“A great renaissance”: How Stanley Kubrick laughed in the face of mediocrity
Looking back over the stunning filmography of Stanley Kubrick, it’s clear that he was an absolute master of the cinematic medium and just about as far away from mediocrity as one could ever imagine. Still, even the greatest movie directors had been worried about delivering average work, and Kubrick was no different in that light.
Of course, by the time he died in 1999, Kubrick had established himself as one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century and proved his worth in a wide range of movie genres. Whether he was working in horror, drama or science fiction, it was a guarantee that Kubrick would deliver cinema of the highest quality.
With the likes of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon and The Shiningto his name, delivered in just a 16-year time span, Kubrick was rightfully deserving of his reputation as a master of film, but even a masterful artist like Kubrick still feared mediocrity, as per his producer Jan Harlan.
Harlan had first worked with Kubrick when he was making his Napoleon movie (which never saw the light of day) and stayed with the director until he delivered his final film, Eyes Wide Shut, in 1999. Harlan had spoken of his work with Kubrick in a feature with Filmmaker and admitted that Kubrick had been at least somewhat worried about being perceived as a mediocre filmmaker.
“Kubrick didn’t want to make a film that disappears, and I am so glad that he succeeded,” Harlan noted. “And the people working with him knew that they had the chance to be associated with a film that would last, looking back at Paths of Glory, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and so on. Eyes Wide Shut was only recognized in the Latin world and in Japan, but I predict that this film will have a great renaissance for those not yet born.”
Harlan explained that throughout cultural history, most works seemed to get lost in the ether, but a handful of pieces from artists, musicians, and film directors managed to survive the onslaught of time and stick around in the public’s cultural consciousness. It’s this second category that Kubrick’s movies fit into.
“What is truly great remains and will be a reference for future generations. Film as an artistic expression is new, barely a hundred years old,” Harlan explained. “Again, most films disappear quickly, but the great masterpieces from Eisenstein, Orson Welles, Ingmar Bergman, Edgar Reitz or Stanley Kubrick will remain and will serve future generations to look into the second half of the 20th century.”
Harlan had previously given a talk in which he stated that Kubrick was terrified of his potential for mediocrity but stated that he had made it his mission to ensure that he delivered films of the highest quality. That’s precisely why he ended up making movies in the way that he did, with striking and sometimes infuriating attention to detail in the quest for perfection.
Looking back across the films themselves, it’s clear to see that Kubrick absolutely steered clear of mediocrity throughout his career. Even his lesser-known, lesser-admired films are considered some of the greatest works of the 20th century, and he ensured that he would never slip into historical obscurity.
