kubrickonia

Barry Lyndon Japanese Film Program

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:01:00 +0000

This is the 24 page Japanese film program for BARRY LYNDON. The program was available for sale in Japanese theatres during the films initial run in 1976.

Taming Light

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:34:00 +0000

The exhibition, Taming Light, featuring the work of 25 artists drawing inspiration from the films of Stanley Kubrick, will be held in the Lighthouse Cinema from 1st-31st October. It is currated by film critic John Maguire & the poster for the show was designed by Montevideo based illustrator Martin Ansin.

Stanley Kubrick's Small Boxes Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Armen Antranikian's 3 min film THINK KUBRICK was commissioned by Channel 4 in association with World of Wonder Productions (who also produced Jon Ronson's documentary Stanley Kubrick's Boxes) for the 3 Minute Wonder shorts strand & premiered during More 4's Kubrick season in 2008. The film features a variety of talking heads that vividly express their personal memories of watching the films of Stanley Kubrick.
Acclaimed director Tony Kaye appeared in the film & his full interview can be viewed here.

Ken Adam On Dr. Strangelove Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Christopher Frayling in conversation with Ken Adam on the 7th of November 2008, the interview was held in the Victoria & Albert Musuem.

Ken Adam On Dr. Strangelove Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:03:00 +0000

This interview with Ken Adam, in which he again discusses his work on DR. STRANGELOVE was filmed in 2008 to promote the exhibition Cold War Modern held at The Victoria & Albert Museum from the 25th of September 2008 to the 11th of January 2009.

Ken Adam On Dr. Strangelove

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:51:00 +0000

This is an extract from an interview conducted by Christopher Frayling with production designer Ken Adam concerning his work on DR STRANGELOVE. The interview took place in September 2008 to mark the publication of their book Ken Adam Designs The Movies James Bond & Beyond. The full 21 min video can be viewed here.

Apple's 1999 Superbowl Commercial

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Apple lauched the Macintosh with Ridley Scott's influential 1984 spot during that year's Superbowl. Apple's follow up ad in 1985, Lemmings, proved so unpopular that they waited untill 1999, & the return of Steve Jobs to the fold, to run an another Superbowl spot featuring Hal-2000 from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. The ad produced by the Chiat/Day agency, laid claim to the Mac's immunity to the Y2K bug.

More 4 Kubrick Season Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Channel 4 Creative Services produced this one-take steadicam shot to promote the Stanley Kubrick season on the British TV station More 4 which began on the 15th of July 2008.

“We wanted to remain as faithful as possible to the period in which it was shot and the culture of the British studio in the late 70s,” a spokesperson said.

“We set about casting people who resembled Kubrick's own crew back in the day, casting look-alikes to play the role of his script-lady (June Randall), AD (Brian W. Cook) and DP (John Alcott), as well as look-alikes to play Shelley Duvall, Danny and the twin girls who appear fleetingly in the trail.”

Most of the film and lighting equipment that appear in the trail were those used in THE SHINING. Many of the props were recreated based upon photos or sketches from Kubrick's archives. The spot was shot using a 25mm Cooke lens, a favourite lens of Kubrick's. A cast of 55 actors appear in the 65 second steadicam shot which was shot over two days in June 2008 at Bray Studios, London.

The Torrances, A Family Portrait

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:54:00 +0000

This portrait of the Torrances by artist Kirk Demarais is one of several based upon familiar film families & is currently being exhibited at the annual Crazy 4 Cult art show at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles. This piece is being offered by the gallery this year as a signed limited edition print of 50 for $65. You can call the gallery to order a print on + 1 (415) 4091376 (their San Francisco location) or + 1 (323) 9377088 (their Los Angeles location) or email them at Gallery1988@aol.com. The full show, featuring many other Kubrick themed works, can be seen here.

BBC News 24 Report On The Death Of Stanley Kubrick

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:53:00 +0000

This is a BBC News 24 report on the death of Stanley Kubrick from the 8th of March 1999.

