Stanley Kubrickis widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential directors of all time. An exacting perfectionist, he handled various aspects of the filmmaking process himself, including writing, editing and special effects. Notoriously, he demanded many takes of scenes - in some cases over a hundred - until he was satisfied with the results. Kubrick also possessed unusual range as a storyteller. His thirteen feature films span a range of genres, from historical (Barry Lyndon) and noir (The Killing), to sci-fi (2001: A Space Odyssey,A Clockwork Orange), horror (The Shining), satire (Dr Strangelove) and war (Full Metal Jacket).
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Like many of the best filmmakers, Kubrick was also a devoted film fan, and in 1963 he sharedhis 10 favorite movieswithCinemamagazine. His selections shine some light on the films that influenced Kubrick’s own style. His picks include some early 20th century classics, perfect for viewers interested in Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Roxie Hart(1942)-IMDb: 6.9/10
Roxie Hart (Ginger Rogers) dreams of being famous.To boost her profile, she confesses to a murder she didn’t commit, in the hope that the media attention will propel her to stardom. But the truth - Roxie’s husband Amos (George Chandler) was the real murderer - threatens to derail her plan.
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The film is goofy and fast-paced, held together by Rogers’s great performance as the impish Roxie. Beneath the jokes, though, it’s a surprisingly prescient satire of celebrity culture and media sensation.
Henry V(1944) - IMDb: 7.0/10
Based onShakespeare’s play,Henry Vstars theater iconLaurence Olivieras the titular monarch. The central narrative is Henry’s military campaign in France, where his army fought the numerically superior French at Agincourt.Winston Churchillactually told Olivier (who also directedHenry V) to ensure the film would be a morale booster for the public, as it was made during the final years of World War II.
While it’s unclear if the movie succeeded in that regard, it was certainly a milestone for screen adaptations of Shakespeare. It was thefirst successful filmbased on the Bard’s work, after a few disappointing adaptations in the 1930s. It paved the way for future classic re-imaginings of Shakespeare’s work, like 1964’sHamletandKenneth Branagh’s 1989 version ofHenry V. WhileHenry Vhasn’t aged that well in all respects, it’s worth it just for the larger-than-life performance from Olivier.
The Bank Dick(1940) - IMDb: 7.1/10
The Bank Dickis a wild caperstarring influential comedianW.C. Fieldsas a drunk who accidentally stops a bank robbery. The managers are so grateful that they reward him with a job at the bank. Like most of Fields’s movies, it’s a surreal story that’s more of a vehicle for his comedy than anything else.
Most of the humor flows from Fields’s character Egbert Sousé, a nasty piece of work who displays absolutely no character development in this film.The Bank Dickcertainly won’t appeal to everyone. It’s too of its era and many gags feel dated now. But the right viewers will enjoy Fields’s screwball sense of humor.
Hell’s Angels(1930)– IMDb: 7.3/10
“Would you be shocked if I put on something more comfortable?“Hell’s Angelsis a war moviedirected by eccentric tycoon and pilotHoward Hughes, played byLeonardo DiCaprioinMartin Scorsese’s biopicThe Aviator. The making ofHell’s Angelswas notoriously difficult. Hughes spent millions to assemble a private air force to film the aerial battles, but the planes were plagued by problems. Three pilots died in the process, and Hughes himself was almost killed in a crash.
Torturous creation aside, Hell’s Angelshas aged poorly in a lot of ways. Its story is often melodramatic, and there are stereotypes aplenty, particularly of the Germans. But it was nevertheless an innovative war movie for its day, boasting amazingly authentic dogfights that would not be equaled on screen for years to come.
I Vitelloni(1953) - IMDb: 7.8/10
I Vitelloniisthe second filmfrom iconic Italian directorFederico Fellini. It’s a slow-paced story set in a rural Italian town, focusing on the lives of a few aimless young men. As with all of Fellini’s work, the plot is secondary to the imagery and themes. The film explores relationships and infidelity, small town life and arrested development.
“Our duty as storytellers is to bring people to the station,“Fellini once said. “There each person will choose his or her own train… But we must at least take them to the station… to a point of departure.“I Vitelloniis open-ended, leaving a lot up to the audience. But it’s worth it just for the beautiful shots of the sea, nighttime streets and the people who inhabit them.
La Notte(1961) - IMDb: 8.0/10
“I feel like dying because I no longer love you”.This gorgeous black and white dramatakes place over a single day and night in Milan. Novelist Giovanni (Marcello Mastroianni) and his wife Lidia (Jeanne Moreau) visit their dying friend Tommaso (Bernhard Wicki), a critic. The characters discuss a variety of topics: what they’ve read, their thoughts on the changing city, Giovanni’s creative problems.
But despite all the talking, there are unspoken tensions in the couple’s relationship that threaten to blow everything up. They are both unsatisfied, and Giovanni is on the verge of infidelity. Carried by mesmerizing performances from the leads,La Notteis a frank exploration of modern romance and the difficulty of communication.
Wild Strawberries(1957) - IMDb: 8.1/10
70-something doctor Isak Borg (Victor Sjöström) travels from Stockholm to Lund to receive an honorary doctorate, accompanied by his daughter-in-law (Ingrid Thulin). Along the journey, Borg reflects on his life, especially his regrets. The audience gets a peek inside the formative moments in his life, against the backdrop of the Swedish countryside.
Like Fellini, Swedish directorIngmar Bergmanwas a giant of existential, thematic movies that focus more on psychology and character than plot.Wild Strawberriesplays out the way we experience life. Our present experience co-exists with our memories and hopes for the future, proving that the past isn’t dead and buried. Indeed, it’s not even past.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre(1948) - IMDb: 8.2/10
“I know what gold can do to men’s souls.” This Western, set in the 1920s, starsHumphrey Bogart,Walter HustonandTim Holtasa trio of gold prospectorssearching for wealth beneath the sunbaked sands of an unnamed mountain. They get lucky and strike a vein, but the men soon grow suspicious of one another, with dire consequences. Their problems are compounded by the bandits and other threats that stalk the land.
Widely regarded as directorJohn Huston’s best work,The Treasure of the Sierra Madrehas since become a cinematic touchstone.Paul Thomas Andersonwatched it every night while writing the script forThere Will Be Blood.Breaking BadcreatorVince Gilliganis also a fan.
Citizen Kane(1941) - IMDb: 8.3/10
Many critics have calledCitizen Kane, the debut feature from polymathOrson Welles, the best film ever made. It tells the story of media mogul Charles Foster Kane, played by Welles, and the impact he had on the people around him.Citizen Kanehas been praised for its narrative structurewhich makes frequent use of flashbacks and newsreels. The movie’s editing and cinematography, particularly its use of deep focus, were also highly influential on subsequent films.
By the time Welles madeCitizen Kane, he was already renowned as a master of radio and the stage. That he would bring his skill with sound toCitizen Kanewas expected, but his eye for striking images and great mise en scène was a surprise.
City Lights(1931) - IMDb: 8.5/10
Silent movies were on the way out whenCharlie ChaplinreleasedCity Lights, but that didn’t stop it from being a huge financial and critical success. The film revolves around the Tramp’s relationship with a young blind woman (Virginia Cherrill) and his friendship with an eccentric millionaire (Harry Myers).
It’s a kind of greatest hits of Chaplin’s work, boasting all the qualities that made him a star: the slapstick comedy, Chaplin’s easy physicality and, of course, the genuine emotion beneath the gags. It’s been more than 90 years sinceCity Lightspremiered, but the movie is still energetic and entertaining. The lack of speech gives it a kind of timelessness and universality.
