Barry Lyndon - Remastered! - Stanley Kubrick [DVD] [1975]

This is among Kubrick's greatest films. I was put off for many years by the period setting. It is stunningly shot , the cinematography is mind-blowing. This 4k steelbook by Warner Bros is the definitive way too with this film. Anyone interested in cinema/filmmaking/cinematography should watch this film. Highly recommended.

Classic film , well worth watching

I saw this last night for the first time at the National Film Theatre, in a beautiful new print and exquisite sound. As usual in Kubrick, sound is crucial, here from a range of 18th and early 19th century sources, and particularly an orchestral version of Handel's Sarabande from the 4th Harpsichord Suite which becomes both a funeral march and the hammerblow of fate. It's a scandal that the soundtrack is only available at £60! The first thing that surprised me was that the film was an ordinary 1:1.33 ratio, and not in wide-screen. Everything which I'd read had gone on about the lavishness of the production, which is true, and every penny spent you see onscreen. But I was reminded of Peter Ustinov's comment about Max Ophuls, who he said was a director who made a beautiful intricate bejewelled watch, and then hung it on the top of the Town Hall. It feels like the movie is trying to burst out of the frame, it demands something bigger. For this reason, I suspect "Barry Lyndon", like "2001", is a movie which simply MUST be seen in a cinema. The second thing which surprised me was how quickly the three hours went. I'd read so much about the slow, elegant pace of the movie, but even in extended sequences, it never flagged. This was partly because of the camerawork, which rightly won an Oscar. Shot after shot starts focussing on a particular detail then zooms back to reveal the whole picture - picture being the operative word. Art lovers will gasp at the number of painters and paintings Kubrick pastiches - Stubbs, Zoffany, Gainsborough, Fragonard, Hogarth etc etc. The colours, the poses, the composition are all constant sources of delight, and even someone without a knowledge of art can't fail to see the beauty of the film. It was also because of the music, and the detail. Something is always happening, even in static shots, and Kubrick's obsessive realism means that you feel, taste, touch the eighteenth century. Much has been made of Kubrick's coldness, but here the quality fits Thackeray's material perfectly. Barry Lyndon is the male equivalent of Becky Sharp in "Vanity Fair", amoral, ruthless, utterly unlikeable but still capable of charming the reader. The detached telling of his story, in the dry tones of voiceover Michael Hordern, only heightens the satire on cruelty, snobbery, materialism, class and militarism. But there are two major flaws in the movie which I think prevent it being a masterpiece in any absolute sense, ie a fully achieved work of art. The first is the performance of Ryan O'Neill. Mr O'Neill was never the most expressive of actors, the Richard Gere of the 70s, and maybe that's what Kubrick wanted since his performance here is no worse than that in any other of his movies (indeed, it is exactly the same). But O'Neill's blandness can't carry the story, it removes the tension between attraction and disgust; what it needs is a Tom Conti, a Depp in Restoration mode, a Peter O'Toole - it must be admitted the 1970s are short on incisive young actors with class. Secondly, this isn't really one movie, but two. The film is split into two parts anyway, and either of them on their own might have made something more coherent. Part One is the picaresque tale of Barry's rise, which is more savage and funny, particularly about war and the follies of high society; Part Two concentrates on the family life of our "hero" after he marries for money, including the gradual squandering of a fortune in an effort to get a peerage, and the bitter relationship with his stepson, culminating in the most dramatic event of the film, the beautifully filmed and realised duel between father and son. This part is potentially more intense, smaller scale, and more human. Finally, there is one scene which is cringe-making, so out of character is it from the rest of the movie. When Barry's natural son is on his deathbed, he tries to reconcile his parents "so I can see you again in heaven", in a scene of Dickensian uber-sentimentality. Kubrick just doesn't "do" emotion, and what he thought he was trying to achieve here is beyond me. Nonetheless, a film that demands to be seen at least once, and certainly one that doesn't justify its reputation as a ruinous turkey.

