BARRY LYNDON: Unpacking Kubrick's Most UNDERRRATED MASTERPIECE
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
- Fatalism, Class Struggle, the Emptiness of Ambition: Barry Lyndon is thematically rich, despite being one of Kubrick's less popular films. In this video I'll show you how to watch Barry Lyndon in such a way that the film opens up into a fascinating and poignant statement of how a man can lose himself. Barry Lyndon holds his message secret between himself and his viewer-if you pay close enough attention.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
00:00 An Underrated Masterpiece
6:13 A Brief Philosophy of Seeing Beauty
8:35 One Giant Card Game: How Barry Lyndon Conveys Meaning
15:35 Fate & Destiny
18:36 The Quest for a Father Figure
22:41 Wealth is Not to the Wise
25:14 As He is Treated, So He Treats Others
26:33 Becoming Two-Dimensional: The Loss of Self in the Loss of Good Relationships
32:47 Pride's Downfall
36:18 Fate & Heartbreak in Kubrick's Most Emotional Film
38:50 The Climax of Kubrick's Kingdom of Mirrors
45:01 The Man Without a Face
46:34 Equality Now: Barry Lyndon's Commentary on Class Conflict
51:01 Man is Circled by Undoing: Napoleon & How Barry Lyndon Partially Fulfills Kubrick's Napoleon Project
49 years ago (or so) I played Bryan in the film and I really enjoyed your analysis. Thanks you! Looking back (and I hope without bias), I consider that as a child actor, this was the most amazing film to be cast in and I love the film.
David, I don't know if it was Kubrick or other's guidance, or just your own unguarded enthusiasm at that age, but there was a real and natural warmth in your scenes as a son with a doting father. Everything felt so familiar if that makes sense. I'm sure it had to have been an extraordinary experience.
Thx! Yes I think it was a real bond. They put my trailer next to Ryan. We used to play a lot and had a lot of fun. I never saw Marisa Berenson. I think Stanley knew what he was doing 😂
Thanks for leaving this comment. I loved the film its one of my all time favorites and im a huge movie buff. This is really cool. You did great
Glad you enjoyed it! Must have been an amazing experience.
Question, how did they film the scene of you falling off the horse?
The perfect example to "every frame a painting" this movie is beyond beautiful
This is almost literally so. It's very clear that Kubrick was quite familiar with Reynolds, Gainsborough, and Constable, and translated many of their lighting, coloring, and compositional devices into film absolutely brilliantly.
Kubrick is one of very few filmmakers I wouldn't hesitate even slightly to call a genius.
@@hadronoftheseus8829 Also William Hogarth's works and some not so well-known paintings based on candlelight effects. In the same time, these glorious painting-like scenes aren't the only reason why the movie is so good. The sound and rythm of voices are no less important. And, of course, every actor did a great job.
Honestly, I don't remember such an authentic historical film, regardless of the time of action. Everything looks natural, not "staged". It's very difficult, working with that luxurious setting of 18th century, to keep the movie from sliding into a typical fake costume drama. Barry Lyndon is unique.
@@grumpysorc3744 Dammit, I'm kicking myself for not thinking of Hogarth. There's a certain series he did, sort of like a short allegorical play in pictures, and there's a panel in that series that I'm certain (now that I think of it) directly inspired the scene in Barry Lyndon where Bullingdon prods Barry awake with his cane to challenge him to a duel.
And I heartily agree with your second paragraph. With almost any other period drama, I'm painfully aware that I'm watching modern actors in costume under artificial lighting. Barry Lyndon enables me to suspend this disbelief to an almost unique degree.
Oh, and Kubrick wrote the narration himself, in an excellent imitation of ~early nineteenth century prose. Thackeray's novel was in first person, narrated by Barry himself.
Barry Lyndon is the closest we might ever come to experiencing a time machine. This film was just sublime.
Until Ryan O'Neal's nauseating accent blew out your eardrums.
It was fine for me as I can't stand the sound of a genuine Irish accent.@@maxbrazil3712
@@maxbrazil3712 Exactly - and that's why the movie, my favorite Kubrick, failed to win popular approval. O'Neal gives a horrendous performance. It's distracting from beginning to end. And this review is both shallow and overwrought. Only once or twice does it come close to the truth - as when, for example, it invokes Dickens. As the final title card reveals, BARRY LYNDON is nothing more - or less - than a slice of 18th century life, filled with brilliant characters, dialogue and (O'Neal excepted) acting.
