Source: Warner Brothers Pictures
Movie title: Barry Lyndon
Year Released: 1975
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Run time: 185 mins
My Rating:
3/5 Stars
Genre: Drama/ War/ Adventure
Starring: Ryan O'Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Produced by: Jan Harlan, Stanley Kubrick, Bernard Williams
Written by: Stanley Kubrick (Written for the Screen), William Makepeace Thackeray (Original Book - The Luck of Barry Lyndon)
Music by: Leonard Rosenman, Ralph Ferraro
Awards Received: Bafta for Best Cinematography, Bafta for Best Direction, Academy Award for Best Production Design, Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Academy Award for Best Costume Design (the list continues)
Why did I choose this particular film?
I am a massive fan of Stanley Kubrick and have had the Barry Lyndon DVD sitting in my watch pile for quite some time. As always with this challenge, I am able to use the opportunity to finally get round to watching the films I've put off watching for so long.
Would I recommend this film? Why or why not?
I would recommend this film as whilst I only gave it 3 stars, it was a visually stunning film, the costumes and shots alone were beautiful and the story was an enjoyable watch. It was not my favourite Kubrick film, but I would definitely recommend watching it because it is so critically acclaimed and many claim it to be one of Kubrick's best.
Which character was I most able to identify with or connect with?
As an audience, we are led to connect with Barry Lyndon as the tale follows his life over many years. This doesn't lend much room to view other characters' isolated experiences as the audience is always alongside Barry's side of things, so for that alone, I felt most connected with him. Whilst saying that I did feel deep sympathy towards Lord Bullingdon who rightly feels intimated and frustrated by Lyndon's infiltration into his family by marrying his mother, in addition to that of young Byron who sadly doesn't have the happiest of storylines.
Best line or memorable quote:
"After reaching the top, where can you go...except down?"
Was I surprised by the ending? What would I do differently?
I was surprised. It was interesting to see a male protagonist subverting stereotypes of the time by climbing the ranks as this journey is primarily portrayed within films from a female experience as a young woman begins to discover ways to marry herself into a comfortable life that contrasts to that of their upbringing. However, whilst this journey is somewhat unusual to see, the conventional characteristics of masculine greed and ruthless ambition are still maintained as Lyndon sets out to get what he wants. Ultimately, like any 'Greek tragedy' fable (the story of Barry Lyndon seems to be both a reverse/ yet also traditional Greek tragedy), it is inevitable that greed can only get you so far. I did enjoy how Kubrick balances the dynamic between what we are used to seeing and what is subverting the mainstream approach portrayed within films and stories.
Have I read the book? Considering the time restrictions that a movie has, did the film capture the original story well?
I have not read the book yet from what I have read and seen online in various articles, it managed to cover the key aspects of the book, whilst altering the ending and missing out a few additional escapades led by Lyndon. The thing I felt weakened the film to a certain degree, was the length of the film but I do understand why that was necessary as the film obviously follows the trajectory of Lyndon's life. With an 'intermission' halfway through and the tragedy element of the tale, it seemed as though Kubrick was portraying the film like a play yet for me, it dragged on slightly towards the end hence why I gave it 3 stars.
Anything else to add?
As mentioned, the costumes and shots in this film were incredible and stunning to watch. A few years ago, I attended the Kubrick exhibition at the Design Museum and thought I'd attach some pictures of the Barry Lyndon artifacts below for anyone who is interested. I did have a picture of the costumes but it's not great so I have left that out and instead replaced with an online image from the exhibiton.
Description: Original three-wick candles manufactured for Barry Lyndon - In order to maintain the film's authentic 18th Century appearance, Kubrick specially ordered these three-wick candles. The three wicks produce a larger flame than one-wick candles, allowing more light to be captured by the camera. As these candles generate significant heat and burn rapidly, they are impractical for virtually every other purpose. (The Stanley Kubrick Archive, University of the Arts London)
ARRIFLEX 35 BL Camera used to shoot the film. The lenses used were Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/0.7 which were originally designed and used by NASA to capture the dark side of the moon.
Source: Ed Reeve for the Design Museum
IMDB Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072684/