-by-scene analysis of Kubrick's most mature work-seven meticulously wrought films, from Dr. Strangelove to Eyes Wide Shut. In these films, Kubrick dramatized the complexity and mutability of the human struggle, in settings so diverse that some critics have failed to see the common threads. Rasmussen traces those threads and reveals the always shifting, always memorable, always passionately rendered pattern. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Wonderfully Exhaustive Analysis
This is almost an academic text that examines every possible nook and cranny of Kubrick's last seven films (Strangelove, 2001, Clockwork, Lyndon, Shining, Full Metal and Eyes Wide Shut). Though certain technical and historical aspects are noted, Rasmussen focuses on the stories, themes and concepts of the films themselves. Each film is given its own chapter where an almost scene by scene analysis dissects their unique symbolic elements, psychological themes and aesthetic qualities. "Stanley Kubrick : 7 Films Analyzed" is either a great companion for admirers, or a 'skeleton key' for those that never fully understood what made Kubrick such a important figure in modern cinema. ... Read more

Product Description
Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the most ambitious films ever made, an epic of space exploration that takes in the whole history of humanity (as well as speculation about its future). Haunting and enigmatic, the film contains myriad images that seem to defy explanation. In this multi-layered study, acclaimed critic and theorist of film sound Michel Chionoffers some keys to understanding 2001. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

flawed but worthwhile
This analysis of 2001 is one of the most unique and enlightening I've read to date.It finally acknowledges Kubrick's brilliant use of sound and music which few other directors besides Godard and Scorsese have ever rivaled.It's utterly perplexing, however, that for all of Chion's insights he fails to even acknowledge Kubrick's manipulation of Ligeti's "Adventures" for the alien sounds in the 18th Century bedroom sequence (and the composer's successful legal action for this alteration.)His interpretation of "Eyes Wide Shut" is simply bizarre and neglects to regard the return of Ligeti's music and its insistent and concise use in the film.Regardless, Chion's book certainly expands on the formal understanding of what still remains the greatest film ever made.

A Poor Examination
I have enjoyed the film "2001" countless times, and decided to buy this book; what a waste of time. This book offers little other than very basic scene analyisis, and some general (and fairly weak) speculations about the film. I was also supprised that the author was mistaken about which characters were in what scenes, and seemed to think that both Frank and Dave are interchangble. A large portion of the book doesn't even pertain to 2001, and mostly served as an excuse for the author to promote his other books, which he shamlessly suggests you buy. Well I'm sorry I got this book and certainly won't be purchasing any of his other books. If you want a book about 2001, I suggest looking elsewhere; as I will be! ... Read more

Product Description
Many of Stanley Kubrick's films are often interpreted as cold and ambiguous. Whether viewing Barry Lyndon, 2001, The Shining, or Eyes Wide Shut, there is a sense in which these films resist their own audiences, creating a distance from them. Though many note the coldness of Kubrick's films, a smaller number attempt to explore exactly how his body of work elicits this particular reaction. Fewer still attempt to articulate what it might mean to _feel_ Stanley Kubrick's films. In The Kubrick Facade, Jason Sperb examines the narrative ambiguity of the director's films_from the voice-over narration in early works, including the once forgotten Fear and Desire_to the blank faces of characters in his later ones. In doing so, Sperb shows how both devices struggle in vain to make sense of the chaos and sterility of the cinematic surface. ... Read more

Product Description
We've all heard the rumors.

He was a hermit. He refused to fly and wouldn't be driven at more than thirty miles an hour. He avoided having his picture taken and was terrified of being assassinated. As a filmmaker, he was obsessed with perfection. He insisted on total control of every facet of the process. Simple scenes required one hundred takes. No wonder he made only six movies in the past thirty-five years.

But what was he really like?

For more than two years, Frederic Raphael collaborated closely with Stanley Kubrick on the screenplay of what was to be the director's final movie, Eyes Wide Shut. Over time, as his professional caution was replaced by a certain affection, Kubrick lowered his guard for Raphael as he never had with journalists or biographers, to reveal much about his early life in the cinema and of the reverses and humiliations he had to endure. They spoke for hours about a variety of subjects, from Julius Caesar to the Holocaust, from Kubrick's views about other directors to reminiscences of the many stars with whom both men had worked (or nearly worked)--Kirk Douglas, Audrey Hepburn, James Mason, Peter Sellers, Marisa Berenson, Sterling Hayden, Marlon Brando, and Gregory Peck.