I came across 'Barry Lyndon' after enjoying a few other Stanley Kubrick films and wanting to see more of his work. I have always been fascinated by the 18th century, the period in which the film is set, so I don't know why I took so long before seeing it. First of all, Barry's story is fascinating. It's difficult to describe without revealing elements of the story, and the less you know the more fascinating you will find the frequent twists in his fortunes. Suffice it to say that Barry does not spend the entire story in Ireland but instead ends up travelling all across Europe. One of the most striking aspects of these adventures is that Barry is not a hero figure. You will not necessarily always identify with him, and I personally was grinding my teeth in despair at some of his decisions, or dreading his next step and the possible turns that the story could take. These moments remain highly believable in the context of the story, and combined with the steady, unflinching style in which everything is filmed (only sparingly changing angles, as well as allowing for long strained silences) and the very careful, formal and deliberate language of the characters makes for some incredibly tense but slow to boil scenes. This whole atmosphere is hugely complemented by the amazing music and gorgeous scenery which Kubrick frequently lingers on, as it somehow made everything seem much more 'natural' and 'real' to me. Costumes are fantastic, with certain scenes looking like they come straight out of a period painting and the mannerisms of the characters (I especially like the family tutor later in the film) seem spot on. Overall, I thought Barry Lyndon not only fascinating, but also incredibly tense and atmospheric. I absolutely loved it, and would recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind films with historical settings and period costumes/language as well as a slower tempo. Really my only disappointment is that the film is not yet available on Bluray... and I also wish Kubrick had lived long enough to do his film on Napoleon!

William Makepeace Thackeray’s most famous novel, Vanity Fair, has been adapted into several films and TV series. The Luck of Barry Lyndon, later retitled The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq., hasn’t been quite so regurgitated. Originally serialised in the 1840s before becoming a single volume in 1856 (although set in the previous century) it’s a rambling text, described by a disinterested narrator, full of satirical swipes at the seventeenth century romantic ideal. Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation – a bit of a flop in 1975 – dials down the satire. With Dr Strangelove, Kubrick had taken a cold and sober story (Red Alert) and turned it into a nightmare satirical comedy. With Lyndon he takes a rambunctious and ironic picaresque and turns it into a witty but ultimately sorrowful journey into the black heart of a world that can’t accept the orphan foreigner. We begin in Ireland, where a young Redmond Barry (a blank slate Ryan O’Neal), in trying to win the heart of his cousin, challenges the smug Captain John Quin (Leonard Rossiter) to a duel. The event triggers Redmond’s exile, and he hits the road, not so much gallivanting around Europe as finding himself stumbling in and out of army units and from one bereft wife’s bed to the next. Redmond has ambitions to wealth and status. So, when he comes into contact with Lady Lyndon (an even blanker slate Marisa Berenson), he decides to settle down and take advantage of her money and make himself a gentleman. Lyndon, however, is guarded by her fiercely protective son, Lord Bullingdon (Leon Vitali), who will defend her honour until the violent end. Barry Lyndon employs a realist aesthetic, but it’s a beautified and exaggerated realism, like a photo album telling half the story – the pretty bits – as if we were observing the fantasy of an ordered universe. The style is perfect for the self-aggrandising nature of Redmond, who would rather keep himself unknowable in detail, but would gleefully embellish his grander legend. Kubrick predominantly makes use of zooms, as opposed to tracking shots, evoking a sense of flatness similar to a painting. The compositions themselves are reminiscent of 17th and 18th century pieces – at one point Lord Bullingdon effectively walks through Hogarth’s “The Morning After”. When the camera does come off the tripod – for example, during an astonishing brawl at a concert performance – the effect is brilliantly jarring. For a film that keeps its title character in frame but at arm’s length for virtually its entire 180-minute running time (save for a brief interlude of contented fatherhood), Barry Lyndon is Kubrick’s most moving and heartfelt film. Kubrick used cinema for awe (2001: A Space Odyssey) and anarchy (A Clockwork Orange); but he knew also that cinema is sadness: twenty-four transient events slipping away every second. The sombre rhythm of Barry Lyndon, and the lifetime it covers, is such that we are vitally aware of the passing of time. It is an exercise in anti-tension, with minimal editing and zero revelation. Michael Hordern’s ironic narrator frequently informs us of important events before they occur. Kubrick was a proponent of the Soviet Montage school of editing: creating meaning through the juxtaposition of images. And yet with Barry Lyndon the meaning is created more by the events within the frame: the stillness, smallness and slowness of people in vast, beautiful, indifferent spaces. Barry Lyndon may lack the broad humour of the more accessible Dr Strangelove, but Kubrick’s acknowledgement of the absurd is still present. Marriage, monogamy, material consumption, and the endless pursuit of money: the sometimes conflicted aspects of the independence-seeking society that sprung from the one we’re watching on screen. It’s a reflection of our world, today. Yes, Barry Lyndon is a historical film, and it’s about history, but it’s also about who we are now. It is a film that questions our values and our social convictions. We may laugh or cry at the picaresque rogue and the rigid class divisions he crosses. We may sneer at the loveless marriage born of loneliness at the story’s centre. We may despair at the movement from the expansive freedom of the rolling landscape to the closed world of the gated estate. But we may also consider that, unlike Redmond Barry, we have the awareness and the means and the mobility to resist such a fate. Yet so often we choose not to.

