Kubrick, Inside a Film Artist's Maze

Heyne Filmbibliothek

by Thomas Allen Nelson

This expanded edition of Thomas Nelson's trenchant study of a master of film includes new chapters on "Full Metal Jacket" and "Eyes Wide Shut". In the wake of the director's death, Nelson reconsiders his body of work as a whole. By placing Kubrick in a historical and theoretical context, this study is a reliable guide into - and out of - Stanley Kubrick's cinematic maze. Stanley Kubrick ranks among the most important American film makers of his generation, but his work is often misunderstood because it is widely diverse in subject matter and seems to lack thematic and tonal consistency. Thomas Nelson's perceptive and comprehensive study of Kubrick rescues him from the hostility of auteurist critics and discovers the roots of a Kubrickian aesthetic, which Nelson defines as the "aesthetics of contingency." After analysing how this aesthetic develops and manifests itself in the early works, Nelson devotes individual chapters to "Lolita", "Dr. Stangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey", "A Clockwork Orange", "Barry Lyndon", and "The Shining".

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Biography, Art, Media Tie In, Essays, Reference

Hardcover

First published April 1, 1982

Reviews

[Jacqueline Valencia · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for insight into Kubrick's mind, I doubt you'll find anything that will give you an accurate assessment on that. Nelson lays out an ingenuous analysis of Kubrick's body of work giving erudite insights using Kubrick's noted influences and techniques.

I picked this up on the way to see The Shining at the TIFF lightbox in Toronto. I flipped over to the chapter on The Shining, titled "A Remembrance Of Things Forgotten" which is an interesting play of words from Chris Marker's visual essay on photographer Denise Bellon (which I saw that same week). It seems it was the right place to start the book from for me since that's where the Kubrick maze is fully exposed, literally and figuratively. There are a few things in here I hadn't picked up on and Nelson makes note of Kubrick's intrinsic knowledge of cinema's origins and how he builds upon it. Circumventing any of the familiar conspiracy theories by keeping morphology in literature and film grounds, Nelson dives in frame by frame, transposing philosophical ideals that were used to create some of the most iconic moments in film. I especially liked reading things that I had not paid attention to, and have now become crucial to my re-watching of said films.

Formula, formula, formula Bunuel! I'm a stickler for film devices and Kubrick soared above the established ones.

[Kurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent analysis of Kubrick"s work. There are eight Kubrick films which I've seen more times than I can count, but I still discovered quite a few things that Nelson pointed out about them which I hadn't noticed. A serious albeit somewhat stiffly academic work that looks carefully and analytically at Kubrick's films, almost frame by frame at times. This book will give you a new deeper appreciation for 2001, Full Metal Jacket, etc. Even Eyes Wide Shut. One wonders if the publisher was paying Nelson for every time he said "temporal" or "mise-en-sine", though, ha ha.

[Ben De Bono · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good scholarly take on Kubrick's career. There are a few points where I think he's off the mark, but his observations throughout are very thought provoking. Easily one of the best Kubrick books out there

[Erik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good analysis of Kubrick's entire body of work. Nelson's points are well thought out (although some things felt like a bit of a stretch) and I definitely will be thinking about a few things differently the next time I watch each film. Doesn't beat experiencing a Kubrick film and coming to your own conclusions though.

[Mark Harden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book to read for discussion of the films themselves, their cinematic technique and their meaning. Biography and technical aspects of the filming are discussed only to express how Kubrick used them to convey meaning in his films.

[Ryan Splenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever, thoughtful display of arguments pertaining to some of Kubrick's masterpieces. I think some of them were a stretch, but some were very well thought out as well. But isn't that what is so great about Kubrick? No one ever knows what he was going for...therefore, maybe most interpretations are correct? I have always loved coming out of a movie asking myself,"What the heck did I just watch?"

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most detailed examination of Kubrick's methods and work, with author stating director, more than any other, was able to combine form and substance, proficiently. Chapters devoted to individual films and slight, Kubrick, biography.
Incisive and challenging work, best I have read, so far. Reread passages to understand Kubrick's mad genius and films.

[Ian Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

brilliant. a deeply well thought through analysis of the master's films.

[Bryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nelson has an extraordinary ability to sound like he has something very clever to say when in fact he is just talking crap. Still, he does make a few good points.

[Jordan]

A very thorough analysis of Kubrick's work, though it does get pretty dense at times. I wouldn't recommend this unless you're a film major or a fan of the man's work.

[Alias Pending · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not the book on Kubrick you are looking for.

[Vince Fontaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best book you could read on Kubrick. I felt like the author was too analytical and I don't think Kubrick would agree with his views on his films.

[Luke Devenish · Rating 3 out of 5]

The chapter on The Shining was exactly what I was looking for. I owe you a glass of redrum.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

English 493: Stanley Kubrick Film (written by professor of class but he did not require his own text) - This is the first book that I've ever read by one of my professors and I loved it. Each chapter deals with a separate Kubrick film. I learned so much by reading these detailed and extensively researched "lectures."