Stanley Kubrick

Below is one of our free research papers on Stanley Kubrick. If the term paper below is not exactly what you're looking for, you can search our essay database for other topics or order a custom essay.

Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick is one of the most influential and daring filmmakers to ever put his mark on the silver screen. He has created a large body of very influential works spanning several decades and many genres. Throughout his whole collection there are many elements which are repeatedly used to enhance the viewer's experience. There are also many recurring themes in Kubrick's works that are commented on both by the context in which they are brought forth and the techniques used to expound upon those themes.
In this paper I will be specifically discussing five of my favorite Kubrick films to demonstrate various aspects of Kubrick as an auteur: Dr. Strangelove, the cult classic dark comedy about nuclear warfare, 2001: A Space Odyssey, a benchmark science fiction film, A Clockwork Orange, a dystopian commentary on our society, The Shining, a horror film that follows few rules, and Full Metal Jacket, a Vietnam movie filmed entirely in England.
Kubrick is very fond of the three act structure. In fact, all of the aforementioned movies follow a three act structure except for 2001. Dr. Strangelove divides neatly into the beginning where the story is introduced, then a period of escalating tension after the doomsday device is introduced, and the closing action revolving around the continued efforts of the single remaining B-52. A Clockwork Orange's three acts include the ultraviolent actions of Alex and his gang, the Ludovico treatment (containing possibly one of the most recognizable scenes in film), and Alex's life after being reformed. The Shining has The Interview, The Overlook, and after Jack loses his last grip on sanity. Full Metal Jacket is broken into Bootcamp, Vietnam, and (as Kubrick's characters referred to it) The Shit.
2001: A Space Odyssey stands out because Kubrick seems to have broken it into four distinct sections. The first section is the famous pre-man sequence set 4 million years in the past, followed by Dr. Floyd's trip to the moon. Then...

Saved Papers

Save papers so you can find them more easily!

Join Now

Get instant access to over 180,000 papers.

Join Now