Orange Times Vol. 2 No. 001 1972

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:49:00 +0000

In 1972 to support the wide release of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE this tabloid sized herald was given away free in US cinemas. It featured 8 pages of photos, Philip Castle's illustrations and an assortment of press cuttings pertaining to the films pre-Christmas 1971 limited release. Space was provided at the bottom of the front cover to enable each cinema to publicise show times etc. This particular copy came from the Cleveland area.

Citizen Kubrick

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:04:00 +0000

In March 2004 THE GUARDIAN WEEKEND magazine published Jon Ronson's account of his many months spent investigating the contents of Kubrick's archive, then still residing at his home in Childwick, before it's subsequent move to the University of the Arts London. Presented here are Stephen Gill's photographs which originally accompanied the article, the full text of the feature can be read here.

Stanley Kubrick's Office

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:03:00 +0000

In January 1984 Kubrick engaged American computer expert Alan Bowker to install an early IBM XT PC in his office during the pre-production on Full Metal Jacket. Kubrick's main interest was in using the then available technology for word processing and database manipulation. Alan took these photos and can also be seen operating the IBM XT in a picture taken by Kubrick.

Kubrick And Kirby Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 14:40:00 +0000

The ongoing 2001 comic book series was already in the works when Kirby's film adaptation was released. The short lived 10 issue title, which ran from December 1976 to September 1977, was certainly far from the norm in mid-seventies comicdom as was it's two-fisted pugilist style from Kubrick's sedate story telling grandeur. As an official spin-off from Kubrick's master work it could be considered a failure but as an extension of Kirby's early seventies far-out world view, as seen previously in the Forever People, it was an admirable achievement. The tenuous links with the film had petered out by issue 8 with the introduction of the character Mister Machine, an obvious Marvel ploy to boast flagging sales. This character eventual became Machine Man with his own title in 1978, thus ensuring that 2001 & everything Kubrick created for his film became part of the on-going Marvel universe cannon. 'Nuff said!

Kubrick And Kirby

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 15:56:00 +0000

If ever there was a match made in bizarro world heaven it was the one that occurred in 1976 when Marvel Comics commissioned Jack Kirby to adapt 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY for their new tabloid sized comic book line. The 72 page adaptation was written & penciled by Kirby with inking duties carried out by Frank Giacoia. The almost 2 times larger than the regular comic-book format suited Kirby's outlandish pop style, but this was a great talent merely going through the motions. Kirby's script although based on the final film also drew on Clarke's novel & earlier drafts of the shooting script & pretty much eradicates the story of all it's non-verbal sense of spectacle & wonder.

Kubrick's official view of this travesty isn't on record but considering that upon completion of the film he had all models, sets, blueprints & most physical records of his achievement destroyed in order to prevent MGM re-using his designs ad infinitum, as they had done with FORBIDDEN PLANET, I think it's safe to assume that he wasn't impressed.

The hurt didn't end there, the publication of the Marvel Treasury Special was merely a forerunner to Marvel's ongoing 2001 series which launched in December of that year. Pictured here are the front & back covers of the Treasury Special & several pages of Kirby's original pencils.

Shining

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:28:00 +0000

In September 2005 Robert Ryang, a 25 year old assistant editor working in Manhattan, entered this SHINING trailer into a contest for assistant editors organized by the New York chapter of the Association of Independent Creative Editors. The contest involved cutting a trailer, for any movie, but into an entirely different genre. Ryang duly won with his inspired THE SHINING as a light, feelgood flick about a writer searching for his muse & a boy lonely for a father.

After posting the trailer on a secret link within his employers website, it wasn't long before the world heard about it. Within two weeks the clip had infiltrated every corner of the web & launched a whole new sub-genre of movie trailer mash-ups.

Philip Castle And Full Metal Jacket

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:38:00 +0000

The work of British illustrator Philip Castle became universally known through his design for the poster of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. When Kubrick again approached him to work on FULL METAL JACKET he knew exactly what he wanted, as can be seen by the first image here drawn in Kubrick's own hand. He wanted an image that would be as recognisable in black & white even when reduced to the size of a single column in a newspaper.

