The Stanley Kubrick movie that inspired Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’
The indomitable legacy of Stanley Kubrick in cinema remains as prominent today as it ever was. His illustrious line-up of films, marked by their emotionally complex and mature narrative and visually arresting sequences, have left an enduring imprint on the minds of both audiences and filmmakers alike. However, the symbiosis of Kubrick’s cinematic artistry with a project as apparently far removed as Greta Gerwig’s Barbie comes as an unexpected but welcome delight.
In what may come as a bit of a shock for the younger audiences flocking to the big screens, Barbie takes on an avant-garde hue, drawing massive inspiration from Kubrick’s classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey. His sci-fi isn’t the sole instance, as references from other iconic movies, especially The Shining and Dr Strangelove, also permeate throughout the Mattel toy movie – but what prompted such an unorthodox blend of the candy-coloured world of Barbie with the atmospheric gravitas of Kubrick?
Speaking on the ReelBlend podcast, Gerwig shed light on the juxtaposition. She elaborated on her profound admiration for Kubrick’s filmography, particularly referencing the meticulousness she herself insisted upon when incorporating elements from 2001 into her Barbie universe. “I thought, ‘I want to do it only if we can do it’,” she said, referring to the practical effects used in Kubrick’s 1969 epic. “I want to do it with front-screen projection; I want to do it with the original plates; I want to build the sets as they built it – like, let’s make it count.”
With Gerwig’s movie, the audience’s first introduction to Barbie was a trailer meticulously mirroring the iconic beginning of Kubrick’s space masterpiece. And it wasn’t just a fleeting nod, she ensured that the homage was executed with the precision and dedication Kubrick was renowned for. Gerwig said: “The only way it can be funny to me is if executed with the utmost integrity and excellence. Then it becomes both a funny idea – and something more.”
Gerwig’s decision to integrate these references was anchored not just in playfulness but also in her genuine reverence for Kubrick as a filmmaker. Her contemplations on the influence of Kubrick’s works, widely regarded as the pinnacle of filmmaking, led her to conceive an idiosyncratic blend for Barbie, elevating it well beyond a movie based on a doll that had any real right to be.
“I love Kubrick,” Gerwig continued, making sure to address the importance of bolstering her work with his as a female director, “And his entire filmography is just staggering, but also, there’s something funny to me that he’s also the paragon of a certain type of masculine filmmaking.”
Indeed, the final result is hilarious – not played for cheap laughs, but a fascinating fusion of artistic sensibilities and a testament to Gerwig’s creativity and imagination that she would even consider imbuing her movie with the DNA of Kubrick. “It just felt like, what a fun thing to transpose – with respect – to this doll.”
