King Kubrick: Ranking Stanley's Best Films

[Vael]

Dang, I just realized I've never watched Eyes Wide Shut.

That's okay, this thread made me realize how little of Kubrick I've seen and I should rectify that. Him and Lynch, though I've been working on the latter.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

That's okay, this thread made me realize how little of Kubrick I've seen and I should rectify that. Him and Lynch, though I've been working on the latter.

Well, I hope you use my prior ranking of Lynch movies (and select TV projects) as a guide!

I wanted to briefly return to this thread because I have read all the comments as they were posted. I apologize if I haven't emojied them (or whatever that's called)- I'm often on the road or out and about when reading and I forget to like them, but I always appreciate comments. To quote the youth of today- my bad.

Anyway, I think that the most common response I have received that I have found somewhat surprising was the sheer amount of love for Full Metal Jacket (hereafter "FMJ"). So I am making a mistake I rarely make, and doing a more full explanation and a deep dive into a little of my reasoning behind the rankings, as well as some completely unsupported thoughts I have about why people might have such an affinity for it!

Why did I have FMJ ranked "So Low?"
I mentioned this in prior rankings (usually saying that I wasn't going to do a Kubrick ranking), but in my opinion, ranking Kubrick films is a nearly impossible task. When I rank things, I try my best to combine my own personal opinion of the movie (how do I like it?) with my estimation of its overall "importance," "greatness," and "technical/artistic quality." It's an inexact science, but I am always right!

Anyway, that is why my rankings both account for my tastes while also trying to account for what I believe is the overall merit of the film. This can result in some surprising choices - for the Coen Brothers, I chose Barton Fink as the #2 film, and Hail Caesar! as the #5 film. I stand by those choices, but I know that (for example) Barton Fink especially appeals to me because of its themes- and while most people view it as one of the better films in their filmography, it's rare to find it in the top three.

This problem is particularly acute when it comes to Kubrick. He made 13 films. Of the 13, his first two films can easily be put as his worst films (but his second film is interesting and worth watching just to see the style develop). Spartacus happens to be a classic movie - of a particular time and genre, but I think it's easily distinguishable in terms of "Kubrickiness".

That leaves ten films. And those ten films ... I'd argue that all ten of them are classics for one reason or another. With that said, I'd argue that there is a ... #10. Lolita has a lot going for it, but it is also crippled for being too early.

From that point, I think that you can make good arguments for almost any order for the films. However, if you're looking at the importance of the films, you'd have to seriously wait his films from 1964-1980 (Strangelove-Shining) as the most important films with that had the most impact on the art form.

In other words- I didn't think I ranked it low. I was just doing my best to correctly sort it into the right tiers. And I put it in the lesser classics which consisted of his "bridge film" (Lolita, which was the bridge between Spartacus and his classic run) and his late films (FMJ and Eyes Wide Shut). I put the lesser classics below his "stone cold killers" which as the two most underwatched great films he made (Paths of Glory, The Killing) - and those two films, while hardly watched today, are incredible and influential films.

In my mind, I didn't have it ranked low- I just needed to rank them, and that's where it came out. Personally, I love FMJ despite what I see as some flaws; the lack of connection between the two halves; the lack of payoff between the first half and the second half; the ... questionable decision of shooting location, and what I think is strangely shapeless plot and lack of characterization after the first half. It also is a movie that explores themes (I know, duality of man) well, but the use of Vietnam as a setting almost seems superfluous at times, and invites comparison to certain other films which does it no favors.

All of which is to make it sound like I don't like the film- which is not true. The first half of the film is sheer genius. And there are specific scenes and Kubrickian elements in the second part that stick with you. But overall? I don't think of it in the same way that I do his best work from the 60s-1980.

In terms of importance... in almost every Kubrick film prior to this one, I can think of something - a visual flourish, a pioneering lensing technique ... something that had never been done. Here, I feel like there are Kubrickian flourishes that are echoes of what he had done before.


