025. The Shining (International Co-production - 1980)

This is one of the films I felt ashamed of never having watched before. We watched it on Sunday, and it was a curious experience. I expected more, having heard previously about the innovations it brought to the field of suspense/horror films. I didn't see much, to be honest. What I saw was a great acting by Jack Nicholson, and some nice props and brilliant editing and photography. That I already expected from Kubrick. But the annoying soundtrack - although it's highly atmospheric and composed to provide a purposefully bothersome sensation, it's way too loud for my ears to balance it with the images and text; it becomes a sensorial mess - and the predictable suspense disappointed me. I didn't see anything that special. It is, by far, the "least good" Kubrick film I've watched so far. Considering Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove, Barry Lydon and the two short documentaries. I know, there's more to come.

Director: Stanley Kubrick.

Score
Cinematography: 9.0
Acting: 8.5
Editing: 9.0
Sound: 6.5
Text: 8.0
Concept: 7.0
Premise execution: 7.5

Average Score: 7.9

022. Barry Lyndon (United Kingdom - 1975)

An anti-epic, a brilliant story. A man is born in a fairly well-off family, and grows to be less and less proud of his background and his own merits. He kills an officer (a faked death by his tutors) and has to flee from his hometown and join the British army. A cruel and sometimes comedic adaptation of the picaresque The Luck of Barry Lyndon, by William M. Thackeray, it can be deceiving in showing the direction of Barry's misfortunes and joys. He is betrayed by hiw own foolishness and greed, and oftentimes finds himself in positions of moral dichotomy and mishandling of the power he is granted. A clever, sometimes laughable story of a privileged, mischievous young man. And here Kubrick shines in his eye for cinematography and sound. Although acting is not really big in Barry Lyndon, it obeys its own logic to the very end. Bravo.

Director: Stanley Kubrick.

Score (note: two new categories are being included here to enhance the judging patters - Concept and Execution)

Cinematography: 9.5
Acting: 7.0
Editing: 9.5
Sound: 9.5
Text: 9.0
Concept: 8.0
Premise execution: 8.5

Average Score: 8.7

021. Flying Padre (United States - 1951)

Kubrick's second short-film was a bit more liturgic and mournful; yet one can already see the striking features of a filmic visionary. He directs and writes for the production. Bird's-eye shots of gorgeous landscapes that impress when considering the simplicity of such a short film, and the clean voice-over narration, so pleasant to the ears as it carries that typical tone of 50s cinema with it. Not to mention the smart sound mixing. It's a story of two ritualistic days in the life of a priest in New Mexico, yet portraying a certain impartial - and merely documental - perspective on religion. It was a portrait of a man's duties, religious or otherwise.

It is interesting to note how Kubrick, being so talented, started with such unpretentious projects for films. Both this and Day of the Fight show the rudimentary Stanley in action, already showcasing his talents as a filmmaker and as a writer. Well-organised plotline and polished text. Too bad it was too short and simple to gather much of his talent.

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Score
Cinematography: 8.5
Acting: 5.0
Editing: 8.0
Sound: 7.0
Text: 7.0

Average Score: 7.1

020. Day of the Fight (United States - 1951)

The first of many Kubrick's films to come on this list. And this is, in fact, his first film. It impressed me in terms of cinematography - the framing was close to perfection -, cuts and the pace of the narration. A documentary-like short film depicting the moments before a fight of a boxer (Walter Cartier, as himself) who has to go through physical constraints to have a good performance not only in his bout, but also in the weighing before it. Nice portrayal of the hard boxing life several fighters had to endure back in the first and early second half of the 20th century.

Director: Stanley Kubrick.

Score
Cinematography: 9.0

Acting: 6.0
Editing: 8.5
Sound: 7.0
Text: 8.0

Average Score: 7.7