Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection

Stanley_Kubrick_The_MasterpThe late director Stanley Kubrick had a special relationship with Warner Bros. Because of this relationship, Christiane Kubrick invited and provided the studio full access to Kubrick’s home, film props, personal cameras, film equipment, production facilities and personal insight to this great director.

To mark this momentous occasion, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) have released Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection (released November 10th). The 10-disc Blu-ray™ set (£129.99 RRP) includes eight Kubrick classics as well as the newly-produced documentary: Kubrick Remembered which captures intimate moments in Stanley Kubrick’s very personal life, two new-to-Blu-ray documentaries: Stanley Kubrick In Focus and Once Upon a Time…’ A Clockwork Orange’ plus three additional documentaries: Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures, and O’ Lucky Malcolm! Also included will be a new 78-page hardcover photo book using never-before-seen archival photos, production materials and more.

Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection

The Films included in the collection are Lolita (1962), Dr. Strangelove (1964), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon (1975), The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Kubrick Remembered offers a new look into the Kubrick archives, with special appearances by the director’s wife, Christiane Kubrick, as well as never-seen footage of Stanley’s works, his house and his film production facilities. Stanley Kubrick In Focus presents such directors as Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Oliver Stone, William Friedkin and Martin Scorsese relating how Kubrick’s directorial style influenced them.images

Recognised as one of the most accomplished, innovative, and influential directors in film history, Stanley Kubrick was a perfectionist who maintained complete artistic control and privacy during the shooting, and even the subsequent marketing of his movies. Many of Kubrick’s acclaimed works were received as controversial and provocative, yet still regarded as brilliant and visionary. Kubrick’s films earned 19 Oscar® nominations including three for Best Picture (Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon) and four for Directing (Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon). In 1960, Kubrick’s Spartacus won four Oscars® (Actor in a Supporting Role, Art Direction, Cinematography and Costume Design). In 1968 Kubrick won the Oscar® for Special Visual Effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Kubrick was born in 1928 in New York City and grew up in the Bronx where his father was a physician. At 13, Kubrick became interested in photography and began to teach himself the craft. In 1945, prior to his high school graduation, Kubrick did a photo essay of a news vendor with his papers heralding the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Look selected one of the photographs for the closing of their series on the death of the president. Shortly thereafter, Look hired him as an apprentice, and within six months, at age 17, Kubrick became one of the magazine’s youngest-ever staff xzczxcphotographers.

After creating a photo essay on boxer Walter Cartier, Kubrick directed an impressive, gritty short documentary, Day of the Fight (1950), based on his pictorial for the magazine. Kubrick then made two more documentaries and a short feature about a fictitious war (Fear and Desire). Two low-budget crime thrillers followed – Killer’s Kiss and The Killing – then Kubrick cemented his reputation with his first major studio film, the powerful antiwar movie Paths of Glory.

Kubrick immigrated to England in 1961, where he found more autonomy and greater control as a filmmaker. Kubrick died peacefully at his home in England on March 7, 1999. He is survived by his wife, Christiane, and three daughters and has left the cinema with an enduring legacy.

Featured in the collection are some brand new documentaries including –

Kubrick Remembered

An 83 minute candid look into the life of Kubrick, including interviews with his widow, family, co-workers and actors, and featuring a tour of the Archive in London and an inside look into Kubrick’s home.

Stanley Kubrick In Focus

Spielberg, Soderbergh, Stone, Friedkin, Scorsese and others tell how Kubrick’s directorial style influenced them and how his unique style was developed.

Once Upon a Time… A Clockwork Orange

Co-written by critic Michel Ciment and featuring imgresinterviews with a psychologist and a sociologist, Once Upon a Time…‘A Clockwork Orange’ is a wonderfully unusual cine-documentary that focuses more on the titular movie’s historical context and philosophy than on its production and reception. The documentary benefits from Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection Page 4 archival audio commentary by the late Stanley Kubrick, who offers his rationale for making the controversial, devilishly prescient proto-punk cult classic: “Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.”

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures

Kubrick’s career comes into sharp focus in this compelling documentary narrated by Tom Cruise. Fascinating footage glimpses Kubrick in his early years, at work on film sets and at home, augmented by candid commentary from collaborators, colleagues and family. Produced and directed by Jan Harlan, the brother of Christiane Kubrick, Stanley Kubrick’s widow.

O’Lucky Malcolm!

A documentary about the life and career of actor Malcolm McDowell, produced and directed by Jan Harlan and edited by Katia de Vidas.

Stanley Kubrick: The Masterpiece Collection is available to buy now:
Stanley Kubrick: 8-Film Masterpiece Collection [Blu-ray] [1962] [Region Free]

avatar

Alex Humphrey

Alex studied film at the University of Kent and went on to work for Universal Pictures in their Post Room gaining an inside look at the movie industry from the very bottom. Constantly writing reviews in everything from local magazines to Hip Hop sites Alex honed his critical skills even spending a brief period as a restaurant critic. Read more

Related post

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.