The Stanley Kubrick Archives (Hardcover)

by Alison Castle (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"First print-run buyers get a 12-frame filmstrip from the 70-millimeter print of 2001, the Kubrickian equivalent of precious bodily fluids." -- Playboy, April 2005

"the first book to explore his meticulous archives.. the most comprehensive study of the filmaker to date." -- HoBO Magazine, Vancouver, Issue 4

Product Description
Stanley Kubrick The first book to explore Stanley Kubrick’s archives is also the most comprehensive study of the filmmaker to date

Part 1: The films
In 1968, when Stanley Kubrick was asked to comment on the metaphysical significance of 2001: A Space Odyssey, he replied: "It’s not a message I ever intended to convey in words. 2001 is a nonverbal experience…. I tried to create a visual experience, one that bypasses verbalized pigeonholing and directly penetrates the subconscious with an emotional and philosophic content." The philosophy behind Part I borrows from this line of thinking: from the opening sequence of Killer’s Kiss to the final frames of Eyes Wide Shut, Kubrick’s complete films will be presented chronologically and wordlessly via frame enlargements. A completely nonverbal experience.

Part 2: The Creative Process
Divided into chapters chronologically by film, Part 2 brings to life the creative process of Kubrick’s filmmaking by presenting a remarkable collection of material from his archives, including photographs, props, posters, artwork, set designs, sketches, correspondence, documents, screenplays, drafts, notes, and shooting schedules. Accompanying the visual material are essays by noted Kubrick scholars, articles written by and about Kubrick, and a selection of Kubrick’s best interviews.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Taschen (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822822841
• ISBN-13: 978-3822822845
• Product Dimensions: 16.5 x 12 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #645,491 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, it's incredible., May 12, 2005

By	Mr. Eddie (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

Although the "Archives" are not as thorough as someone totally obsessed with Kubrick might like, this is still much more than a vanity project filled with pretty pictures.

The first portion of the book, which consists of carefully chosen stills from the various films, highlights the fact that Kubrick had impeccable photographic taste and crafted a look for his films that matured in a very unique, somewhat strange way. Any fan knows this already, but being able to really dissect the shots and the lighting is more worthwhile than it might appear at first. I would say with almost any other director this would be overkill.

The interviews throughout are fascinating -- and although one might be able to find them elsewhere, here you can look at them in the context of the films themselves, and there are just simply so many of them. So, instead of fishing for the 2001 Playboy interview it's right here. Kubrick has some brilliant things to say about the nature of life in the universe, evolution, etc. The Clockwork Orange interview is also very revealing, as the great director claims absolutely no responsibility for the violent content of the film, among other things. Reading Pauline Kael's review as counterpoint to this (not in the book) should prove worthwhile...

The analysis of the films themselves is also suprisingly good, although in no way rigorous academically. One example: I find Barry Lyndon a work so rich in nuance, so unique in the history of filmaking, that the straightforward analysis of its story presented here doesn't enlighten the material much. For instance, if Kubrick himself did in fact conceive of the last duel between Barry and Bullingdon, it would be very interesting to delve more into how he took elements of Thackeray's novel and deepened them thematically. There seems to be a lot of discussion to be had about just what Kubrick was saying within the context of the material. Alas, nothing of that sort here.

Just the same, there certainly is plenty, beyond just eye candy, to satisfy the Kubrick devotee. Reading the book is like completely immersing oneself in his world, surrounded by his thoughts and visual stimuli. When I first saw a mock-up of this book in Beverly Hills, I thought it might be overblown and obnoxious. I am happy to say it is not. If you have the money, I'd invest in a copy.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: May Cause Disharmony Amongst Heirs, July 1, 2005

By	Tome Raider (California, United States) - See all my reviews

Perhaps you are similar to me and you occasionally justify a purchase by saying to yourself "The kids will enjoy this after I'm gone someday." This rationale helps me feel a little less guilty when I indulge in an expensive purchase. Well, as I review this book I realize a new problem: 40 years from now, as my body lay cooling, my two lovely daughters will probably be engaged in a dispute as to who gets the AWESOME Kubrick book!

I am a big fan of Taschen books and I'm also a big Kubrick fan. This book is the ultimate dosage of both. I have well over a hundred Taschen titles and this is definitely one of my favorite three ("Cabinent of Curiosities" and "Complete Costume History" being the other two. All of these are the large-size super-high quality classics that are likely to become sought-after collector's volumes).

You've already had this Kubrick book described for you, but I wanted emphasize three points: First, the front page edges are "tabbed" in this book, making access to particular areas (eg, particular films) very convenient. This is really a sophisticated fluorish which makes the book that much more stunning. Second, the snippet of "2001" is nothing less than magical. As I read about it here I thought it sounded a little gimmicky: but when you see a foot-long section of one of the most important films ever made, it is really captivating. The section I received has bright geometric colors which I'm delighted by, but regardless of what you get, you're getting a piece of "2001"!!!! I get the same reverential feeling looking at it as I did when gawking at the original Declaration of Independence! Third, the quality of manufacture here is first-rate. I have been critical of Taschen in recent years because they have so many great books with cheesey/flimsy covers and bindings which don't hold up. I think this has been a MAJOR strategic error at the corporate level for them; they should raise their prices a little and create books which will last 200 years. Well, as to this Kubrick book you don't have to worry about that: this cover is composed of two different types of cloth and it appears very solid and is GORGEOUS. I collect books new and old, and please believe me, you'll be psyched when you see this behemoth! (Due to size and weight you'll still want to hold it carefully so binding doesn't get unduly torqued.)

Anyway, it is so great to roll the dice on a book and to win big. If you're a Kubrick fan I encourage you to act quickly and to nail one of these.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most unique book on Kubrick!, May 10, 2005

By	F. Audet (Quebec, CAN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is obviously the most unique and fascinating book ever made on Stanley Kubrick. Certainly the most complete as well. It's also the biggest in every sense of the word. I cannot believe just how huge and heavy this thing is. It is massive! But most importanly, it is filled with interviews and insightful articles on all Kubrick films (in the second part of the book). Even the ones he didn't complete (A.I., Napoleon, Aryan Papers). Especially great, are the many never before seen photographs taken during productions of these amazing films. This is my favorite thing in this book.

The filmstrip from Kubrick's own 70-millimeter print of 2001 is of course a very special addition. As is the included interview on cd, from 1966.

Stanley Kubrick was in my opinion the greatest filmmaker in history. I have many books on the man, but this is by far the most extraordinary. A very unique piece of work indeed and the most beautiful collector item on Kubrick ever made. I think every fan will not want to miss it.

Thanks to Alison Castle, Jan Harlan and Christianne Kubrick for this!