The Polaroid is the reference that Castle worked from. Originally he drew the helmet as if it was sitting flat on a surface. It was Kubrick himself who suggested that pitching the helmet at an angle, as if been worn, would be more dynamic & striking.

Castle has said that Kubrick had planned on contacting him for EYES WIDE SHUT just before he died.

Kubrick At The National Film Theatre 1979

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:52:00 +0000

It was in October 1979 that the world at large first became aware of Kubrick's self-imposed homeland ban on A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. The NFT (London) requested a print for their Kubrick season in November 1979 & were told that the film was "absolutely withdrawn from distribution". The ban remained in place for another 21 years until the films long overdue re-release in 1999. I'll always remember the day I found the DVD for sale in Tescos alongside those other bete noires of the video age THE EVIL DEAD & STRAW DOGS. It seems that as with buildings & ladies of the night a certain level of respectability is acquired with old age.

The Lost Illustrations Of 2001 Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 20:02:00 +0000

In a post earlier today I mentioned that Kubrick hired two artists to document the making of 2001, the second artist was the then 25 year old Jan Parker. The above illustration was published in the Spring 1966 issue of SIGHT & SOUND to accompany an article by David Robinson on the then concurrently shooting FAHRENHEIT 451 & 2001. The release of the former beat 2001 by a good 17 months.

The picture below first appeared in Piers Bizonys 1994 book 2001 FILMING THE FUTURE. It astounds me that such intriguing & accomplished work has till now been seemingly disregarded.

The Lost Illustrations Of 2001

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:40:00 +0000

It's now well known that from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY onwards Kubrick used frame blow ups from his films rather then on-set still photography to represent his movies. Capturing a still on set can be hindered with a multitude of obstacle's. Generally, unless the photographer has a silent housing for the camera, stills are taken during rehearsals or after the scene has been completed. In all cases this is not ideal, for one thing the stills camera will never be in the exact position that the film lens is in, surely the optimal position for lighting, performance etc. With a director as exacting as Kubrick this could only have been a disappointment to have his films consistently misrepresented in print.

Having successfully tackled the on-set photography on DR. STRANGELOVE with the deft choice of hiring the renowned Weegee for the task, Kubrick insisted on a new level of control & representation on 2001. 29 year old British illustrator Brian Sanders was one of two artists hired in 1966 to cover the shooting of 2001. With so many ground breaking technical achievements on show Kubrick may have felt that the artists pencil could be more easily controled. The work that the two artists produced was eventualy unused & remained unpublished until these few pieces were printed alongside an article in THE INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE on 20th January 2001.

Good Day, Mr. Kubrick

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:12:00 +0000

Last year this video appeared on You Tube. Brian Atene's homemade video audition for FULL METAL JACKET is a cripplingly funny display of hubris. It's well worth another viewing. Atene's recently posted retort is just plain strange.

If this was actually Atene could we consider this a happy ending?

Stanley Kubrick's Archive

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:34:00 +0000

In 2005 The University of Arts London acquired Stanley Kubrick's archive, which constitutes of approximately 1000 boxes of material. The Archive will be secured in a new purpose-built Archives & Special Collections Centre on the campus of London College of Communication, based at Elephant & Castle in South London. The archive is expected to be open for public viewing from October 2007. You can read the full press release here.

Stanley Kubrick's Grave

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:50:00 +0000

Some of the best stories start at the end & work their way back. Kubrick was buried in the grounds of his home, Childwickbury Manor, Hertfordshire, under the shade of his favourite tree. These pictures were taken in 2001.

Welcome To Kubrickonia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:31:00 +0000

First post. Consider Kubrickonia as a place. An alternative archive where those rare & unknown elements associated with the work of Stanley Kubrick can be deposited.

I have a number of posts planned featuring illustrations, photographs, posters, video & memorabilia. When that well occasionally runs dry expect news posts & other titbits gleamed from the world wide web.