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Tag: Stanley Kubrick

  • Stanley Kubrick: Few Have Seen These Photos

    Stanley Kubrick was, some say, a genius filmmaker. His movies have captivated us for decades, and the man behind the camera was just as much a mystery as some of his most famous characters. He was enigmatic, he was weird, he was brilliant, and he was well-loved by his family, especially daughter Vivian, who worked with him on several of his projects.

    Vivian fell out of touch with her family in the ’90s, and although it’s not been confirmed, some believe that her move towards the Church of Scientology had something to do with it. Vivian’s stepsister, Katharina, said in an interview with The Daily Beast that the family didn’t often speak of Vivian, and when they did it was in vague terms.

    “We weren’t lying, we were just being economical with the truth,” Katharina said in 2010. “Because if you say, ‘My sister has become a Scientologist,’ where do you go from that?”

    Vivian was involved in a lot of aspects of Kubrick’s films; she helped with set decorations for “A Clockwork Orange”; at the age of 17, she filmed a documentary about his blood-soaked masterpiece, “The Shining”. She later composed the score for “Full Metal Jacket”, but when Kubrick asked her to do the same for “Eyes Wide Shut”, she refused. The two had a big fight, according to her mother, and Kubrick reportedly wrote a 40-page letter to his daughter asking her to mend the rift in their relationship. He died soon after, and although she attended the funeral, she came with someone from the church.

    “The whole situation was so impossibly weird,” Katharina said. “We didn’t know, at first, anything about it really, so we were like, ‘Who is this person? Why won’t they talk to us?’

    While it’s unclear how close Vivian may be with her family now, it’s easy to see that she adored her father and the time she spent with him on various sets. She recently posted several photos from those days on Twitter, a treat for Kubrick’s fans for sure.

    Images via Twitter

  • ‘Room 237’ Is Now Available On Netflix

    Room 237, the much talked-about documentary exploring theories about Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (loosely based on the Stephen King novel of the same name), has now become available on Netflix (both streaming and DVD).

    While the film is listed as a 2012 release, it only saw its limited theatrical run beginning in March before making its way to DVD this month.

    While reviews are very mixed among Netflix users so far, Room 237 has a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes (61% audience score). The film, directed by Rodney Ascher, explores some pretty interesting (albeit highly debated) ideas about The Shining, which have drawn significant interest on the Internet from hard core Kubrick fans for years.

    Here’s the Netflix description for Room 237:

    Room 237

    If your’e interested in the possible subtexts of Kubrick’s film, I’d also highly recommend checking out a collection of videos on the topic from Rob Ager and Collative Learning. They will give you plenty more to think about while watching The Shining the next time (and probably every other time after that).

  • Check Out This Shining-Inspired Film Ink Ad

    Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece The Shining continues to influence pop culture on a regular basis, and an ad from Australian film magazine Film Ink is the latest example.

    The hype around the documentary Room 237 has no doubt played a role in much of the recent interest in the film, but The Shining will continue to inspire countless pieces of Internet fun for years to come, without a doubt.

    With the new Film Ink ad, we can’t help but be reminded of this Channel 4 ad for The Stanley Kubrick Season from a few years back:

    [via The Overlook Hotel]

  • Now Stanley Kubrick Fans Must Own iPads

    Now Stanley Kubrick Fans Must Own iPads

    Actor Matthew Modine, who recently appeared in The Dark Knight Rises, but will forever be known as Private Joker from Stanley Kubrick’s classic Full Metal Jacket, wrote a book called Full Metal Jacket Diary, which was released in 2005. Now, Modine has released an iPad app based on the book, which he describes as an “appumentary,” and an “entirely reimagined, interactive, audiovisual experience.”

    The project was partially funded on Kickstarter, having successfully reached and exceeded its fundraising goal from 295 Backers.

    Matthew Modine’s FULL METAL JACKET DIARY iPad App – Trailer from Cinco Dedos Peliculas on Vimeo.

    It comes complete with a behind-the-scenes look at the two-year production of the film, as well as the complete text of the book. There are five chapters about the filmmaking process, a four-hour audio experience narrated by Modine, over 400 high-res photos and personal documents (scanned from original negatives and source material), and “all new remembrances” written by Modine.

    There are also three bonus galleries with photo restoration comparisons, a feature that lets you store your favorite photos and audio clips, links to related content on the web, and of course, the ability to share photos via Twitter.

    Here are some screen caps:

    Full Metal Jacket Diary

    Full Metal Jacket Diary

    Full Metal Jacket Diary

    Full Metal Jacket Diary

    Full Metal Jacket Diary

    “When I first set out to make my book, the goal was to create something that Stanley would have been proud of and wanted to own,” said Modine. “The goal with this app has been no different.”

    “If Stanley were alive today, I think he would love the iPad,” he added. “He was always interested in the latest technologies and in many ways, he was ahead of his time. 1968’s 2001: A Space Odyssey featured devices that could be one of the earliest inspirations for tablet computers. This app will give a new audience and a new generation access to my diary and photographs in ways I never imagined possible.”

    This was posted to the official Facebook page last month:

    Full Metal Jacket Diary23 days ago

    the app will be available on august 7th. i have been beta testing it and it is wonderful. there is a terrific team of developers, artists, musicians, and sound engineer that have worked incredibly hard to create an experience that they hope will be unique and like no other. Powered by socialditto  11 likes ·  3 comments

    Apparently the app took nearly as long to put together as the actual movie.

    The app’s producer, Adam Rackoff, said, “Matthew and I have been working on this project for almost two years. We found most of Matthew’s original camera negatives and spent months carefully scanning and restoring them in high-definition, perfect for the new iPad’s Retina display.”

    “We did extensive research and searched through dozens of family scrapbooks, photo albums, and boxes to find original letters, documents, Polaroids, and newspaper clippings that would help enhance the diary’s story,” he added. “The app also features photographs by cast members, Stanley’s long-time assistant Leon Vitali, executive producer Jan Harlan, Matthew’s wife, and Kubrick himself.”

    The app costs $14.99 in the App Store.