Wellacted drama with excellent direction. Beautifully filmed.

What can one say....this is one of the greatest and most spectacular 'historical' films ever made...not seen it?...you're in for a treat. This is quality Blu-ray transfer.

Kubricks wonderful take of Thakerays novel a must for any film fan

ist hier am Werke. Und nicht nur das, Kubrick konnte sich im Jahr 1975 nach seinen Erfolgen mit "Dr. Seltsam oder: Wie ich lernte, die Bombe zu lieben" (1964), "2001: Odyssee im Weltraum" (1968) und "Uhrwerk Orange" (1971), einen Film "leisten", der weit enfernt, so scheint es, von oben genannten ist. Aber, nach dem man ihn gesehen hat, merkt man, dass Kubrick seine Sicht nur auf eine andere Weise gezeigt hat, er bleibt sich aber TREU. Und zwar in den perfekten Versuchen aus "Unmöglichen" etwas NEUES zu schaffen, auf eine Weise, die uns verzaubert...aber auch tief erschüttert. Barry Lyndon wurde nach der Romanvorlage "Die Memoiren des Junkers Barry Lyndon" (1844) gedreht, - das Buch zählt zwar nicht zu den besten des William Makepeace Thackeray (sein bekanntestes ist wohl "Jahrmarkt der Eitelkeit"; 1847/48). Man kann sich sehr gut vorstellen, was Kubrick im Roman gefunden hat. Ob ich ihm etwas unterstelle, wenn ich am Beginn die Behauptung wage, ER wollte einen richtigen Kostümfilm mit ALLEM drum und dran, mit einer Geschichte, die er leichter in das 18. Jhr positionieren kann, machen? Um dann die Zeit, in der wir leben, zu zeigen..., er will immer auf einer Weise provozieren (zum Glück...glaube ich). (Der Inhalt, hier ist Spoiler erlaubt) Wer ist Barry Lyndon? Eigentlich heißt er Redmond Barry (Ryan O'Neal) und ist ein Ire. Die emotionslose Stimme aus dem Off, die uns den ganzen Film durch begleitet, erzählt, dass Redmond's Vater bei einem Duell getötet wurde. Es ging dabei um Kleinigkeiten. Er wäre ein größer Mann geworden. So blieb die Witwe (Marie Kean) mit dem kleinen Sohn allein. Sie war eine respektable Person, die durchaus einige Verehrer hatte. Aber, ihr Redmond war ihr EIN und ALLES. Die beiden gehören zu dem irischen Landadel, waren nicht reich, müssen aber auch nicht hungern. Wie wäre das Leben des jungen Barry's wohl verlaufen, hätte er sich nicht unsterblich in seine Cousine Nora Brady (Gay Hamilton) verliebt? Nur aufgrund seiner Jungend können wir ihm verzeihen und ihn verstehen. Nora WAR alles andere als ein Mädchen, dass man respektieren könnte. Man wusste, sie hatte einige Liebhaber, doch keinen konnte sie halten. Als sich ein englischer Offizier, Captain John Quin (Leonard Rossiter), für sie interessierte, war sie sofort bereit ihn zu heiraten. Ihr Vater war entzückt, der Bräutigam würde auch seine Schulden bezahlen. Nur Redmond konnte Nora und die Welt nicht mehr verstehen... In einem Duell "erschießt" er Quin (so glaubt er mindestens) und muß Irland schnell verlassen. Die Zeiten waren hart, es herrschte der siebenjährige Krieg (1866 bis 63; nebenbei - Kubrick nimmt es mit den Jahren nicht so genau, er weist nur auf einige für den Film wichtige Ereignisse); und Redmond findet die Zuflucht in englischer Armee. Dort spielt es keine Rolle, wer was getan hat, man lebte nicht lang genug. Die Soldaten starben wie die Fliegen (wenn