IMDb > Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   3,742 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Jan Harlan
Contact:
View company contact information for Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures on IMDbPro.
Plot:
The career and life of Stanley Kubrick is explored through pictures, clips from his films, his old home movies, comments from his colleagues and a narration by Tom Cruise. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
2 nominations more
User Comments:
A Life in Pictures - exactly what it sounds like more (28 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Tom Cruise ... Himself (Narrator) (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ken Adam ... Himself
Margaret Adams ... Herself
Brian Aldiss ... Himself

Woody Allen ... Himself
Steven Berkoff ... Himself
Louis C. Blau ... Himself
John Calley ... Himself
Milena Canonero ... Herself
Wendy Carlos ... Herself
Arthur C. Clarke ... Himself
Alex Cox ... Himself
Allen Daviau ... Himself
Ed Di Giulio ... Himself
Keir Dullea ... Himself

Shelley Duvall ... Herself
Anthony Frewin ... Himself
James B. Harris ... Himself
Michael Herr ... Himself
Mike Herrtage ... Himself
Philip Hobbs ... Himself
Irene Kane ... Herself (as Chris Chase)

Nicole Kidman ... Herself
Barbara Kroner ... Herself
Anya Kubrick ... Herself
Christiane Kubrick ... Herself
Gert Kubrick ... Herself (archive footage)
Katharina Kubrick ... Herself (as Katharina Kubrick-Hobbs)
Paul Lashmar ... Himself
György Ligeti ... Himself
Steven Marcus ... Himself (as Prof. Steven Marcus)
Paul Mazursky ... Himself

Malcolm McDowell ... Himself
Douglas Milsome ... Himself (as Doug Milsome)
Matthew Modine ... Himself

Jack Nicholson ... Himself
Tony Palmer ... Himself

Alan Parker ... Himself

Sydney Pollack ... Himself
Richard Schickel ... Himself

Martin Scorsese ... Himself
Terry Semel ... Himself
Alexander Singer ... Himself (as Alex Singer)

Steven Spielberg ... Himself
Sybil Taylor ... Herself
Douglas Trumbull ... Himself (as Doug Trumbull)

Peter Ustinov ... Himself (as Sir Peter Ustinov)
Marie Windsor ... Herself
Alan Yentob ... Himself
more

Additional Details

Runtime:
142 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Sound Mix:
Stereo

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
[Last lines]
Christiane Kubrick: ...and he'd say, "I'm still fooling them!"
more
Movie Connections:
Features The Shining (1980) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
A Life in Pictures - exactly what it sounds like, 7 October 2008
8/10
Author: Max_cinefilo89 from Italy

Because of his reclusive nature, Stanley Kubrick was never the best choice of subject for a documentary, in life as well as in death. Then again, that depends on who's behind the camera - in this case, the late director's brother-in-law and collaborator Jan Harlan, who also appears as one of the interviewees.

Harlan's choice is very simple: skip any attempt to understand the man and just focus on what we have, namely the pictures (hence the film's title). Not just the movies, but also the photos he took in his youth, before discovering cinema. This aspect is covered through comments by friends and family members. Fans, however, are probably more interested in what people have to say about the films, and so we've got some of the key cast and crew of almost all of his movies (one notable exception is Dr. Strangelove, given Peter Sellers and George C. Scott died a long time before Harlan shot the documentary) describing their experiences. In addition, other filmmakers express their sincere admiration for Kubrick, with heaps of praise coming from Scorsese, Spielberg (who directed the Kubrick-inspired A.I.) and Woody Allen (the original choice for Sydney Pollack's role in Eyes Wide Shut).

All possible anecdotes surrounding the man and his methods are recounted with joy, and the effect his films had on culture and society are explored in detail. Hearing Allen's first impressions of 2001 is refreshing (he didn't like it at first), whilst Scorsese's reaction to Paths of Glory is a perfect tribute to that picture's power ("It was so honest, it was shocking!"). The most famous controversy remains that surrounding A Clockwork Orange, and it's almost touching when Kubrick's widow recalls his decision to withdraw it from theaters in England until his death. We don't learn anything new about the great director, but hearing it from those people completely justifies Harlan's effort.

That said, there is one little problem in the film, and that's the fact that everyone is completely incapable of saying anything bad about Kubrick. Okay, maybe his death has something to do with it, but after dozens of occasions during which both Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall berated him for how he treated them on the set of The Shining, hearing them say it was generally a positive experience is surprising to say the least. The closest anyone comes to a bit of criticism is when Malcolm McDowell, always the ultimate Kubrickian icon, describes their relationship like this: "I loved him one moment and wanted to kill him the next!".

Overall A Life in Pictures doesn't add much to what we knew about one of the world's best filmmakers, nor does it take anything away. But remembering him through his work and the people who appeared in his movies is the most appropriate way to make a chronicle of his eventful life.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (28 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
music ? jaysonred
Who's Who in This Documentary? tarmcgator
What does the J stand for? the_scanner_
the entire soundtrack colette0113
Music ? not answered jaysonred
Tom Cruise fqnbstrd
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Scorsese on Scorsese The Kid Stays in the Picture Hollywood Remembers Walter Matthau Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin Chris & Don. A Love Story
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Documentary section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.