original post 11/26/21- wasn’t graded
Well, it’s officially Christmas season so it’s time to rewatch my favorite Christmas movie. I went back and forth debating if I should even write this review since this movie has somewhat of a stigma surrounding it. But considering this is one of Kubrick’s greatest masterpieces and probably my favorite film in terms of visuals, I think it’s important to discuss. I think we all know Kubrick is a creep and that is apparent in many of his films, but once you get around that, they’re simply magnificent. A Clockwork Orange and The Shining are some of my favorite films and I’m really looking forward to watching 2001 for the first time hopefully sometime over Christmas break. The main message in this film is what insecurity within a relationship can do in the most extreme circumstances. But there’s another much more interesting theme that lingers throughout the film is money/status as a means of power and control. It’s most prominently displayed with the whole cult storyline that the main character gets involved with, but I think it’s most powerful usage that likely goes unnoticed by many is that literally every time the main character wants something, he gets it by bribing with money or using his status as a doctor. There’s also a subtle but constant looming threat of death and dread throughout the film. I watched a YouTube video that talked about how Kubrick associates death with the color green. There’s a lot of green in this film. It also touches on consumerism culture. If you think about it, everything and everyone is up for sale in this movie. And the fact that it takes place during Christmas time, with Christmas trees and lights in almost every scene, only makes it more gross and creepy. Also, there’s a scene where Alice is helping their daughter with a math problem and it’s basically about figuring out which boy has more money. This is a not so subtle hint that she’s grooming the kid to be a trophy wife just like her. Now, I’m not a huge fan of the story. He finally goes “where the rainbow ends” after trying and failing like three different times and then predictably regrets it. What I really love about this film is it’s production design. The multi color Christmas lights as practical lighting in nearly every scene are *chef’s kiss*. I love movies that feel like a dream, and this movie feels even dreamier than a dream. First of all, it’s like a weird but awesome mix of New York and London in the middle of the night. Fun fact: this is only because the movie is set in New York but Kubrick lived in London and was afraid to fly, so all exterior shots were filmed in London or were sets. For some of the walking scenes they had Tom Cruise walk on a treadmill in front of a screen of New York City streets. Another small thing that makes the movie feel like a dream is that it’s the middle of the night and the streets are almost completely empty, yet all the restaurants he walks into are packed. I know New York is the city that never sleeps, but it’s still very unrealistic even for midtown Manhattan. It’s not logical at all but completely works for this film and adds to the eeriness. Speaking of eeriness, the creepy piano music that plays throughout the film is spot on. That’s all I have to say about that.
1 Comment
|
May Featured Movie QuoteBarry B. Benson: Yellow-black, yellow-black, yellow-black, yellow-black... Oh, black and yellow. Yeah, let's shake it up a little.
Yeah, I have letterboxd now
|