Hated this movie as a kid loved it as an adult.I wish the battle scenes were longer. You made a good analysis of the film. it really was like watching a living painting.Come alive!
Kubricks best work 🏆
The silence in the movie is one of the most important aspects, the aching lethargy some scenes depict capture the silence of a preindustrial world, no cars, no planes, no electronics, this quietness is unnerving to average modern viewers but essential to the films ability to immerse the viewer back to this period in time. We seem to refuse to accept that past history, in fact looked exactly like the present, no grainy film effects, no idealized lighting or sepia filter, the movie is somewhat of a Time Machine in that regard
The establishing shots of the various buildings always struck me as intentionally shot with enough empty space above it to show zero phone polls, street signs, or airplanes.
Excellent comment
Most movies (even slow dramas) are jam packed with an impossible amount of talking and action like life in fast forward. This film is like a series of critical moments in a life which are each allowed to play out in their true cadence.
Ah you nail it with silence. I was smashed by the movie and could name some reasons for the intensity but others I could not explain. Now that you say it I realize how crazy good the silence is.
Very well put!
It’s sooo underrated!!! Every single scene is a painting, his experience as a photographer really shows in this one
I totally agree. This movie is a feast for the eyes. The most visually stunning period piece ever made.
Underrated? It's held in extremely high regard by just about anyone I've ever seen or heard discuss it. How could it be any more highly rated?
@@hadronoftheseus8829 You may be different, but it’s the least mentioned Kubrick film to me, especially of his peak era films
A cinephiles wet dream
I agree. I think it's one of Kubrick's best, it is supposed to be slow because the era it captures was slower than today.
What benefit is it to the man who gains the whole world but loses his soul.
I went into Barry Lyndon expecting a "lesser Kubrick film" on account of all I heard surrounding it. I heard things like, "it's pretty, but not much else to it." When I finished the film, I was convinced I had watched one of the greatest films of all time and absolutely puzzled how so many missed this.
This was the reputation I also heard. I've been meaning to watch it, literally the last few days and I came upon this video. Spoilers galore but I know this movie will be just as exceptional from everything that was described in this video.
Did you watch it since these past weeks? @@thedpsemporiumofdrumtracks5648
Hated this movie as a kid loved it as an adult.I wish the battle scenes were longer. You made a good analysis of the film. it really was like watching a living painting.Come alive!
Kubricks best work 🏆
It's a total classic. I'm surprised that most other Kubrick fans don't see it for the masterpiece it is.
@davidalankaminski Because its long and boring at times, The battle scenes are very short. But the movie is a total masterpiece and beautifully filmed.
Watching Barry Lyndon (which I've done many times), is like settling into your favorite chair beside a fireplace on a chilly night, and immersing yourself into a really good book.
Yes, lol, the voiceover, and other things, make it feel like a book...
One of the unusual things about this film is how closely its themes adheres to those of Thackeray's book, despite the plot being simplified and modified. That obsession with the interplay of chance and fate comes from the book.
I feel something similar with 2001.
It was taken from a book
and what does the narrator say? “War is different than sitting in an armchair ?” “Once you experience war like Barry did, you’ll never know” or something along those lines. When he’s on watch duty.
Imagine if he got the Napoleon film he wanted to make in this films style
With Jack Nicholson staring as Napoleon, would’ve been amazing.
You can read the proposed script for that movie and do the imagination by yourself.
Thank god we are getting a napoleon film by ridley Scott
One can only imagine the brilliance 😭
@@nietzchepreacher9477 I don't know how I feel about Ridley Scott doing something like this, but maybe he'll pull it off.
I never understood why it is so under-rated. It's one of my favourite movies, and in my top 5 by Kubrick. Utterly mesmerising.
It's one of my favorite films too, and not one of my top Kubrick films, lol, but my favorite one...I don't care, on the other hand, lol, and I'm sure absolutely no one would agree with this opinion, I don't care (well, lol, not that much, certainly not as much as other people seem to) for 2001: A Space Odyssey, or especially Eyes Wide Shut...
"mesmerizing" is a great description of this movie. 👍
It's in my top 10
@@archangecamilien1879 "especially Eyes Wide Shut..." Three Thumbs Down
Lol...exactly...
I saw this movie in a theater in Paris in 1975, with French subtitles. I was walking by the theater and simply couldn't resist. It was then, and remains, my favorite Kubrick movie. What a shame that he never made his movie about Napoleon!