man die Kämpfe sieht, fragt man sich...wie können sie so ruhig marschieren...und auf die Schüsse auf der anderer Seite warten). Als Redmond erfuhr, dass Nora doch Mrs. Quin geworden ist, dass er die Pistole mit "Platzpatronen" gehabt hat, wird er ärgerlich, dann will er nur noch weg aus der Armee. Und zwar nach Hause oder anderswohin. Die Fluch ist ihm fast geglückt, doch ein preußischer Offizier, Hauptmann Potzdorf (Hardy Krüger) hat bemerkt, dass der vermeintliche englische "Gesandter" zu dick aufträgt. Nun muß er in die deutsche Armee, wo er wieder kämpft. Am Ende des Krieges ist er in Berlin. Dort wird er zum Gehilfen des Polizeiminister und muß einen Chevalier de Balibari (Patrick Magee) beobachten. Der sollte eigentlich Ire sein und als Spion tätig (für wenn, wissen wir nicht). Die beiden Landsmänner sind sich sofort sympathisch (Redmond erzählt dem Chevalier alles) und zusammen werden sie unschlagbar. Redmond liefert den Deutschen "Informationen", die gerade soviel wert sind, dass die beiden nicht zu suspekt werden. Ihr Gebiet ist nämlich das Glücksspiel. Redmond als s.g. Diener kann mit Gesten, Fragen...seinem Kollegen genau sagen, welche Karten die Gegenseite hat. Es lohnt sich. Die Aristokratie liebt das Spiel, sie hat das Geld, wenn nicht, sind die Schuldscheine auch gut. Die kann Redmond dann ins Geld verwandeln, seine Künste im Fechten, Boxen...usw. sind gefürchtet. Man zahlt uns schweigt. Es würde noch länger dauern, aber einen Prinzen, der sehr nahe Friedrich II (genannt, der Große) steht, darf man nicht zur Zahlung zwingen. Die beiden verlassen eher ungewollt das Land und...ziehen weiter. Europa und ihre Spielsäle, die Höfe der Königen...alles steht ihnen offen. Sie verdienen, sie geben aus...und Redmond sieht noch ein Ziel. Er muß sich REICH verheiraten. Die passende Dame hat er schon im Visier, nur ihr kranker Ehemann lebt noch. Doch auch Sir Charles (Frank Middlemass) kann die Glückssträhne des jungen Mannes nicht aufhalten. Und nach gewisser Zeit heiratet Redmond Barry, der sich nun Barry Lyndon nennt die junge Witwe, Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson). Sie hat einen Sohn, Lord Bullingdon (Leon Vitali), der später den Titel und das Reichtum erben wird. So besagt das britische Recht. Redmond's Sohn Bryan Patrick Lyndon (David Morley) wird immer von seinem Halbbruder abhängig sein. Außer - Barry Lyndon, sein Vater, wird ein ADELIGER, ein Lord. Er macht, tut ALLES dafür. Früher hat er Unmengen verdient, jetzt wirft er das Geld durch das Fenster, in dem er den konservativen, alten Earls das Geld in irgendeiner Form gibt. Er bezahlt die Schulden, die er nicht hat, macht Geschenke, kauft Bilder, die ihm nicht gefallen. Aber, er wird nur geduldet... Als er seinen Stiefsohn nach einem Eklat öffentlich angreift, wird er...zur Persona non grata... Längst hat er selbst wirkliche Schulden. Seine Frau hat er nie geliebt, für seinen Sohn würde er alles tun. Auch einen Pferd kaufen... Es endet fast, wie es beginnt...eine Flucht, eine Person ist bei ihm. Er hat alles verloren, aber zuletzt hat er seine Würde wieder gewonnen, oder endeckt. Warum sieht man sich einen Film, der 187 Minuten dauert und der bewusst LANGSAM