Stanley Kubrick's Obession
Stanley Kubrick's Obsession
by Bill Knell
Over the years I've had the opportunity to work as a consultant to major Hollywood film and television projects. I learned much from those experiences, and not all of it was good. Few people outside of the entertainment industry understand all the work and hassles that go into creating a successful film or series and bringing it to market. The long days, petty disagreements, jealousies and obsessions are a regular part of this process.
One Director known for being a perfectionist, among many other things, was Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999). Born in New York City to Jewish parents, he became a self taught photographer and worked for Look magazine in the 1940s. His real passion was making movies which he did with short film projects in the late 1940s and early 1950s. His first full length feature was The Killing in 1956 for United Artists. His career really took off with 1960's Spartacus featuring friend and frequent film collaborator Kirk Douglas.
In 1961 Kubrick moved to England to escape the drama of Hollywood and, with the support of major studios, made films like Dr Strangelove, Lolita, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and his final film, Eyes Wide Shut. Stanley Kubrick had many idiosyncrasies, most developed after his move across the pond. One was that his films had to be shot in England. Another was that he had to have complete control over every project.
The first film that gave him full control was Lolita, which was filmed in England. Kubrick still felt confined by British censorship laws feeling that his personal vision for the film could not be fully realized. So much so that he originally planned to remake the movie in the more tolerant, less censored, late 1970s. Too many other projects got in the way, but his obsession remained.
Few actors would turn down the chance to work with a legend like Kubrick. Many probably wish they had. Approaching age 70 and not in the best of health, he took on Eyes Wide Shut in 1999. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were cast in lead roles. The married couple had a less than desirable experience. While filming, Kubrick allegedly had a major obsession with Nicole. He made her shoot sex scenes many times until she and ex-husband Tom Cruise allegedly walked off the set on at least one occasion. Some say Kubrick was just trying to get the correct reactions out of the couple, but it seemed like much more to others.
Kubrick supposedly hired a sex expert to teach the couple how to make love in the most erotic ways possible. He even made Nicole wear pubic hair wigs because he didn't think her bush was bushy enough. Eventually the wigs were put aside making Nicole more comfortable.
Kubrick liked watching Nicole have orgasms (real or not, we may never know) and kept making her repeat the action. Not surprisingly, most of those scenes never ended up in the film. They were probably in Kubrick's private collection. The hassles and embarrassments experienced by Kidman and Cruise may have contributed to their 2001 divorce.
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