The slow pace of this movie is a sumptuous and gorgeous experience. It’s enthralling from start to finish.
Barry Lyndon is easily one of my favorite Kubrick films , one of my all time favorite films period. I lost count of how many times I've watched it , it's like a fine piece of music or a masterpiece painting, more an experience than a mere "movie'.
I like it, watched it I think three times, but holy cow it's depressing to me. Like I feel bad for all the shit i pulled and I never want to go back to my selfish ways
My sentiments exactly! I watch it as a much-needed respite from the ugliness of modern society.
It's really one of the few
Pieces of film as high art.
I think people often forget that Kubrick wasn't just a genius, but he was also an artists artist.
I completely agree with you on this
When I saw this great poetic masterpiece I was cut to the quick by the final words.. “Good or bad, handsome or ugly, rich or poor - they are all equal now." Actually made my blood run cold… our common fate is harsh…
Same sentiment that Thackeray expressed in the closing lines of 'Vanity Fair'.
is it harsh because we all are equal?
Happened to me at the end of AMERICAN GRAFFITI! (before the titles roll, you read what has become of 62's four main characters:
one killed, one missing in action in Vietnam... )
In German (saw BL here when it opened in 75) the end is a bit more ironic because it rhymes: "... arm oder reich, heute sind sie alle gleich."
When I reflected on it after seeing it in its first run, for some reason I was convinced that the narrator had said, "... they are all dead now."
I never found it chilling, but rather comforting in some way.
I am a bit of a cynic...
No matter how grand or insignificant our lives turn out, we will all die in the end so don't take it too serious.
I saw this in it's original release in a really plush old style movie theatre with state of the art projection and sound. It was like being transported to another time and place. It was a magical experience.
25:29 ...lol, exactly...I don't think he's ever actually in love with her...I mean, lol, it's as if this video was saying that he was or something...
Yep...23:00..."meets and falls in love with [...]"...I don't think he's supposed to have ever been in love with her, in the film...
34:33 or so...I doubt Bulingdon (not sure how his name is written) was thinking about Barry's title-quest, lol...hell, not even sure he was aware he was trying to get a title, etc...but perhaps that was common knowledge...I don't think he comes and makes that scene for any other reason than bitterness, there was no masterplan, lol...at any rate, I don't understand why Barry Lyndon needs to be defended, lol...well, I suppose I'm different, but it's my favorite of all his films, lol...not sure why a conspiracy theory would help make it more interesting...
...well, lol, maybe he was trying to embarrass him publicly, and maybe it was aimed at his mother too...but, lol, I don't think he had such a masterplan...he had no idea Barry Lyndon was going to attack him...I mean, lol...
When I finally crossed Barry Lyndon off the list I was filled with instant regret for not watching sooner. One of Kubrick's finest.
It's probably my favorite film of the 1970's
Barry Lyndon is my most treasured film of all time. Period.
A top notch exploration of the Kubrick film that seems to have been forgotten. It's worth noting that every genre Kubrick took on, he ultimately is regarded as creating a defining movie of that genre. Whether it be dark humor (Strangelove), Sci Fi (2001), dystopian future (Clockwork), horror (Shining), war (Full Metal Jacket, Paths of Glory), elitist (Eyes Wide Shut) and period piece (Barry Lyndon). The man was a literal genius.
And he never made the same type of film twice. He also wasn't a churner of films every few yrs. He really took his time between projects to make them unique and perfect. So we don't have a huge library of them but all them great imo
We need a better word than _genius_ to describe how Kubrick achieved whatever he was up to.
Why?
"Genius is as common as dirt." - John Taylor Gatto
"The difference between a Duke's son and a street-sweeper's son is early training." - Adam Smith
@@shaft9000 I agree. Such an incredible film maker needs his own adjective.
Some time ago, my mother and I did a Kubrick marathon on HBO Max, But of all the movies, Barry Lyndon became her new and instant favorite, I knew she was going to love it from beginning to end, my mom loves period dramas so i knew this was her movie, she loved EVERYTHING, she likes to be nitpicky about historical errors (like costume for example), she didn't find a single mistkae, she loved Ryan O'Neal (he's very underrated, I know a lot of people were critical of his acting skills, maybe he was "too american" for the role, apart from Barry Lyndon and Love Story he's not well remembered, especially after a controversy in the early 2000's), she loved the story, photography, setting, costumes, classical music, the cast, etc...