Uninformed Speculation- Why Do Other People Love it So Much?
I have a few thoughts on this-
1. It is a very accessible Kubrick film. That first half ... that draws you in. And there are scenes and quotes that are so powerful that stay with you. Finally, it is modern. You don't have to understand anything about "film" or about the Cold War or about "shooting in natural light" or how revolutionary 2001 was in order to simply just watch it and enjoy it. Look, I think all Kubrick's films are great (well, except 2) but FMJ is one of the most accessible to just watch.

2. It's recent. Eyes Wide Shut is ... well, it's more psychological (I'll leave it at that). But as a general rule, the farther back in time you go, the harder it is to really grok everything going on in a movie. Someone born in 2000 is now 25. That means that FMJ came out thirteen years before they were born. But 2001? It came out thirty-two years earlier.

I feel old now.

3. It's an action film. Okay, "action" might be a bit of a misnomer, but ... it's the closest thing to it in his oeuvre (other than The Killing, I guess, which is more of a heist film, and Spartacus). Unless you're a film nerd, like me, you're unlikely to think, "I wanna chill and watch a movie. Let's see ... FMJ or Barry Lyndon? Gotta be Barry Lyndon!"


Cool Story, Bruh. What does it mean?
Honestly? Not much. Look- if you love FMJ and think it's his best film, that's totally cool! It's a really really good film! At a certain point, subjective preferences matter- and all nine of Kubrick's top films have perfectly valid arguments as to why they are great films ... because they are.* If you think FMJ is his best film, then you are right- because it's your favorite.

But if you haven't seen all of his films, please do. Kubrick is worth it.




*I am sure that there is a bard, somewhere, that wants to say that Lolita is the best. Because of course there is.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I own two Kubrick films and one of them is in my opinion his best film. That film is PATHS OF GLORY.
The other is THE KILLING.

I can appreciate his later films and have a soft place in my heart for FULL METAL JACKET and SPARTICUS.

 

[Vael]

Well, I hope you use my prior ranking of Lynch movies (and select TV projects) as a guide!

Ish ... but tbh, I've been more taking advantage of opportunities. Friends of mine started a Twin Peaks watch, the local indie theatre showed Mulholland Dr. and a bunch of other Lynch movies. Missed a shot at Blue Velvet, and stalled out on Twin Peaks shortly after the big reveal ... but I intend to double check your list and put some up in the queue.

As for Kubrick ... at least I've seen 3 of the your top 5 ... though I need to rewatch Clockwork Orange as while I'm sure I've seen it, I have no memory of it.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Only auteur I put in Kubrick's league is Werner Herzog.
Nice write up, I've only seen the big names, sounds like I need to track down Paths of Glory and Barry Lyndon and then actually watch them.

 

[Mercurius]

I'd probably go:
1. 2001 - What hasn't been said?
2. Dr Strangelove - If only for the vital fluids; Peter Sellers was so damn good, but so is everyone else in this film
3. The Shining - Nicholson's performance is somewhat underrated at this point; still probably my favorite horror flick of all time
4. Eyes Wide Shut - Love this film; may be more realistic than we dared think back then
5. Clockwork Orange - Only saw it once - sort of in the category of Requiem for a Dream: excellent film, but I don't want to put myself through it again
6. Full Metal Jacket - A good war film, but not even the best of that era of Vietnam fims - I preferred Platoon
7. Barry Lyndon - I saw it like 25 years ago during a Kurbrick kick, but I remember it being kind of boring, but I tend to dislike period pieces

Haven't seen the rest, though I might have seen Spartacus and/or Paths of Glory as a kid. Been meaning to hit up the earlier films.

 

[payn]

6. Full Metal Jacket - A good war film, but not even the best of that era of Vietnam fims - I preferred Platoon

 

[billd91]

6. Full Metal Jacket - A good war film, but not even the best of that era of Vietnam fims - I preferred Platoon

Yeah, I’d agree with that. FMJ’s Vietnam segment is more impressionistic than Stone’s experience-grounded Platoon, so that part of the movie for me fits in more with Apocalypse Now, a movie I enjoy, but that Platoon still kind of blows away.

 

[payn]

 

[Mercurius]

A universe in which people have different opinions and tastes.