erzählt wird? Kubrick "warnt" uns sofort, dass er eine Geschichte zu erzählen hat. Die stille, unaufgeregte Stimme, die eigentlich die ganze Story erzählt, verliert sich öfter in Kleinigkeiten, in den Details, die erst nach einiger Zeit wichtig werden. Man weiß, was passieren wird, auch ohne das Buch zu kennen...das Drehbuch (auch von Kubrick) hält sich ziemlich genau an die Erzählung. Es geschieht nichts großes, darum habe ich mich gefragt - wer Barry Lyndon war/ist? Es könnte irgendein junger Mann gewesen sein, der vom Leben mehr will und dem die erste Liebe zum Verhängnis wurde (die das nicht verdient hat, so ist die Liebe, eben). Er ist als Charakter nicht besonders liebenswert. Er kann aufbrausend, jähzornig, agressiv, hinterlistig...sein. Er betrügt andere, so wie man mit ihm gemacht hat. Er ist KEIN Ehrenmann, da kann er noch soviel Samt und Seide tragen. Er bleibt ein Parvenu, den man nur toleriert, weil man ihn braucht. Ohne seinen Freund "Chevalier" ist er ganz auf sich gestellt. Und er kennt die Gesetze der alten Aristokratie einfach nicht. Er ist ein NIEMAND, als er kein Geld mehr hat... Und doch ist er ein liebender Vater (und Sohn auch, seine Mutter hat ihm zwar die schlechtesten Ratschläge gegeben, z. B. sich einen Titel zu kaufen..) und er ist ein Mann mit Prinzipien, wenn er die Schwäche seines Gegenübers bemerkt. Am Ende hat ihm das meine Sympathie gebracht... Und am ENDE noch zu den SCHÖNSTEN Teil.... Der Film ist eine Reihe von Bildern. Ich glaube, es gibt keinen anderen Film (z.B. Peter Greenaway's Film "Drowning by Numbers" u.a können ihm nahekommen, sind aber NICHT so gut), den ich kennen würde, der mit solchen Intensität die Bilder der englischen Landschaft zeigen kann. Wir tauchen in das Bild eines John Constable's ein, wir sind bei den "Tableau vivant'", den Bildern, die man in der Gesellschaft erschaffen hat - die Personen zeigen ein Bild, als ob es gemallt wurde...Hier sind wir fast immer in einer Ausstellung, aber die Bilder sind immer eine Offenbarung, wir können nie wissen, was als nächstes kommt. Da sind Schlösser mit Gärten, mit den Teichen...es gibt einfach nicht genügend Worte um die SCHÖNHEIT zu beschreiben. Die Kamera des großen Regisseurs sieht alles und zeigt uns noch mehr. Die Musik passt natürlich herrvoragend dazu, Bach, Vivaldi, Händel (er besonders), Mozart..., ach, es ist zu schön. Da vergisst man die Wirklichkeit, das Leben in der Zeit des Geschehens, das keineswegs schön und leicht war. Noch einmal mehr macht uns Kubrick sprachlos - aus so verschiedenen "Zutaten" hat er eine Perfektion geschaffen. Ryan O'Neal - sehr gut, alle anderen auch, Kubrick hat nur vier Oscars bekommen, für die Regie und den besten Film leider NICHT. Ob man damals für ihn und einige seinen Zeitgenossen (Altman z.B.) eine besondere Kategorie eröffnen müsste? Ich glaube, ja! Zwei Rezensionen sind es, die ich loben möchte, am 16.07.2013 (gerade vor 6 Jahren!) hat Ray eine perfekte Besprechung geschrieben, am 13. 04. 2017 hat der Zauberer Rumburak das noch perfektioniert...danke, auch an andere. Hier ist die Kritik wegen Mängel des DVD' nicht angebracht, die Zeit hat Spuren gelassen, die Schönheit ist geblieben, die ist zeitlos!

Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon is a spectacle, full of luscious visuals, extraordinary costumes, and a very aggressive underlying theme of cheating, and losing at life. This is not a contender for Kubrick's top five films of all time, and for good reason, but regardless, this film put me in a trance from beginning to end. I had not read William Makepeace Thackeray's novel beforehand, so I honestly cannot add to the discussion of whether or not this is a proper adaptation, or if O'Neal's performance was right for the character. I will however say what I saw, and that is a movie with Kubrick's visual style stamped on every single shot. The story is a rise to riches tragedy revolving around the life of an Irish lad by the name of Redmond Barry. As a teen we are first introduced to his character as one who shares a romantic relationship with his cousin, Nora Brady. When Nora is set to marry British military Captain John Quin, the naive Barry retaliates confronting the captain to a duel, which ultimately drives him away from his town, mother, and Nora. This starts Barry's long adventure to "becoming a gentleman". Along the way he shall be robbed, enlist in the British army, serve in the Seven Year War, and become a professional gambler. He'll finally acquire wealth beyond his wildest dreams when he manages to court Lady Lyndon, after her husband, Sir Lyndon, finally dies from years of crippling disease. This starts a vengeful relationship between him and his acquired stepson, Lord Bullingdon. From here on out Barry's ultimate demise becomes inevitable as his life falls apart into tragedy, mostly due to his own actions. As stated earlier by myself, Barry Lyndon is one of the most expertly shot films I have ever seen. The visuals alone make this one of the best movies I've ever seen, but it is not at all a perfect movie. Sadly none of Kubrick's films are "perfect", but that's intentional by the director, and no one comes closer to making perfect movies than Stanley Kubrick. Though he's never really made a film with truly captivating human characters, his stories, and underlying messages have always been the strongest aspects of his films. Kubrick's dislike for humanity is as present as it ever was in his other films, even if not as strong as say `2001 - A Space Odyssey'. Barry is always displayed as being a character that seems to be...well, he's hollow. Barry is a man who hardly ever shows emotion, and once he is at the top you can't help but feel as though his mannerisms are that of a spoiled child. You never really grow attachment to this character, and the narrator makes sure of that, which makes it apparent that Kubrick never intended you to grow truly fond of Barry, so when he ultimately is left poor and crippled you can't truly feel for him. That being said, Ryan O'Neal's Barry is not to be confused with a "cardboard character", like what you see in 80% of summer action films. He's actually quite complicated, the only thing he ever shows passion for being the well-being of his son, Bryan. The way he takes everything for granted, from Lady Lyndon, to his wealth, he just seems to not care about anything, other than his young son, who he spoils by treating him to whatever he desires. This makes it apparent that the thing Barry loves most will be taken away from him in a cruel fashion. I'm not spoiling anything, because the ultimately, tragic ending of Barry's life is given away by the Narrator's first few comments over the course of the first hour of the film (and if you don't catch it there he'll announce it bluntly in the last forth of the film). When going into this film you shouldn't expect for something truly compelling, nor should you expect Barry to be an average Joe, whom you can relate to. The movie is in no way intended for you to leave it with a smile on your face. Don't go to a Kubrick film and expect a film that's intended to leave you happy (Even Dr. Strangelove, one of the best comedies of all time, had an ending that made you speculate the future of the human race). If you are new to Kubrick, these negative plot points may drive you away, but if you are familiar with his work Barry Lyndon will not surprise you in its underlying themes. That being said, for people who are fond of period pieces, there are few movies that I've seen that can match the visual style of Kubrick's film. While watching it you will feel swept away by the Academy Award winning cinematography of John Alcott and the costumes, which also earned one of the films four Academy Awards. Leonard Rosenman's winning score must also be acknowledged, for it also makes this film an attention grabber. The music is never overused, and if feels perfect for the film. It is full of elegance, something that could stand for the upper class which Barry tries so hard to be a part of, but beneath its beauty you can feel a sense of treachery, and corruption, which perfectly reflects the ruthless behavior Barry tries so hard to conceal beneath a façade of grace, but ultimately fails to keep it suppressed. The film is a must see for Kubrick, and fans of period pieces, but if you don't fall into one of those two categories Barry Lyndon may be hard for you to stomach, with its running time of about three hours. You may enjoy this film, but it seriously depends on how you take in Kubrick's other work. If time's a problem you can watch this film in intervals, because there are plenty of chances throughout to pause and take a break. If you want to watch Barry Lyndon you'll need to pay it full attention. It is better to watch it in intervals than watch it straight through while being distracted. It needs full attention for you to take in its full impact. Not Kubrick's best, but I give it a solid 9 out of 10.