I think because of all this and the length, a lot of people feel distant from this movie, just because it's a period piece, in a way it's more of an european drama than an american movie, it did better at the European box office than it did in the US for a reason, also this movie won 4 oscars out of 7 nominations (it was also nominated to best picture), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography and Best Original Score to Leonard Rosenman (even if the film's soundtrack was composed mostly of classical and folk music) that's already more than what other Kubrick films can show off.
About the other movies, my mom and I watched A Clockwork Orange with an open mind (I did already watched it a few times), my mom remembered seeing it a while ago but not complete, after that we had talks about psychological, social and behavioral themes related to the film, however she wouldn't watch A Clockwork Orange EVER again, she liked Lolita better despite it's subject, she already watched The Shining (she LOVES it) and Eyes Wide Shut back in their day when they were released and already knew Full Metal Jacket, she liked 2001 very much, I'm fortunate to have a mother who loves science fiction, scientific and space themes as much as I.
Another thing, Melvin Murray who played Reverend Samuel Runt passed away on April 14, 2023 at age 90, R. I. P.
I beg to disagree about Ryan O'Neal, who is also well-known for Paper Moon. I thought he was an excellent choice as a handsome, somewhat callow youth who ages into a selfish, lonely old man who has learned nothing and lost everything. Kubrick knew exactly what he was doing.
Ryan O'Neal was great in The Driver 1978.
👍🏻👏🏻 Btw, Ryan O'Neal is incredible. I just watched it finally. There isn't a sore spot. It's a complete masterpiece!
What a lovely relationship you have with your mom! I’m a mom to 3 grown men and I too like science fiction movies and go with my sons when I can. I took my middle son to see 2001:Space Odyssey in the theater and he loved it (I hadn’t seen it since I was 8 😂). I hope you can watch many more movies with your mom:) ❤ 🍿 🎥
First time I watched this, I was probably 14-15. Instantly in love. I did not know the intricate details of the cinematography, and other technicalities. I was mesmerised. I say unequivocally it is my favourite film by Stanley Kubrick, and certainly in my top ten of all time, ten years on.
The dialogue, the character development, the tone, the ambience, the immersion. I'm from a generation of people who grew up being fascinated by video games, people who have played something like Skyrim and was possessed by the child-like wanderlust of it all.
I would say this is how film ruined video games for me. Because no video game has ever made me feel like I truly travelled in time like this film did for me.
This wasn't just a masterpiece of cinema, but a rare tour de force transcending beyond its designated medium.
Perhaps it was because I was young and lucky enough to experience this film, so it has that special place in my heart. I'm just happy that on every technical and creative level, it absolutely deserves that spot among my very picky sensibilities.
This film also gave me the undying fantasy to become a 18th century highwayman.
'How do you do sir'
'How do you do'
'I'm Captain Feeney'
'The Captain Feeney?'
'The very same.'
I never get bored of it. I could watch it right now, twice, and be enthralled every second. There are plenty of slow heady masterpieces that I rarely, if ever, want to watch, but this isn't one of them. I don't think there's another high art period piece that is anywhere near as entertaining.
The quiet scene where Lady Lyndon signs the check, and the cello is heard, is simply heartbreaking. The use of Schubert was lovely.
And seeing how Bullingdon looked at her... damn!
I watched this movie for the first time a couple of years ago. The most visually beautiful movie I've ever seen.
Thank you for making this - Barry Lyndon is not only one of my favourite Kubrick films, its one of my favourite films of all time.
This film is a bonafide masterpiece, everyone should watch this.
Every scene is like a painting, you could pause it at any time and you'd have an amazing picture worthy of hanging on your wall.
Indeed. My favorite is the scene where Barry is drunk and Lord Bullingdon is coming to challenge him to a duel. Barry is facing away from the crowd he wants to be in. It also reminds me of the painting 'The Death of Socrates' where one of his men is sitting at the foot of the bed turned away from the action in the painting. What a wonderful film.
This analysis is nothing less than sustained brilliance. A joy to think about, to listen to and, appropriately, to watch and ponder.
"sustained brilliance" captures his review perfectly.
I had to buy a DVD box set of Kubrick films back in the day just to get a copy of this movie, the use of natural light and the use of f/0.7 Lenses made this film into a masterpiece. The whole movie looks like a classical painting.
Done intentionally!
Yeah been waiting for this one! Probably my favorite film of all time. It is so incredibly beautiful and unique. There never has been, and there never will be, another movie like Barry Lyndon.