Here, with his own distinctly cinematic style, Raphael chronicles their often fiery exchanges, capturing Kubrick's voice as no one else could. Disdaining false veneration, he opens our eyes to the mind and art of a truly complex and hitherto elusive twentieth-century genius.
Amazon.com Review
Hurriedly published to coincide with the July 1999 release of Stanley Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut, this slim, rather obviously titled volume by the film's distinguished screenwriter offers considerably less than its cover copy leads you to expect. But for avid followers of Kubrick's career, even a cursory glimpse of the late director's lifestyle and creative methods will prove to be fascinating. And while Frederic Raphael instantly drew criticism and controversy from Kubrick's family and friends for describing Kubrick as "the sedentary wandering Jew, rootlessly rooted within his own defenses," this and other remarks must be considered in context. Eyes Wide Open must ultimately be seen to reflect Raphael's conflicting emotions about a filmmaker he clearly admires and respects, even if their collaboration resulted in equal parts elation, exasperation, and hard-won rewards.

Using notebook entries, vivid recollection, and re-created scenes in screenplay format, Raphael paints a portrait as revealing of himself (if not more so) than of Kubrick, and neither man comes across without blemish. Simultaneously self-indulgent, frustrating, and fascinating in its attempt to probe Kubrick's closely guarded psyche (a mission Raphael ultimately fails to accomplish), the book finally reveals--in fragments of sensitive insight--that Kubrick's reputation as a reclusive genius did in fact hide a very complex, intensely intelligent, and surprisingly human being. In one passage Raphael observes that "Stanley was so determined to be aloof and unfeeling that my heart went out to him. Somewhere along the line he was still the kid in the playground who had been no one's first choice to play with." Whether such observations are an accurate representation of Kubrick's personality is beside the point; that Raphael made the observation speaks volumes of both men, and this book is filled with similar revelations.

In addition to offering a privileged look at Kubrick's collaborative process, the book also reveals elusive details about Kubrick the man--pet lover, intellectual challenger, gracious host--and the result is a warmer image of him than that afforded by decades of distant speculation by journalists too willing to perpetuate the "myth" of Kubrick as omnipotent genius. If Raphael's book invites criticism and charges of blatant opportunism (with Kubrick unable to defend himself), it also provides a rare and often fascinating look at an artist who constantly eluded the gaze of outsiders. Raphael takes us inside Kubrick's gated domain, and we're grateful for the visit. If the truth resides somewhere between the protest of Kubrick's family and the insights presented here, we can at least use this book as a guide through previously uncharted territory. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

Why are the most negative reviews ranked as "most helpful"?
No one likes an iconoclast. But why should Raphael be so disparaged for trying to humanize Kubrick and not worship him?

Does Raphael come across as mildly effete, moderately self-absorbed and overly intellectual? Absolutely. He also makes the mistake of hoping for a collaboration with Kubrick while approaching him from the outset as an opponent.None of that takes away from the fact that this is an incredibly interesting and insightful read.Does it ultimately reveal as much about Raphael as it does about Kubrick? It does.It is "A Memoir of Stanley Kubrick" not a work of unbiased journalism.

Those reviewers who have a more limited knowledge of cinematic history, choose to conclude that Raphael was envious of Kubrick's greater fame.But Raphael was superbly successful in his own right long before Kubrick came calling.A more careful read reveals that the highly-schooled Raphael sparred with the autodidactic Kubrick, and the two played their unfortunate game to a draw.In the end, it's Kubrick who seems the cagier but also gentler soul. We're left to wonder if they may have worked together better had Raphael not so focused on disassembling, but never actually solving, the Kubrick enigma. None of that takes away from Raphael's very personal accounting.

For those too timid to have the myth of their cinematic God challenged, by all means go read Herr's "Kubrick" for a more respectful portrait.But if you're looking for a sense of the frustrations and rewards of working sometimes for sometimes with one of the giants of cinema and are willing to finish with a sense of his imperfection as well as supreme talent, read this.I couldn't put it down.

