KubrickCast

In the first episode of KubrickCast, Bill and Renan consider Stanley Kubrick's first feature film, Fear and Desire (1953). While it certainly is not a successful film, Fear and Desire is a lot more fun to talk about than it was to watch. (33:36)

Bill and Renan consider Stanley Kubrick's Killer's Kiss (1955). Set in New York, it's the tale of a down-on-his-luck boxer, the fetching dancer who lives in the next building, her tough guy boss, and a mannequin factory whose owner is about to file a big insurance claim. Featuring William Beutler and Renan Borelli. (29:53)

Bill and Renan discuss The Killing (1956), Stanley Kubrick's third feature and the first one he really nails. The story focuses on Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) and the team he assembles to pull off one big score: a daring racetrack robbery that works like a charm... until it doesn't. Featuring William Beutler and Renan Borelli. (57:02)

Bill and Renan consider Paths of Glory (1957), a stunning anti-war film starring Kirk Douglas as a French officer. Still regarded as a classic, this is considered a turning point in Kubrick's career, and it gave us multiple excuses to bring up The Wire, not that we really needed any. (1:19:03)

Bill and Renan take on Spartacus (1960), the last film Stanley Kubrick would ever not have complete control over. A big Hollywood epic and a film classic according to most, Spartacus is still a flawed (and overlong) picture, but one with a fascinating back story. (1:07:55)

Taking a slight detour in the sixth episode, Bill and Renan discuss Kubrick's early career as a magazine photographer, and his early documentary shorts: Day of the Fight, Flying Padre and The Seafarers. (48:29)

Bill and Renan tackle Lolita (1962), Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of the controversial 1955 Vladimir Nabokov novel of the same name. In Lolita we can see Kubrick beginning to find his way toward a new approach to his pictures, which resulted in the classics we'll be discussing in future episodes. (1:19:22)

Bill and Renan hope you're excited as they are to finally get into Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), widely regarded as one of Kubrick's best films and, arguably, the most important comedy of all time. This first of two installments explores pre-production, production, and the fascinating cast of characters and actors—including the real-life basis for the character of Dr. Strangelove. (1:32:39)

At last, the second half of Bill and Renan's in-depth conversation about Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), exploring the film's themes, relationship to reality, to Sidney Lumet's Fail-Safe, to its source material—the novel Red Alert—and Dr. Strangelove's legacy as arguably the most important film comedy of all time, as an enduring force in popular culture, not to mention its relevance in a post-Snowden world. (1:07:41)

In this first of multiple installments, Bill and Renan discuss 2001: A Space Odyssey, beginning with the project's origins, massive pre-production research effort, filming at MGM studios, and the fabled Monolith. (1:13:47)

In part two of our open-ended series on 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bill and Renan explore the special effects, music, and how there were almost aliens in this film. (1:10:14)

In the latest episode, Bill and Renan consider the most important jump cut in motion picture history; how the novel and story differ; what the monolith is all about; and why Arthur C. Clarke felt bad on IBM's behalf. (1:13:02)

In our fourth (!) installment of our discussion about 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bill and Renan return to discuss the themes of the film, Kubrick's fascinating Playboy interview, and then we go really deep. (1:08:24)

In the fifth and final installment of this mini-series on 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bill and Renan talk about how the iPod got its name, Mad Men and Mad Magazine riff on 2001, and what the movie got right and wrong in science and future predictions. (1:36:12)

At long last, KubrickCast decides it will move on to another movie besides 2001: A Space Odyssey—and next on the list is Kubrick's palate-cleanser of a follow-up, the controversial 1971 cult classic A Clockwork Orange. (1:26:00)

In this installment, Bill and Renan debate the themes of A Clockwork Orange, discuss its release in the US and the UK, the reviews both scathing and sympathetic, Kubrick's decision to withdraw it from circulation in England and what that means. The show also explores references to other Kubrick work in this film, pop culture refernences to this one, and Bill makes Renan try to guess what a parental guidance website says about it. (1:56:48)

Barry Lyndon is a strange one in Kubrick's career: a mixed critical reaction and disappointing box office upon its release, the film has undergone a near-complete reappraisal but has not entered the pop culture canon like the films which surround it. In the 17th episode of KubrickCast, Bill and Renan try to get to the bottom of this mystery. (1:32:47)

Stanley Kubrick made thirteen feature-length films, and considered making many more. In this installment, Bill and Renan investigate One-Eyed Jacks, Blue Movie, The Lord of the Rings (!), and the two big ones that got away: Aryan Papers and Napoleon. Plus: will any of these projects eventually see the light of day? We'll discuss. (1:53:39)

It's been written that every Stanley Kubrick movie is a horror film—it's just that only one actually fits into the genre. This is the one! Kubrick's alternately creepy and campy The Shining (1980) took five years to make, arrived to middling reviews, and later became perhaps his most obsessed-over creation. The first part focuses on the project's origins, actors, sets and locations. (1:50:30)

In the second installment about Kubrick's massively popular horror film, Bill and Renan get into the film's remarkable use of Steadicam, mid-70s non-chic costumes, a scene deleted after the first weekend of release and the long-running feud between Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick. (1:21:46)