I have just ended reading the novel and in my opinion Kubrick has invented a far far better ending than Thackeray did. In the novel Barry Lyndon ends in jail as a ruined man with his mother for a company (!)but the idea of having him fight a duel with his hatred son-in-law and quite deliberately let the young man shoot him down was brilliant ! It is my favourite movie of all times !
You managed to find language to describe his most difficult to describe film in a way that made me feel like watching it again. Great description, if there was an award for the best review of a film, this deserves it. thank you.
Seriously. He has an incredible way of taking on nuances of this film that were inspiring and thought provoking. Amazing from beginning to end and it was an hour piece!
I think that there is another level to the theme of fate in the film: throughout the film Barry makes decisions whose consequences are ascribed to fate and owns results that come about by mere chance. For me, any time the narrator mentions "fate" it is dripping with irony.
I found this film fun to watch just seeing the random transitions of this man’s fortune going up and down here and there.
The pain of this character flows right off the screen. If you've ever suffered the vicissitudes of life the same he has, you know.
i’ve always had a hard time explaining why i love this film. most people assumed that i was in love with the neo classism style of cinematography or just because it was made by kubrick. I think that you’ve perfectly captured why i love this film. It’s a cold film with cold performances and a seemingly unworthy plot, but these components of the film add to a warm and familiar movie that i will never not want to watch again.
although not quite on the same level, I believe that Ridley Scott's "The Duelists" comes the closest to matching the sweeping beauty of this film.
That was good as well
Both attentive to detail.both are are beautifully cinematograph.look like jumping out of 18th century painting.
Funny that Ridley Scott's first -- and latest - had/have no qualms about out-and-out 'art theft.' He gave-up on such quasi-things as originality & inventiveness with the making of, 'Alien' & 'Blade Runner,' and should have proceeded from there. For myself, writing as a filmmaker, I gave-up on him after lengthy, hoped-for, attempts via, 'Legend,' 'Someone to Watch Over Me,' and - ultimately -- 'Thelma & Louise.' His pretentions finalized with 'T&L,' cementing my further ticket-buying in hopes of something of value from him, was worthless. SK mirrored some of this with 'The Killing,' which did lift from earlier Film Noirs, but from there, seemed to leave all behind with his unparalleled career.
I first watched this right after my son was born, and the scene with his son in his bed after he falls off the horse still haunts me
Yes and that long funeral March with that music heart broke me for days.
I saw this movie when it was released - I was in high school at the time. And I enjoyed it! But I remember how many critics sneered at it. "Lovely post-cards." "Kubrick says good-bye to the moving picture." I finally rewatched it a couple of years ago, and was pleasantly surprised at how it held my interest. Barry's story is a genuine tragedy. - But in both viewings what blew me away was the sense that we really were seeing life back then. Fantastic.
The critic who said that about Barry Lyndon knows nothing about filmmaking
@@vasvas8914 Agreed.
Whats funny is that because its a period piece that seems and is lofty and grand, people think it might be a bit of a bore and a big undertaking to watch. But its honestly the funniest and the most vulgar of Kubricks works. Its hilariously bleak, but i love it.
Even though it's less well known, even if it's so long, Barry Lyndon is the Kubrick film I've rewatched the most. Every time you spot something new and amazing in the frame
A masterpiece, I can watch over and over again! One of KUBRICK's finest!
I watched this video to the very end, and it was so worth it. Barry Lyndon is one of my favorite films of all time, and this video has helped me understand a bit more why. It is gorgeously shot, sumptuously scored, it looks like a beautiful painting throughout, and yet it is so realistic in terms of how it portrays the human condition. Thank you for putting this together. It took a lot of time and effort, I'm sure. There are just so many of us who appreciate it!
So true. How often do you get so comprehensive, insightful and relatable an analysis? It’s as rare as hen’s teeth.
Time machines do still not exist but we already have Barry Lyndon. Thank you for this excellent and fascinating presentation of Kubrick's timeless masterpiece.
THANK YOU for paying such attention to this masterpiece, which has been my solace during blizzards, unemployment, insomnia, stress, confusion and homesickness. It never fails. And thank you for the quote from Plato, telling us why. Yes I watched all the way through.
A masterpiece of beauty with an economy of dialogue that allows the beauty to be savored.
In my top 10 all time best movie list. I love all of Kubrick's movies, but this one is my favorite. Ironically, watched this masterpiece again for the umpteenth time about a month ago on a cold day rainy afternoon, every light off in the house by the glowing fireplace. Awesome.
