Barry Lyndon and XVIII Painting | Videoessay

In this Videoessay we will try to analyze the influence of XVIII & XIX Century paintings on the creation of the images of Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece 'Barry Lyndon' (1975). We will also talk about the revolutionary use of Zeiss lenses in order to shoot under low light conditions. Includes interviews with Martin Scorsese, Jan Harlan, John Calley & Ed DiGiulio.
#StanleyKubrick #BarryLyndon #MakingBarryLyndon
Fragments from 'Barry Lyndon' (Stanley Kubrick, 1975) Warner Bros. / Peregrine Hawk Films
Fragments from 'Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures' (Jan Harlan, 2001) Warner Bros.

[@dilatedmuscle]

This film is 3 hours of eyegasms... Phenomenal cinematography and attention to detail. I've never seen anything like it.

[@dj_bullets7106]

Luis Rodriguez Ridley Scotts first film "The Duelist" is beautiful as well, although not nearly as vivid and precise.

[@dj_bullets7106]

Luis Rodriguez Duellists*

[@hectorbarrientos2256]

I agree Luis. Gorgeous cinematography and camerawork all the way through. And what a story! One of Kubrick's very best. I had seen it years ago and saw it a few months back and I have only deepened my appreciation of this film. Kubrick rules!

[@noelmajers6369]

About three years ago there was a Kubrick exhibition at the Design Museum in London and I was able to go. In among thousands of other wonderful exhibits from all of Kubrick's productions was one very special exhibit which was a glass presentation case in which the highly specialised low light lenses (i.e. especially candlelight) used to shoot Barry Lyndon where housed. For me a real highlight of the exhibition.

[@doctorstrangelove8815]

Add psychological depth never reproduced, and it is by far the best film ever made.

[@ulfingvar1]

One of the few films that approached, and achieved, perfection

[@richardscally694]

Well said, couldn't agree more. Kubrick, the cinemas Master Craftsman.

[@arlingtonhynes]

Shame they couldn’t find an actor with an Irish accent.

[@lukedesobry3839]

Handel's Sarabande is such a beautiful piece and is just absolutely perfect for this movie

[@bennyvega100]

This is my favorite Kubrick film, mainly just for the immaculate cinematography.

[@motman52]

Not just my favorite Kubrick film but my favorite film "period." A stunning work of Art....like the Mona Lisa? Or Sophia Loren?

[@DaveMcGarry]

I can't stop thinking about this movie... It's just amazing.

[@Amadeu.Macedo]

I have been adoring this movie since I was a kid, decades ago. At the age of 15, I watched this film at least seven times, followed by many other occasions thereafter. BRAVO!

[@ArnoGoldfinger]

His most accessible and emotional film. So much happens in the movie but you're transported through the story with such grace. The casting, music and cinematography are all close to perfect. The definition of a hidden gem.

[@Salenceable]

One of the most beautiful films ever made.

[@lisasmith516]

Aaah so!

[@mubashirlatif9350]

I was totally bewitched when I watched this movie. Spellbound with each and everything. I’m a cinephile but never has any other film left such a lasting impression on me. Simply a cut above the rest.

[@marcaurele3115]

Excellent reportage qui met en concordance les scènes du film de Kubrick et quelques fameux tableaux auxquels elles faisaient explicitement référence. Barry Lindon fut un choc pour le public . On n'avait jamais approché autant la perfection. Le materiel photographique utilisé était innovant et lui permit une qualité de prise de vue étonnante : scènes à la bougie , subtiles lumieres des paysages nous plongeant dans l'univers de Constable , interieurs en clair-obscur...et l'image était en parfaite adéquation avec le propos du cinéaste qui livrait là un roman picaresque du XVIIIeme siecle . Le rythme du film y faisait également référence puisque le récit supplante les dialogues , construisant l'histoire de Lindon comme un album d'images . A noter particulièrement la beaute de Marisa Berenson , grande actrice qui tourna également pour Visconti- ( mort à Venise )- autre esthète du cinema. Jamais on ne revit une oeuvre cinématographique à ce niveau de qualité. Mais son esthétique inspira nombre de cinéastes depuis .Revoir "Out of Africa" dont la photogtaphie se rapproche de celle de Barry Lindon avec un propos et une narration certes très différente. Un grand merci pour votre approche qui nous replonge dans cette merveille du cinema !

[@zapillofilms]

Merci beau coup per votre comentarie!

[@lisasmith516]

Sometimes, French ALONE (although a nod to other Romance Languages) expresses beauty's precision, and the effect the realization of that sublimity has on our very soul. I do not speak it, except a bit (French) but, I can decipher the comment quite well. "Mai Oui!" I subbed as I appreciate so much your style of presentation. Muchas Gracias! Lisa Rae Rousseau

[@marcaurele3115]

@@lisasmith516 Français Anglais Thank you ! Barry Lindon is one of my favorite movies that I have watched dozens of times. concerning French, it was for centuries the diplomatic language, precisely because of its precision for the drafting of treaties in particular. English is more imprecise, if I may ... But it won the competition today, and our poor language no longer has the aura that we once recognized!