The epitome of self indulgence
I'm not even sure where to begin.I've had interest in reading this book for some time, but finally forced myself after reading Traumnovelle, by Schnitzler (which I loved!).Unfortunately this book was horribly rushed, written in only a few months in order to have it ready for publishers and print by the release date of Eyes Wide Shut in 1999.The book is very self indulgent, verbose, and seems to be the author's way of building in his own version of the mythology that plagued the last several years of Kubrick's life.He maintains that Kubrick was a reclusive self hating Jew, who mistreats workers and women and who knows what else.He also maintains that the secret substance of the self that Kubrick fought so hard to protect was that he simply had no substance at all, but was rather a visual genius with no real connection to the world that so fascinated him.Furthermore, this book seemed to be a platform to tell what Eyes Wide Shut was "really" about, and what he thinks it should have been, maybe as a way to protect himself from what he only assumed would be a disaster of a film.For those of you who really want to find out what Kubrick was like, this is NOT the book.I suggest the documentary film "Stanley Kubrick:A Life In Pictures" as well as the series of documentaries that accompany the latest Eyes Wide Shut DVD and Blu Ray editions.There you will hear from the people who REALLY knew him, and were a part of his life such as his wife and children, workers, managers, assitants, other collaborators, Steven Speilberg, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and on and on and on and on...And if you do happen to choose to read this book, take it with a Large Helping of Salt, because this author had much to gain from the release of this book, and nothing to lose.

Pretentious
I didn't hate this book, it's interesting as an insider's memoir of the author's brief interaction with the film legend. Being in the business myself, it feels authentic. But the author comes off as cloyingly, laughably pretentious, constantly reminding us of his higher education. He also seems hung up on Kubrick being Jewish and keeps referring back to it, and it's left unclear why he keeps beating that particular drum. Who cares? Raphael whines throughout the book that Kubrick was holding back his brilliance--but when Raphael shows us the opening sequences he first wrote for Eyes Wide Shut, it's hilariously bad.

The giant and the dwarf
If we want to know something about the inflated ego, well, here we have a good opportunity. "Eyes Wide Open: A Memoir of Stanley Kubrick" is written by Frederick Raphael. You will never forget this, for the author keeps coming back to himself all the time. His tone is patronizing at the best. His aim is that of reassuring himself continuously (and the reader of course) that Kubrick (one of the greatest directors of film history) was not a a big match for him. It's worth considering Mr. Raphael output and that of Stanley Kubrick in order to assess their proper stature in the culture of the twentieth century. Pathetic.

The sad face of envy and the sick power of projection.
While it purports to be a memoir of Stanley Kubrick, this book is most effective in revealing the degree to which a person can grow older without ever growing up.Raphael's neuroses are myriad and are made all the more pathetic by his own willful projection of them onto Mr. Kubrick.Having seen Eyes Wide Shut again, now years after the hype has died away, I have come to believe that Raphael was picked to write the script because of his own old-boy dumbass ideas of the way things are and always shall be.If the film is about that peculiarly American aversion to and obsession with sex, that senseless jealousy that can ruin lives, then Raphael was absolutely the right person to write the script.He judges Kubrick harshly for not appreciating every little passive-aggressive gift he offers all the while referring to prostitutes as "whores" and whinging about the amount of work that's required of him.Raphael hopes that Kubrick will just open his eyes and recognize what a genius he is.He feels continually misunderstood, ironically because it seems to me that Kubrick understood him perfectly. The book remains interesting mostly as a chronicle of someone who just doesn't get the great joke being played on him.It would be sad for the same reason of Kubrick were still alive, but in that case it wouldn't have been published.Raphael is a ghoul who offered up his story because he knew it would be rushed into print because its subject was dead and no more "memoirs" would be forthcoming.Bah. ... Read more

Product Description
Almost all students have seen 2001, but virtually none understand its inheritance, its complexities, and certainly not its ironies. The essays in this collection, commissioned from a wide variety of scholars, examine in detail various possible readings of the film and its historical context. They also examine the film as a genre piece--as the summa of science fiction that simultaneously looks back on the science fiction conventions of the past (Kubrick began thinking of making a science fiction film during the genre's heyday in the fifties), rethinks the convention in light of the time of the film's creation, and in turn changes the look and meaning of the genre that it revived--which now remains as prominent as it was almost four decades ago. Constructed out of its director's particular intellectual curiosity, his visual style, and his particular notions of the place of human agency in the world and, in this case, the universe, 2001 is, like all of his films, more than it appears, and it keeps revealing more the more it is seen. Though their backgrounds and disciplines differ, the authors of this essay collection are united by a talent for vigorous yet incisive writing that cleaves closely to the text--to the film itself, with its contextual and intrinsic complexities--granting readers privileged access to Kubrick's formidable, intricate classic work of science fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Imprescindible, sobre todo para entender mejor la pelicula
Es el 2* libro que leo en mi kindle, y tengo que decir que es imprescindible de leer, sobre todo a los que nos encanto la pelicula, que tambien es imprescindible de ver.

books in spanish, please!

