This is Part 1 of a 3-Part Series called Rewatching Stanley, whereI re-watch and reflect on Kubrick's early films, sharing observations and reactions that I have while watching. My companion guide will be The Stanley Kubrick Archives, edited by Alison Castle.
Tracking Shots
Stanley Kubrick's first piece of filmmaking was the documentary short Day of the Fight. Made in 1950 when Kubrick was only 22, you can see the young director's early interest in tracking shots. Whether it's following the Cartier brothers saunter down a New York street, panning through an official dining hall of the Seafarerers union, or lazing along a troubled river, in Fear & Desire, it's evident that Kubrick is drawn to this hypnotic form of movement. The tracking shots also provide time for narration and inner-monologue to further reveal information about the characters within. This motif will track alongside Kubrick all the way to his last movie, Eyes Wide Shut, where we find the iconic scene of Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) angrily ruminating on the revealed fantasy of his wife Alice (Nicole Kidman) as he walks to an appointment with a patient. The tracking shot, as masterfully executed by Kubrick, provides the viewer time to observe the characters within their specific places and moments and provides space for attachments to development.
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| Day of the Fight, 1950 |
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| Seafarers, 1953 |
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| Fear & Desire, 1953 |
Iconic Compositions
Stanley Kubrick is considered one of the great masters of filmmaking because of his effective ability to compose beautiful shots within his movies. This skill-set almost seems innate and it may be, but we do know for certain that his early career as a young photographer provided space early on for him to hone these skills. In
Killer's Kiss, we see a young Kubrick already composing his images with a deftness that defies his age and experience. His use of lighting, shadow, and space allows him to capitalize on a scene and create images that leaves a shadow on your memory memory.
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| Killer's Kiss (1955) |
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| Killer's Kiss (1955) |
The Depravity of the Inner Man
Another early theme we see in Kubrick's work is his willingness to explore the dark side of humanity. His fascination with the inner darkness of man is a theme that carries all the way through the first words of
Fear & Desire, to tormented wrestling of Dr. Hartford in
Eyes Wide Shut. Kubrick's fascination with motive (or lack thereof) leads him down many dark avenues, but avenues that are important for us to explore if we are to retain the light.
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| Fear & Desire, 1953 |
