For The Movie Fan Who Wants To Get Into Stanley Kubrick's Filmography, Here's Where I Think You Should Start

Stanley Kubrick is my favorite director, and a long time ago, I ranked all of his movies. And, spoiler alert, I put 2001: A Space Odyssey at the top of the list.

Honestly, how could I not? Not only is it often considered the greatest sci-fi movie of all time, but it’s often considered one of the greatest movies of all time, period. That said, one thing that I often hear people say online is that “Stanley Kubrick is boring.” When I ask them why they say that, they’ll usually bring up 2001, since that’s the first movie they watch of his, because again, it’s considered his masterpiece.

However, I would never recommend that any burgeoning film fan start with 2001 if they want to get into Kubrick. Honestly, it is boring, but that slow pace is intentional. It represents how the concept of time doesn’t really apply to the endlessness of space (My interpretation). Anyway, interpretations aside, here’s how I would direct people to start if they want to get into Kubrick. First, you should…

Start With The Shining

Undoubtedly Kubrick’s most accessible film, a lot of cinephiles might have already seen The Shining and not even realize that it was a Kubrick movie. Often considered one of the best horror movies of all time, The Shining is quintessential viewing if you’re into the horror medium.

Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name (even though there are several big differences between the book and the film), the story concerns an author, Jack, played by Jack Nicholson, who becomes a caretaker of an empty hotel during the winter, and he brings his wife and child with him.

Things go south when Jack starts seeing ghosts, and they tell him to kill his family. Luckily, his son has the ability to communicate telepathically with other people who also have what’s called the "shining."

Classic stuff, and The Shining has it all when it comes to Kubrick’s style.

You have his distinct way of framing shots, the coldness present in most of his films, the great performances, and of course, the Kubrick stare. The Shining has it all, but it’s actually enjoyable to watch. So, start with that.

Then, Watch The Documentary Room 237

Okay, so I know it’s weird to direct somebody to watch a movie that wasn’t directed by Kubrick next, but the documentary, Room 237, truly gets into the overall mythos that surrounds the director.

You see, one of the things that makes Kubrick so compelling is that he was kind of mysterious.

He wasn’t like Hitchcock, who would often show up in his own movies, or like Scorsese, who openly talks about filmmaking.

Nope. It’s cliche to say this, but Kubrick was a bit of an enigma, which only means that fans have come up with their own theories about him and his work. The most extreme fan theories appear in the documentary Room 237, where fans argue that The Shining hides several clues about a myriad of things about the director.

The most insane (but also compelling) argument is that Kubrick actually staged the moon landing and provided hints of this in The Shining. Again, it’s crazy, but if you want to fully understand why some people obsess over Kubrick, then this is a great film to watch next.

Move On To Full Metal Jacket To Get A Sense Of Kubrick's Coldness And Sense Of Humor

Considered one of the best war movies of all time, Full Metal Jacket is yet another movie that film fans might have already seen without knowing it was Kubrick.

Like The Shining, Full Metal Jacket is highly accessible. Some might say that the first half in boot camp is better than the second half in the actual war, but I consider them two sides of the same coin.

Private Leonard (“Gomer Pyle”), played by Daredevil’s Vincent D’Onofrio, is one of the best characters in any Kubrick film, and his story perfectly portrays Kubrick’s coldness as a filmmaker. We feel bad for Private Pyle, but we’re also captivated by his abuse. We know things will end badly, and we’re just waiting for it to happen, and it does. Shockingly so.

The war section is also fascinating. We really get in the heads of these soldiers, and by the end, we’re left wondering who really were the people that America sent over to foreign lands.

It’s an anti-war film, and one that is both hard to watch, but also humorous. It’s definitely one of his best.

Then, Jump Backward To Paths Of Glory

The other major Kubrick war film, Paths of Glory, jumps all the way back to the First World War and stars Kirk Douglas. The plot is about a commanding officer who forces a suicide mission, and when it goes awry, he tries to court-martial three soldiers, but Kirk Douglas isn’t having it.

I think this is an excellent film to watch next because it shows that Kubrick never really changed his stance on war being pointless for 30 years, as Paths came out in 1957, and Full Metal Jacket came out in 1987.

Now, here’s the thing. It’s black and white. In fact, a lot of Kubrick’s best films are. That said, I know some young movie fans aren’t into classic black and white films. And look, I get it. Black and white=old, right? Well, you’re not wrong, but any true film fan will be cool with older films because some of the best ones come from the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s.

Paths of Glory is one of those films. It’s a war movie, but it’s more about the consequences of war and the people leading men to their deaths. It’s a masterpiece and a great place to start in Kubrick’s older catalogue.

Dr. Strangelove Should Come Next

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Yes, that’s the full title) is undoubtedly Kubrick’s funniest movie.

It’s a satire about a nuclear apocalypse. If that doesn’t sound like Kubrick in a nutshell, then I don’t know what does. A bunch of men gather in a war room, and argue over everything. It’s a story about what if the wrong people are in charge of starting a war, and, yeah…I’m just going to leave it there.

This is another black and white movie, but I think people should go from Paths of Glory to this to see that Kubrick really wasn’t just “the serious director.

It’s also technically a “war” movie, but one that is more concerned with the politics of war, kind of like Paths.

Now we’re cooking when it comes to Kubrick. What’s next?

Follow It Up With A Clockwork Orange

My older sister warned me never to watch A Clockwork Orange, but I’m glad I did since it made me into a lifelong fan.

Based on the Anthony Burgess novel of the same name, A Clockwork Orange is about a group of delinquents called droogs who do all manner of terrible things and end up having to pay for it…or at least, one of them does.

You see, A Clockwork Orange is quite different from the book. In the novel, the characters are much younger, so the heinous acts are more of a reflection on dumb youth. Kubrick aged up the characters, so it really became a criticism of society itself for allowing these people to walk free.

It’s a tough watch, but it’s a huge tonal shift from Dr. Strangelove, while still maintaining a sort of wit that often gets overlooked since it’s such a hard film to sit through.

But, if you’ve made it this far…

THEN Move Onto 2001: A Space Odyssey

I think now is a good time to finally check out 2001. Now that you’ve seen that Kubrick could do multiple styles, the slower-paced 2001 seems like a nice place to go next.

2001 is interesting because it might be Kubrick’s coldest film. It has such a bombastic opening with the apes, but then it slows down considerably, and then it goes to strange, dark places.

Today, it might seem quite dated, and it is (I mean, this saw 2001 as the future, and we’re already 24 years past that). That said, it still feels bold and audacious.

The story goes from the cusp of humankind to us exploring the vastness of space, and it still feels relevant, what with how we’re still considering the prospect of going to distant planets.

It’s not my personal favorite film of Kubrick’s, but it’s essential viewing for any movie fan. Even if it is kinda boring.

Now, you can watch any Kubrick film you want. Enjoy!