Stanley Kubrick

Introduction

Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.

Style and Themes

Kubrick’s films explored various themes and were known for their meticulous attention to detail, innovative cinematography, and dark humor. He often worked with a small crew which gave him artistic control over his productions.

Early Life

Kubrick was born on July 26, 1928, in the Bronx, New York City to Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.

Family Background

He was the son of Jacob Leonard Kubrick and his wife Sadie Gertrude Kubrick (née Perveler).

Education and Interests

Kubrick started schooling in public school 3 in the Bronx and moved to Public School 90 in June 1938. Kubrick had a high IQ but he hardly attended class. He was also interested in literature from a young age and began reading Greek and Roman myths.

Chess and Photography

He was also taught how to play chess by his father, Jack, and this was a game he displayed in most of his films. From a young age, he developed a keen interest in photography and film. At 13, Kubrick got his first camera from his father.

Self-Taught Filmmaker

With this camera, he was able to teach himself the technical aspects of filmmaking.

High School and Early Interests

Kubrick attended William Howard Taft High School from 1941 to 1945. While in school, Kubrick joined the school’s photography club, which permitted him to photograph the school’s events in their magazine.

Career Beginnings

Kubrick started his career as a photographer for Look magazine in the late 1940s before making several documentaries and short films.

Hollywood Breakthrough

His first major Hollywood film was The Killing, which helped establish his reputation as a talented and innovative director.

Paths of Glory and Spartacus

He directed Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory in 1957. The movie proved to be controversial due to its criticism of military hierarchy and was banned in several countries. Douglas then hired Kubrick to replace the original director of Spartacus, which turned out to be his most commercially successful film at that time.

Move to the United Kingdom

Kubrick then moved to the United Kingdom in 1961 where he lived and worked for the remainder of his life.

Notable Films

During this period, Kubrick made some of his most acclaimed movies such as Lolita and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Personal Life

Kubrick was married three times. He was married to his first wife, Toba Metz, a caricaturist in 1948 when he was 19. They later divorced in 1951. In 1955, he married his second wife, Austrian-born dancer and theatrical designer Ruth Sobotka.

Later Marriages

Kubrick and Sobotka divorced in 1957. Kubrick married his last wife, German actress Christiane Harlan in 1958. The couple had two daughters.

Death and Legacy

Kubrick passed away in 1999 at the age of 70.