An exquisite masterpiece of filmmaking. I was 20 when it was released, and I view it at least once per year. Its timeless.
I saw it when first released in '75. Extraordinary cinematography.
I had just watched this for the first time 6 days ago and I really appreciated it. I love this film and I adored Ryan O'Neal in it. Today with Ryan's passing it is even more poignant.
same, i bought it on criteron but as soon as ryan o’neal died i popped up in my playstation and watched it and its already one of my favorite films ever. might be Kubrick’s best
I put this one off for 30+ years before I saw it. I thought "oh this must be boring" because of the subject matter. I was wrong, this has to be the most single underrated film of all time.
A close second is Micheal Ciminos Heavens Gate …saw it for the first time last year and on a big screen ..it has many of the same great misunderstood qualities as Lyndon ..highly recommend.
The decision to insert the brief meditation on beauty and how it connects to the film was well done!
I saw this film as a kid. I wasn’t entirely bored but I was definitely confused. When I saw it again I had developed an understanding of what it meant to “see.” That is, to watch, observe and interact with the material and on its level. After that I really enjoyed the film. I think it’s best to approach BL like a ballet. Let the rhythms, pacing and choreographed movements carry you along. It really is a kind of masterpiece.
This is my favorite Kubrick movie. This period is my favorite in hisotry and I like to watch it to immerse myself into it. I also love the tragic nature of it, and Barry inspired a character of my own.
I know that I'm three days late to the party, but thank you so much for making this video. I have seen this film only once and that was about two decades ago. Many images and scenes have stuck with me, however. After listening to what you have said, I think I now know why. This was easily one of the most comprehensive reviews I have ever seen. A truly underrated film that was released in the year of my birth. Thanks again.
Enjoyed the literary analysis of this film, one of my all time favorites. When watching, I am so mezmerized by the sheer beauty (the slowness allows you to drink it in) that I hadn't really thought much about the thematic details. The film absolutely emerses you in another century, and let's you absorb that, but then you see human beings pretty much like us dealing with the same emotional issues we have today. A wonderful connection with the past, our ancestors, and history (at least for Europeans.)
My take on Redmond not shooting Lord Bullington: First, that he knew parental love well enough, and saw his wife's grief over Brian's death, that he could not take her only living child from her. Second, struck with the irony that Redmond's final downfall is the result of one of the few good deeds he did in his life.
My absolutely favorite film of all time. I cannot stop watching it. It’s a classic and I try to enlist as many people as possible to watch it. Those who have watched it have done so several times. It is one of Kubricks best
We are honestly at the point where calling Barry Lyndon "underrated" is cliche. It’s greatness is undeniable in this era .
I've really begun to think differently about the term cliche and it's traditionally pejorative implications. It seems like every time I hear it lately it's referring to something that is said often but is also true.
Like I agree that people calling Barry Lundon underrated has become very common and is, in that sense, a cliche, but I also think that the statement has been elevated to such regular usage because it happens to be true!
@@davidlevy4291 reread and enjoy.
I know so many Kubrick stans that never watched Barry Lyndon to completion
@@davidlevy4291 Very good comment. I have always said, by definition, a cliché IS true!
@@alecfoster4413A cliche' is a trite observation that needn't be said because everyone knows
This is probably the best video I've ever seen discussing this film. Honestly, this is great work. Love it.
A masterpiece it is and I would consider it is one of the most perfect films directed and produced . There is a start , middle and totally unambiguous end . It should be a Masterclass for any would be director / producer on how a film should be made .
The most advanced and thought-provoking analysis of this film, and trust me I've seen them all. Congratulations!
Unbelievably good. From the Plato quotes to bring foundation to the film to the Napoleon messaging this movie might have served as substitute for. Profoundly good deep dive this was.
An excellent film that has stuck with me through the years, and an excellent and much-needed discussion
A most incisive and outstanding analysis. I have been following your Kubrick series and each one is excellent. Barry Lyndon is a film filled to the brim with great beauty as well as great mystery. Knowing some of the history of Kubrick's filmography, I am always pleased to see the research and work he did for the prospective Napoleon film being put to use in Barry Lyndon. It truly is one of the great "what if" films of all time. Interesting that Spielberg and HBO are producing a series based on his original script and research. I really enjoyed your point about how Barry's journey is a journey to a two dimensional framework imitating the 18th century paintings that he surrounds himself with.
