The Stanley Kubrick film Aubrey Plaza calls a “masterpiece”
Aubrey Plaza has garnered a strong cult following due to her distinguishable brand of comedy, especially because of her fantastic work on the hit TV show Parks and Recreation. In addition to that, she has also starred in other cult comedies, including Edgar Wright’s seminal 2010 film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Born in Delaware, Plaza was attracted to the magic of cinema from an early age. While she participated in school productions during her high school years, her love for cinema found its natural destination when she began studying film at New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts.
During her education in film studies, she was introduced to a broader range of filmmakers who influenced her artistic sensibilities as well as her approach to acting. In a conversation with Letterboxd, Plaza cited John Cassavetes as a primary source of inspiration because of the inimitable way in which he directed actors.
While talking about Cassavetes’ 1974 magnum opus, A Woman Under the Influence, Plaza explained the film’s brilliance. She said: “Cassavetes to me is really important. His movies felt like early improv movies, and they’re just so real and natural, and the performances, obviously by Gena Rowlands, are so incredible.”
However, the film that sparked her cinephilia was directed by none other than one of the greatest American directors of all time – Stanley Kubrick. Like many other Kubrick films, Barry Lyndon wasn’t given its due recognition when it first came out, but it is now cited as one of Kubrick’s greatest cinematic achievements.
“It was mind-blowing,” Plaza gushed. Although many fans prefer Kubrick’s other films, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dr. Strangelove, Plaza considers this to be Kubrick at his height of artistic powers. She added: “It’s just an incredible masterpiece of a film…that to me just made me fall in love with movies.”
An epic exploration of grandiose ambitions and the inherent violence of the human condition, Barry Lyndon only gets better with each passing year. John Alcott’s mesmerising cinematography and Kubrick’s use of natural light transform the film into a cinematic experience that is truly unparalleled.
