Barry Lyndon

Fully appreciated after a second viewing (and in the restored version in the cinema). I still feel that I would have to watch it at least twice more to clarify my uncritical enthusiasm and to come up with better superlatives than "Kubrick was just different", but I can say that you probably won't find a more beautifully filmed biography in any film archive. Kubrick not only paints the screen better than Bertolucci, but above all, with a clever helping of amusingly ironic commentary, he narrates with complete mastery, elevating a three-hour personal portrait to the highest cinematic art with every thoughtful cut or musical accompaniment, like a bubble in a spirit level maintaining the demanding rhythm of the narration. While the first two thirds are unmatched for their quicker changes of location and major twists, the final family section is not lacking in stunning formal precision, and its thoughtful denouement surpasses even the similarly paced conclusion of Gone with the Wind. And once again, I have to marvel at how fantastic the film looks and how superbly it orchestrates everything on the mise-en-scène, so that the camera mostly just needs slow zooms or horizontal runs – for example, in the card scene, it's fascinating that only one character ever looks up from the table while the others have their eyes downcast. And the icing on the cake is the excellent performance of Ryan O'Neal. Yeah, Kubrick was just different. (05/10/2018)

It will be all praise, but what else can be said about a film that, despite its three-hour runtime, I devoured like a raspberry? The composition of the images, the thoughtful use of colour and contrast, the perfect choice of interiors and exteriors, the magnificent cinematography, the well-chosen period music; even the costume designers did their best. All this for the pleasure of the eye, which grazes heartily for three hours. And on top of that, a slightly sarcastic story that draws the viewer in and doesn't let go until the closing credits. There’s no risk of boredom... After Dr Strangelove, my second favourite Kubrick film. (10/05/2004)

Even though one might think that this will be an unbelievable boredom, that even Kubrick couldn't accidentally direct, the Master once again proves that this is a film that captivates. Even though it's not action-packed, you will still be on the edge of your seat, whether it's because it's entertaining, dark, intimate, and sometimes simply sexy, albeit in its own way. Those three hours will go by quite quickly. (03/02/2015)

An ineffable experience that can only be matched in my life as a spectator by Fanny and Alexander from Master Bergman's magic workshop. Especially from a visual point of view, it is one long timeless orgasm, sometimes obsessively ornamental (exactly in relation to the time when the story takes place), otherwise rurally simple and natural... Barry Lyndon is the embodiment of the European school of film storytelling... notice the mastery with which Kubrick uses the narrator's voice for epic abbreviations, light sarcasm, the way in which the narrator manipulates the viewer's perspective of the story. From the opening light joke and lively passages to the prediction of the tragic ending. The music changes according to the mood – from the jumpy Irish folk songs, through the British marches, to fateful strings and timpani. Barry Lyndon's story is the story of one wonderful human destiny, the story of a man who has always tried to break through as best he can. His journey full of tricks, small lies, deceptions, hypocrisy and, of course, love, leads to tragic catharsis. Kubrick chose the slow pace typical of the film 'saga' of life. The slowness of the film is described by many as a negative; yet it is not a negative, but rather a characteristic feature of the film. I love this slowness, the feeling, the honesty of filmmaking. Barry Lyndon is made from it, just like it's made from Ryan O'Neal's riveting performance. To live a human life in one role is an art worthy of a master. This epic has not only extraordinary and unrepeatable visual magnetism, but it is also extraordinarily powerful in its story. It's just necessary to go with it a little bit and then just get carried away by the strange kindness and magic of beautiful moving pictures. Barry Lyndon is the best I've seen from Kubrick so far. It's a conservative film in the best sense of the word. A timeless gem. (10/04/2004)

A slowly unfolding, utterly unpredictable, and almost intimate story of one man who greatly influenced the fates of many people. Kubrick presents his most magnificent work cautiously, perhaps somewhat unevenly, but every, even the smallest scene, has its justification in the final outcome. Furthermore, he chose the perfect actor, Ryan O'Neal, for the main role, who showcased his acting skills the most in gradually escalating scenes of a card game or interrupted concert. The narrator, however, remains a flaw, as while filling in the gaps nicely, their guiding speeches harm the tension of the unfolding events. (04/20/2006)