Perfection at its finest, the highest level of cinematography
Great piece. Thanks for doing it.
Barry Lydon has always been one of my favorite Kubrick films. Even more so than his more heralded work of Clockwork Orange and The Shining. Only 2001: A Space Odyssey bests it for me.
I always identified with Barry's search for self-identity and struggle in an oppressive world beset by classism.
And how every scene looked like an 18th-century painting was almost intoxicating. The wonderful, highly effective, supportive score was equally so.
I love films that transport me to another era so convincingly with well crafted imagery and music. Barry Lydon achieved this and so much more.
Everything from Kubrick is great. But Barry Lyndon is just in rarefied air. Brilliant.
I'm so looking forward to this video. The last time I plunked Barry Lyndon into the DVD player I was expecting to be restless after 20 minutes. Instead, the time flew by as I was totally enraptured by cinematography and story. It stands apart.
Barry Lyndon is one the best movies ever made. As an Irishman who has been abroad for more than half his life the scene where Barry is interviewed by the Chevalier is very close to the mark and has real resonance with me. To meet one of your own on foreign shores can be such a lifting experience. Amazing movie and the soundtrack is glorious. If you hate this movie there's no hope for you, stick to Transformers and Marvels on screen comics.
true. no matter what you think of the film I doubt anything this good will ever be made again. and I hope I'm wrong, but....
Just wanted to say, this is one of the best videos I’ve ever seen about Barry Lyndon. I learned things about this film I never knew. Keep up the good work.
If you get the chance to watch this in the cinema with a crowd, grab it. I did at London's BFI with an in intro and interview with one of the actors. Obviously to see such beauty on the big screen, like 2001, really relishes in it; but what I realised was how funny the film is. There are moments that come across almost like a Carry On film (Dick anyone?) and it added such an entertaining flavor to what is considered this slow purposeful story. The audience were loudly laughing and that shared experience really struck me and raised the film from a great but lesser Kubrick to right up there with his best.
I loved BARRY LYNDON. Saw it at the theatre when if first came out. It's hard to say which Kubrick film is best because they are all so different, but BL to me, is just fantastic.
I've just finished watching it. I've never heard a soundtrack, that grips onto its scenes so beautifully.
Beautiful and insightful video. Barry Lyndon is probably my favorite Kubrick film with 2001 a close second. Both are observed from a God's-eye view of humanity - one focusing on the future, one focusing on the past. I also consider Barry Lyndon to be Kubrick's most emotional and psychologically incisive work. From my first viewing of it I was drawn in to its world. Its great beauty is not superficial - its one of depth, where aesthetics and meaning amplify each other.
My first thought upon finishing this film was that it was the male version of "Gone With the Wind."
Scarlett O'Hara is a dynamic character, at least. Barry is an inert cypher. It's still a great movie.
I love that flick from the first to the last second. The sound, the lighting everything. I live nearby a location where many scenes were shot. What dazzles me the most is the brilliant stereotypical story. There are so many records from that time telling more or less similar biographies, like Casanovas Memoirs or the diary of Freiherr von der Trenck. A true masterpiece.
Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" is a fantastic movie. I've seen it several times, and continue to enjoy it more every time I see it. I think it's not just Kubrick's masterpiece, but also one of the greatest films ever made.
Excellent essay on one of my all-time favorite films. Thank you for all the work you put into this.
Barry's character is always full to bursting with repressed energies and desires. Ryan O'Neal's portrayal was masterful.
This video has cemented my opinion that you are the best channel on CZcams, bar none.
It's not as universally known as "2001" or "Doctor Strangelove," but it's neither underrated nor underappreciated. It's on multiple "Best of All Time" lists, taught in countless film classes, and otherwise celebrated by millions of admirers.
"Millions of admirers"? Extremely doubtful.
I always forget I'm watching a movie when i watch BL, it's like a dream.
I truly appreciate the work you do here. It conveys humanity and beauty which is truly lacking in post modern life. Thank you.
Kubrick is the greatest film maker of all time. Regardless if you like him or not, he never made two films that were alike. The diversity of his work is a testament to his genius.
Absolutely fantastic! And yet another superb analysis. Your presentation is brilliant, fascinating as always 🙌🏻👌🏻
This is such a good video. Well done and thank you!
I’m so glad to read such an incisive commentary on this film. I remember being deeply affected by it but I could not understand why. This nails it for me perfectly. Bravo!
