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Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick, 1975)
Kubrick's three-hour adaptation of the Thackeray novel is one of his most-meticulous films, filled to the brim with his exactitude in visual and musical codes. The first artistic decision Kubrick made was to shoot the entire film with nothing but natural sunlight and/or candles. No electric lights were used at all during the production. The result is that the entire film is gorgeous and many of the shots do indeed seem to recreate Kubrick's intention of making much of the film look like paintings from the period. Then he also wanted to use only music from the period of the film (the second half of the 18th century), and although he stresses one piece each by Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Vivaldi, he does tend to repeat them. This effect can sometimes become mesmerizing while at other times it smacks of obsession. One thing is certain though, and that's that Barry Lyndon is a very good film. No, it isn't fast-paced, but it is full of incident and even action. Young Redman Barry (Ryan O'Neal as the title character in one of his strongest performances) is a master duellist and there are many duels in the movie, as well as several battle scenes set during the Seven Years War. The film has the inexorable pull of fate as Barry's life is taken to and fro, often through incidents he has no control over. However, the second half of the film where he marries Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson) and treats her shabbily does seem to rest fully on his shoulders even though I wouldn't call him a "self-made man". All of this beauty and suffering leads to an ironic conclusion which certainly is in keeping with those of most Kubrick films. Be sure to watch this one if you've been blowing it off till now.
Kubrick's three-hour adaptation of the Thackeray novel is one of his most-meticulous films, filled to the brim with his exactitude in visual and musical codes. The first artistic decision Kubrick made was to shoot the entire film with nothing but natural sunlight and/or candles. No electric lights were used at all during the production. The result is that the entire film is gorgeous and many of the shots do indeed seem to recreate Kubrick's intention of making much of the film look like paintings from the period. Then he also wanted to use only music from the period of the film (the second half of the 18th century), and although he stresses one piece each by Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Vivaldi, he does tend to repeat them. This effect can sometimes become mesmerizing while at other times it smacks of obsession. One thing is certain though, and that's that Barry Lyndon is a very good film. No, it isn't fast-paced, but it is full of incident and even action. Young Redman Barry (Ryan O'Neal as the title character in one of his strongest performances) is a master duellist and there are many duels in the movie, as well as several battle scenes set during the Seven Years War. The film has the inexorable pull of fate as Barry's life is taken to and fro, often through incidents he has no control over. However, the second half of the film where he marries Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson) and treats her shabbily does seem to rest fully on his shoulders even though I wouldn't call him a "self-made man". All of this beauty and suffering leads to an ironic conclusion which certainly is in keeping with those of most Kubrick films. Be sure to watch this one if you've been blowing it off till now.