UNDERdog: Stanley Kubrick
At ysdwysd, we admire individuals who set foundations for humans everywhere through their innovation and creative footprint. The reason we’ve decided to start “UNDERdog” a series dedicated to all the great minds that you don’t know (but probably have heard of at some point in your life unless you live in a cave). We’ll feature some of the world’s best creative minds and thinkers and give some insight into their life, work and accomplishments. Be sure to comment every week with suggestions for future UNDERdogs and what you think of the weekly features. Dream.
Do you know what the world will look like in 2050? Could you make a movie about it? If he were still alive today this guy probably could. Meet Stanley Kubrick. Very few film makers of our time have been able to speak through their work while simultaneously creating a foundation for the future of film making and artistic expression. Through his dark and witty depictions and sometimes complex subject matter, Kubrick was able to embody what it means to be a creative; creating the unseen.. tapping into the untouched.
Born in 1928 Brooklyn, Stanley showed signs of a gifted mind at a young age. An average student in school who displayed keen interests in literature and photography, Kubrick taught himself all aspects of film production, which landed him a job as a photographer for Look Magazine in the late 40’s. At only 17, this was the start of his visual story telling.
Fast forward to April 2, 1968. The day the classic film “2001: A Space Odyssey” would be shown to the world. Though at the time it received mixed feelings from critics, the film would set the bar for the entire film industry on the limits one could take to cinematography and visual effects. Stanley was able to give a glimpse into a 20th-century world at the fate of unimaginable technology.. and make that shit look real. This was the year 1968 where video cameras and computers were nowhere near as resourceful as they are today. Stanley was praised for his futuristic cinematography and camera work. The visuals for the film were so good that rumors of his help in the recording of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, which many people deem to be a hoax by the US government arose soon after the moon landing. There are even conspiracy theories that his 10th film, The Shining, was a confession filled adaptation of a Stephen King novel, filled with dozens of easter eggs throughout the film that would suggest he was a part of the hoax.
Until his death in 1999, Kubrick continued to test the limits of storytelling with touchy subject matter and unique approach to film making. His work continues to inspire some of the worlds best film makers such as Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. Kubrick was a dreamer.
MUST SEE KUBRICK FILMS:
– The Shining (1980)
l- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
– Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
– Spartacus (1960)