[@danoslehoy]

In my opinion, Stanley Kubrick is among the 3 best film directors of the 20th century.

[@Evanderj]

True, but I’m sure those other two would concede Stanley was the single greatest genius to ever sit in the director’s chair. Not to mention he wrote, edited, & produced his films too.

[@envitech02]

All the scenes just look like 18th century paintings. Exceptionally brilliant!!

[@sian2337]

I watched this for the first time recently and, to be honest, I found the film a bit slow at first, I wasn’t sure where it was going. But I got past that feeling and thought it was brilliant. Every scene looks like a painting, but it becomes even more impressive when you actually see paintings from that time and realise how perfectly Kubrick recreated them. I don’t really understand the camera talk and the depth of field talk though.

[@billt5410]

This is a very brutal movie. God I love it.

[@vik_body_beld7294]

Kubrick was like a magnet. He was a genius and attracted other geniuses, and a collaboration of them gives us perfection. Be it costume design or set design or action scenes, melodrama, editing, cinematography , even the background music . All toppers in their respective fields and kubrick at the helm. Napoleon would have trumped barry Lyndon.

[@robertmunro5382]

stanly always used the most wonderful music to go along with his wonderful films

[@DouchedByDemocrats]

Greatest music in a picture ever

[@lisasmith516]

Aaah men

[@godefroid2022]

Simply the most beautiful film ever !

[@hunapufrisco4838]

I got fooled so hard at 4:50. I geniously belived it was a painting until i realized the subtile movments in the scene.

[@jimpickard3850]

For sheer beauty of image, the greatest film ever made. It will never be surpassed either as the public has even less appetite for this type of film than they did when it was made. Thank you Stanley for providing us with this masterpiece and this video does it great justice.

[@jimpickard3850]

@sasholsuma Yes, art is, but popular art is not. To get the kind of budget needed to make a film like this you need commercial appeal, and sadly that has moved in a different direction.

[@alevine1951]

Fantastic, well done! In a better world, would have 310 million views, not 31 thousand.

[@Racosz]

Para mí, esta es la mejor película de Kubrick.

[@maxmilburn4046]

This wee video was really well made. Good job

[@skyeslaton3435]

Some of the best cinematography I've ever seen

[@yosseftaieb1574]

Stanley Kubrick is a genius

[@Matthewsavant]

This is the only Kubrick film I haven’t seen yet, I love his work but this one for some reason was last on the list maybe I’ll finally watch it tomorrow

[@Matthewsavant]

I finally watched it and it was phenomenal, definitely one of my favorite films of his now

[@Quo-vadis-domine]

that film made that I started studying and appreciating much more the XVIII century.

[@dave997]

this is a real movie, not the generic cgi trash they pump out today

[@annoythefish]

No, this is a Film. Those other things are movies.

[@adamisaksson7753]

annoythefish Jesus Christ are you two even real people?

[@johnperrigo6474]

@@adamisaksson7753: What's with you?

[@adamisaksson7753]

John Terrino I’m saying that’s such an elitist way to view films, all while acting like nothing good ever comes out now. Even if you don’t like CGI fests there are a lot of film you’ll enjoy still coming out today, I mean The Favourite was last year and that was super inspired by Barry Lyndon stylistically. That film might not have been as good at Barry Lyndon (what is?) but it was still great! Acting like ever film in the 70s is much better than every film coming out today, and having to say films you like are “films” and “movies” are the films you don’t like is extremely dumb and doesn’t help anyone. Just watch what you enjoy and let everyone else watch what they enjoy. We both wish more people would see more movies like Barry Lyndon, but you won’t get anyone to watch them by acting like this.

[@victoryoneable]

@@adamisaksson7753 "watch what you enjoy and let everyone else watch what they enjoy" I don't think either of them said you can't watch what you want.

[@larryhagemann5548]

Very well done. Thank you.

[@rickdicl]

My #1 film ever

[@John-ob7dh]

Amazing film.O ,Neil was great in this film.

[@jesseyules]

If you like Barry Lyndon, check out WATERLOO (1970). In HD if possible. Best depiction of the Napoleonic Wars. 16000 extras!

[@corcaighrebel]

A film which is packed with stuff but just slightly missed being granted legend status, which is a really pity as it is beautiful and powerful at the same time.

[@stephyyy17]

I wаtched Barrу Lyndоn full mоviе hеееere twitter.com/4a7ea75b7a897c79d/status/795843389044293632 Barrу Lyndon ааnd ХVIII Раinting an Аnаlysis

[@sian2337]

Why do you think it slightly missed? It was a bit slow maybe? Or the hero was a bit of a dick.

[@pedroortiz5066]

Quizás sea la película más bella jamás rodada.

[@jimpickard3850]

What strikes me on second viewing is not so much how the film.looks like paintings as how the paintings look like real life .. artists of different eras creating art for the future

[@John-ob7dh]

Leonard Rossitter was good as the captain ,and great at a irish jig.

[@fernandopenalva2680]

Which is the music used at the beginning?