2001 in 2001
This book of newer essays on Kubrick's '2001:A Space Odyssey' is a must-have for film students - whether grad or under-grad - as well as for Kubrick fans or really anyone who rates this film in their Top 20.

The question in 1968 was:how can this film be more than just a fad, Kubrick pandering to the hippie generation?These essays really underscore the staying power of this film and confirm its reputation as a masterpiece.Yet the essays chosen do not fawn.Some are ambivalent in some regards; one is decidedly negative.All are thought-provoking.

A lovely book.In paperback, for the price I most heartily recommend it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Films of Stanley Kubrick
Although this book saw print only once it still has some very useful information about the late director. Due to its publishing date it stops at A CLOCKWORK ORANGEbut does cover that and his other earlier movies with reasonable detail. If you are interested inthe director it is worthwhile to get it. ... Read more

Product Description
Pocket Essentials is a fresh new series of film books that are short, snappy, and easy to read. Packed with facts, and backed up by opinion, each book has all the key information you need to know about the world's most celebrated film directors and film genres. What's in a book? As well as an introduction to the subject, each film by a director or each genre is individually analyzed and reviewed. In addition, the director or genre's impact on the film industry is explained, and a handy reference section lists all the far weightier (and more expensive) books on the subject. For movie buffs and students, these are great little entry-level books that build into an essential film library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent reference guide!
It seems that some people who have reviewed this book do not understand what its purpose is.It's meant to be a quick reference guide.It's not meant to provide thought provoking insights or perspectives.You should be able to make those yourself.If not, there are plenty of others that do that for you.

As a film student, I find the Pocket Essential series helpful.If I need to know who was the production designer on The Shining, a few quick page turns and I can quickly find that it was Roy Walker.That's what the books in this series are meant for.They aren't always as good as they should be, but Duncan's Kubrick is one of the best.I would guess that the poster directly below me is just upset Duncan didn't only gave A Clockwork Orange a 3/5 ranking.

Title should be "Stanley Kubrick for Dummies"
This is a good example of a terrible trend--the dumbing down of arts books by authors and publishers eager to hop on the pop culture bandwagon and not put much effort into it. The book has zero insights, some truly badwriting, and a modest amount of information. As to the previous reviewerwho found it "refreshing" that the author didn't know what one ofthe films was about--well, this is holding an author to a pretty lowstandard (Kubrick only made about 13 movies in his life!) And as to thereviewer's statement that this "can and should be read at onesitting" I would suggest that it would be impossible to read this tinyand insubstantial book at More than one sitting.

An excellent reference book
I've seen some bad reviews of this book, and author Paul Duncan's book on Hitchcock, which I find surprising. These books also 'feel' different to other reference books. Normally you have the biography from the director'spoint of view, then the unauthorised biography with all the dirt, then a'making of' book, and a book all about the subtext of the movies. PaulDuncan has fused all the types of book together to give both rounded andcontradictory pictures of Kubrick and Hitchcock. He has also written it inan enthusiastic 'white heat' style which I find exciting to read. Thesebooks can, and should, be read in one sitting. In the case of the Kubrickbook, Duncan obviously loves the films but still has the guts to point outthat A Clockwork Orange is overrated whilst Barry Lyndon is underrated.Also, he admits to not understanding The Shining - in a world full ofego-centric experts and know-alls, it's refreshing to read something withthis level of informality. 'Refreshing' - that's a good word for thesebooks. I am going to look out for more of these Pocket Essentials.

Stanley Kubrick by Paul Duncan
If you have never seen a Stanley Kubrick film or were unaware of his complete body of work then this book would be of some use. Unfortunately it is far too lightweight to satisfy any serious film enthusiast's needs. Thisis all the more regrettalble as Mr Duncan is clearly a fan of Kubrick'swork. He makes many glaring mistakes and seems to have taken rumour as factwhen writing his analysis. It is a shame that a book that seems to havebeen rushed out following the director's death could not have had more timespent on it and been more considered. ... Read more