Stanley Kubrick was a visionary filmmaker and movies, like A Clockwork Orange cemented him as one of the greatest directors in Hollywood history. But there are a few Redditors who aren't as swooned by his perfectionist and meticulous filmmaking.
Kubrick has often kept audiences at arm's length, as it's so hard for viewers to connect to a movie so sterilized and perfect. That has led to tons of unpopular opinions on the director, whether it's that his films are charmless or that he's too pretentious. And as he's also known for being notoriously hard to work with and treating his cast and crew terribly, that hasn't exactly helped Redditors warm to the controversial filmmaker.
Dr. Strangelove Isn't Good
Interestingly enough, Dr. Strangelove is one of Kubrick's most experimental movies, as comedy was a genre largely unexplored by the director. And while many praise the war satire as a classic, not everybody thinks the same. Brax611 thinks the 1964 film "was both boring and unfunny."
It's understandable to see why some people might think the movie isn't all that funny, as the comedy still has that intricate and combed-over approach, and everything is exactly in its right place with no room for error. That typical Kubrick technique wouldn't ordinarily work with a comedy. However, Peter Sellers has never been more captivating in a movie, and it's one of the greatest examples of an actor playing multiple characters. Not to mention that there are so many iconic lines.
2001: A Space Odyssey Is Childish
When it comes to movies that were way ahead of their time, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a great example. There are even sci-fi movies released today that aren't on the same scale as the film, which was released more than 50 years ago. And if it wasn't celebrated enough, it's one of Martin Scorsese's favorite movies of all time.
However, despite its practical effects advancing the industry by years, Hairyyams thinks the movie is childish. The Redditor refers more to the plot than the technical aspects, as they complain that "it's like if you took 1970 and put it in space." And what they mean is that none of the in-movie technology seems all that advanced that it could allow the characters to travel between planets.
Shelley Duvall's Performance Was Better Than Jack Nicholson's In The Shining
It must have been so difficult to tap into that level of psychotic behavior that Jack Nicholson depicts with Jack Torrence, but he pulls it off, and at times, it's so easy to forget that it's actually Nicholson on screen. His co-star, Shelley Duvall, doesn't quite have the same level of acclaim as him, and her performance in The Shining wasn't as acclaimed. Sadly, she was even nominated for the Razzie for Worst Actress. However, Triciamilitia thinks that "she was better than Jack and her performance had layers."
But the Redditor does also point out that Duvall was terribly mistreated by Kubrick, who had a tendency to treat his actors horribly. And if he had stopped insulting her and seemingly trying to make her have a breakdown, he probably could have gotten a better performance from her. Nevertheless, Wendy is still Kubrick's strongest female character.
Kubrick Is The Most Overrated Director
Several names are often thrown around when debating who the greatest filmmaker of all time is, whether it's Martin Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock, or Quentin Tarantino. But one name that gets mentioned more than almost any other is Kubrick, and one Redditor thinks that's underserved.
The Redditor posits that "good movies should entertain and touch your soul and mind. A trait which I simply can not find in Mr. Kubrick's movies." And while certain movies of his are intentionally cold and lack heart, such as A Clockwork Orange, he does have plenty of films that are both entertaining and full of soul. Eyes Wide Shut is about a couple trying to reconcile their relationship while still being a profound movie full of ideas, and it's still debated to this day.
Pauline Kael's Negative Review Of A Clockwork Orange Is Spot On
A deleted Redditor notes that Pauline Kael, who was one of the most respected film critics, was right in one of her more unpopular reviews. In Kael's review of A Clockwork Orange, she essentially explains that the violence in the movie was completely unnecessary, and it can be summed up when she writes, "Kubrick is determined to be pornographic, and he has no talent for it.”
It seems more than anything like the is uncomfortable with Kubrick telling them what they don't want to hear. And Alex is a completely unlikable protagonist, but nobody watching the movie ever feels any sympathy for him, and nobody is meant to. It's all about greed and an over-indulgence in pleasure-seeking, and it's necessary to see how disgusting and violent the main character is. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any context or reason for the following events.
Kubrick's Movies Are Charmless
ReggieLeBeau thinks that not only do the filmmaker's movies have no soul, but they're completely charmless. They argue that charm is "essential to movies in general," and that they can't connect with a film without it.
But Kubrick didn't exactly ever intend to make a charming movie, and he wanted to challenge audiences by subverting expectations and making them think for themselves. His movies are explorations into the human psyche, whether it's trying to understand if violent men can (and should) be put through forced psychological rehabilitation, or the effects that war has on a person.
Eyes Wide Shut Is A Bad Movie
Eyes Wide Shut was the last movie Kubrick directed before his death, and the film was released posthumously. It is because of this that Louieanderson thinks "everyone defends this film in honor of Kubrik's legacy rather than on its merits."
But just like all of Kubrick's movies, viewers aren't going to get any pleasure out of the film if they just take everything at face value. The movie almost has to be decoded, and part of the fun is debating what Eyes Wide Shut is really about, whether that's the Illuminati, child abduction, or social status.
Everything Kubrick Did Was Great Except Barry Lyndon
Though Barry Lyndon is generally considered one of Kubrick's weakest movies, it's still rather acclaimed. But Tomhyde098 was underwhelmed by the 1975 drama, explaining that "I’ve always thought of Barry Lyndon as a wedding cake. It’s pretty to look at but it’s awful tasting."
The Redditor does make a great point, as everything about it, whether it's the locations or the costume design, is beautiful. However, it's still a fascinating tale of betrayal, as it follows an 18th century Irishman who marries into extreme wealth and becomes an aristocrat. But being over three hours long, it just requires a little bit of patience.
Kubrick's Movies Are Annoying And Pretentious
9291 doesn't hold the director in as high regard as other cinephiles, and they believe that his movies being annoying and pretentious will be Kubrick's legacy. The Redditor claims that Kubrick sits with a group of "directors that draw too much attention to their own styles like Abrams, Nolan, and Tarantino."
But while they might pay so much attention to their own styles, that's what makes those directors, including Kubrick, visionaries, as so few other filmmakers are as meticulous as they are. And if anything, Kubrick doesn't sit with those directors, as he's the only one of the bunch of filmmakers that the Redditor mentioned that has made films of many different genres. Kubrick has made a horror movie, a comedy, a sci-fi flick, a couple of war epics, and a drama thriller, whereas the other directors generally stick to one or two genres.
A Clockwork Orange Is Kubrick's Only Great Film
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum to Kael's infamous review, Mmmmr1 doesn't just think A Clockwork Orange is great, but that it's Kubrick's only great movie. The Reddit claims that "if A Clockwork Orange didn’t exist, then Paths of Glory, The Shining, 2001, Dr. Strangelove, all can compete as his greatest work.
But statistics don't lie, and while A Clockwork Orange is up there as one of his best, it shares the same average IMDb score of 8.3 with 2001. And it even has a lower score than both Dr. Strangelove and The Shining, which share a score of 8.4.