[@zapillofilms]

SARABANDE by Georg Friedrich Händel

[@Fuliginosus]

This makes me swoon.

[@christopherpuleo5650]

Quell un Renaissance au Baroque and where is the princess? They showered those days and these days!

[@thebossman80s]

All he had to do is be nicer to the woman’s son and things would have been different I think, cheating on his wife didn’t help either so in all fairness he got what was coming to him. He even accepted his own fate in the end and let the boy win the duel losing his leg in the process and being sent back home to live with his mother as he started. What a life

[@lukedesobry3839]

I think you're missing the forest for the trees

[@Fan_Made_Videos]

A strong undercurrent theme in the movie is the conflict between the privileged and the upstarts. Barry's natural intelligence and street smarts could only carry him so far into European aristocracy where he was always viewed as an impostor, even by those who exalted his prowess (Capt. Potsdorf, Lord Wendover) knew he was only good in a certain capacity with his "Irish ways". In reality, it's in Barry's nature to be a philanderer and a playboy (even his own mother reminds him of this). That's why she encouraged him to apply for the title of "Lord", but even in that regard it wasn't even a possibility. Remember the scene where Barry meets the King of England during introduction and all he says to him is "how's Lady Lyndon?" then a quick follow up of how Barry should raise and army and go to the colonies to crush the rebellion (iow: get your ass killed asap).

[@marichristian1072]

The step son was a nasty little snot who couldn't stand the idea that Barry was a not an aristocrat. Even the stunt he pulled with Barry's son wearing the stepson's too big shoes- in front of an audience- was intolerable. In the duel scene Barry held off because he'd promised his dying son that he'd stop hurting people.

[@thebossman80s]

@@marichristian1072 Barry became entitled without having any of the necessary breeding it took to get in the position he found himself in. Knowing this he should of been more cunning and won the stepson over even if it meant eating humble pie. Losing his son eventually destroyed him and knowing of his own failure to himself and his family he let the stepson shoot him as a penance for his wrong doing. The shot could of killed him but this was his last moment of scrapping back some morsel of integrity.

[@marichristian1072]

@@thebossman80s I agree completely.

[@conlaiarla]

There were thousands of such emigrants from Ireland all across Europe at this time. The Penal Laws directed against Catholics at home made advancement all but impossible so they left Ireland in droves and tried the military of the Catholic powers or commerce to advance themselves. My own family were one such example . Unfortunately the results were often disappointing.

[@amritpalsingh3293]

Who is watching in 2929?

[@jackxiao9702]

It's a ridiculous film, with an odd pace, corny characters. But I don't understand why I keep thinking about it. That's what's craziest about Kubrick, he makes stuff that fits no mold, feels out of place, unrealistic (at least to movie tropes, mood and character actions), but feels memorable and indelible.

[@jacksonlevine9236]

The story hit me totally out of left field and I was so confused. But yeah

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

Here’s the stupidest comment you’ll ever hear about this movie… It seems that Barry doesn’t know how to split wood. Or no one told Ryan O’Neal how to split wood. Or maybe is the one thing on the entire planet that Stanley Kubrick didn’t understand. Unless it was done on purpose. Because he tries to chop the logs in half with an ax rather than splitting them on the end. I mean they’re already logs which have been song down to a good length. All you have to do is stand them on and then split them. He gets frustrated and then he tosses them away. Is it meant to show that he doesn’t quite know what he’s doing?

[@Santu2409]

Barry was not a talented man.

[@eviljew8206]

Why didn't he make a movie about how the skullcap people destroyed Europe?

[@lisasmith516]

There are a bunch of Religions that put caps on "men." He would have had to abandon other film-making genres. God states it is a shame for a man to cover his head while worshiping, and a shame for a woman not to! 😚 Lisa Rae Rousseau

[@Tiwaz81]

Muslims? He’d get cancelled.

[@garrison6863]

A real disappointment is you ask me. Two actors who could not act: O'Neal and Berenson. And a story line from Thackeray's worst novel, which thematically never got dramatized in any cohesive way. I thought it was boring. Kubrick was never a good screenwriter anyway.

[@TheSAINTWARRIOR]

This film is so boring that even the most boring films run away from it😴🥵

[@LazlosPlane]

The strength of the movie (it's luscious and perfected visual) is the cause of its failure: one gets tired, even at the Louvre, of looking at great paintings. In a film it becomes, without the support of great drama, intolerable very quickly. In fact, it becomes boring. Which this film, ultimately is.

[@peterjoyfilms]

It does have great drama.

[@paolomarini6989]

@@peterjoyfilms And an utterly engaging pace. Boredom is light years away.

[@aallpprr8998]

LazlosPlane as i have said before this is the most beautiful and engaging boring film I’ve ever seen. It should be boring but it isn’t the duel between barry and stepson was so intense for example or the death of barry son or the card game scene was so beautiful that you can’t get tired of watching it

[@glenngouldification]

LazlosPlane Barry Lyndon, Greatest Film EVER made !

[@JustaKubrickFan]

So deep a thought that it conveys shallowness.