Thanks for this video. Fascinating analysis of one of my favorite films. Kubrick is my, and always has been, my favorite director. It’s conversations like this which always place his films above all others.
I watched it for the first time since its release when it showed up on CZcams for free, and while it was difficult to empathize with the characters, the overall painterliness was evident even when watched on my phone.
Great job on this. I waited way too long to watch the film but it's not easy to stumble on. It's never on netflix or TV. I found it here. It's not just a beautiful film for me. It really effected me for days after I saw it.
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Absolutely incredible video. I was initially drawn into Barry Lyndon as I have a profound interest in British history and anything related to it - especially 18th and 19th century Britain - but came away having watched one of the best films I've ever seen. Your ability to analyse it is far better than my own, for which I commend you. I'll have to give your other videos a watch.
this analysis is great. Great video man.
I love the film and have watched it many times and have never been bored by it. I find myself absorbed into this period of time. I envy anyone who had the opportunity to see this when it was initially released in '75. I would have been around 11 at the time and I wouldn't discover Kubrick for about another decade. It was only within the last decade that I finally had the opportunity to read the Thackeray novel and noticed a few alterations, mostly to the titular character who, in the novel, is not the cold and unlikable bastard he is in the film. The scenes between Redmond Barry and Lord Bulingdon are created for the sake of drama and the need for some antagonist. In the novel Buligndon flees to America to fight in the Revolutionary war and is believed to have been killed in battle and the duel which leaves Redmond a cripple was created by Kubrick. Otherwise it is a very faithful adaptation and Kubrick, writing without any collaboration, strips down some of the secondary storylines and makes it the rise and precipitous decline of its main character. As the narrator observes Redmond is a bit of a dullard as he blunders his way up the social ladder and can never overcome his common ancestry in order to blend in with those who were born into wealth and status. His only display of humanity is with his son Bryan and provides a moment that never fails to make me tear up whenever I watch it. It is unfortunate that the film never found a wider audience. It was loved by critics but the general public were not ready for the film's deliberately slow pacing. It was not Tom Jones or The Three Muskateers romp. I wish in 2025 it would return to theatres for is 50th anniversary. I'd love to see this on a big screen, preferably an Imax screen.
One of the best films I ever saw. Thanks for a truly thoughtful and profoundly captivating analysis. It's now nearly one o'clock and I promised myself I'd be in bed over an hour ago.
Because Michael Hordern, the narrator tells us of things that are about to happen we view the film like angels, swooping in and out of scenes. I loved this when I first saw it on the big screen. It's like a moving art gallery. I can see why it didn't get box office success but I still think it's a masterpiece.
Excellent analysis and I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you for sharing.
Exquisite analysis. Expertly-produced video. This is Kubrick's greatest film, in my opinion. It's devastating in the best way art can be. Brilliant insight regarding his passion for Napoleon at the end as well. Thank you, and keep going.
Sadly, very few people have seen this film in comparison with some of Kubrick's other works. Maybe it's because of the long runtime. For me, once you've seen Lawrence of Arabia and Once Upon a Time in America, three hours and five minutes doesn't seem that long. Although it may be slow at times, I personally enjoy it over 2001.
It's because is a costume period drama, that's it, it is a film that is more European than American, because of its historical themes, costumes, classical music, etc... and some people think Ryan O'Neal was miscast, maybe he was too american for the role, but I personally believe it was his best performance, all of this keeps most people away from seeing it, Barry Lyndon to me is Kubrick's greatest masterpiece after 2001.
This was great ! Thank you for your detailed work here … excellent!
Great analysis! One of my all time favorites. The almost painful scenes like paintings, especially in the second half, felt like they were screaming to get out...a repression of emotion that was reflected in the upper class manner. Brilliant craft by Kubrick.
I think most people gravitate towards The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove, or 2001 the most, and for good reason, but my 2 favorites from Kubrick are Paths of Glory and this film. Paths of Glory is his most humanistic and empathetic film, whereas Barry Lyndon is built almost entirely on fantastic mood and atmosphere that would define most of Kubrick’s films from 2001: A Space Odyssey and on.
It's because is a costume period drama, that's it, it is a film that is more European than American, because of its historical themes, costumes, classical music... all of this keeps most people away from seeing it.
What I remember most from this movie is Barry’s choice not to use his shot in the final duel. It always confounded me precisely because it’s so out of nowhere and unclear why he does it. I think it is some combination of pity, morality and letting go, and perhaps even then that’s maybe just what he’s telling himself.