Having read that Kubrick placed visual above anything in this film I found it spectacularly stunning. The story is much less important. As this is a remaster from 1973? I wish I had bought blu-ray instead, although that resolution is only 720p. I saw this film when it first did the rounds of cinemas, and was not impressed as I overlooked photography to search for meaning in the story. If you buy this for the exceptional photographic skills then you will be stunned, with every new scene looking like a painting from that period. Kubrick even had lenses made so that he could shoot using only candlelight, a sign of his dedication to authenticity.

Barry Lyndon, capolavoro intramontabile del cinema di Kubrick, si erge come un monumento della cinematografia, trasportando lo spettatore attraverso le intricanti vicende di un uomo in un'epoca d'oro. Incantando con una maestria tecnica senza pari, Kubrick scava nel tessuto stesso dell'animo umano, svelando le fragilità, i desideri e le ambizioni che guidano le azioni di ogni individuo.Al centro della narrazione, Barry Lyndon, un personaggio che, con la sua complessità e la sua umanità, si staglia come un'icona di un'epoca in tumulto. La sua ricerca di status e potere lo spinge in un viaggio attraverso la società aristocratica del XVIII secolo, dove l'amore, l'inganno e la tragedia si intrecciano in un intricato intreccio di destini.La maestria visiva di Kubrick è evidente in ogni inquadratura, con una fotografia che cattura l'essenza stessa dell'epoca georgiana. I sontuosi paesaggi rurali e le sfarzose dimore aristocratiche si trasformano in veri e propri personaggi, fornendo uno sfondo vibrante e ricco di dettagli alla storia di Barry. Ogni scena è una tela dipinta con cura e precisione, trasportando lo spettatore in un'epoca lontana ma straordinariamente viva.Ma è nell'analisi dei personaggi che Barry Lyndon si distingue veramente. Ogni figura, anche la più marginale, è dipinta con una profondità psicologica sorprendente. Barry stesso è un protagonista ambiguo, la cui lotta per l'ascensione sociale è costellata di trionfi e tragedie. I personaggi che lo circondano sono altrettanto complessi, ognuno con i propri desideri e ambizioni, che si intrecciano in un intricato gioco di potere e inganno.La colonna sonora, selezionata con cura da Kubrick, completa l'esperienza cinematografica, aggiungendo un ulteriore strato di emozione e significato. Le melodie dolci e malinconiche si fondono perfettamente con le immagini, creando un'atmosfera avvolgente che cattura lo spettatore dall'inizio alla fine. In definitiva, Barry Lyndon è molto più di un semplice film storico. È un'opera d'arte che trasuda profondità e significato, invitando lo spettatore a riflettere sulla natura stessa dell'umanità. Con la sua narrazione coinvolgente, la sua maestria tecnica e la sua analisi dei personaggi senza pari, questo capolavoro di Kubrick rimarrà nel cuore degli spettatori per generazioni a venire, continuando a incantare e ispirare con la sua visione senza tempo del mondo e dell'animo umano.

アランさんのレビューが参考になりました。ＤＶＤと違ってＢＤは北米と日本が同一リージョンなので、万一日本語字幕がなかったとしても映像は再生できるだろうと思い、購入にふみきりました。確かに北米から郵送されてきましたが、再生してびっくり。冒頭の著作権に関する警告画面からして日本語です。そしてメニュー、設定画面も日本語で、字幕は英語と日本語しか選べません。ケース裏面には字幕は英語、フランス語、スペイン語があるとしか書かれておらず、どこにも日本語字幕に言及していないにもかかわらずです。日本語字幕の内容はＤＶＤのものと同じ。 画質に関しては時計じかけのオレンジ製作４０周年記念エディションの本編と比べると若干シャープさに欠けますが、私が持っていたＤＶＤでは上下左右が黒くトリミングされサイズが小さかった映像がモニター画面全体に色鮮やかに広がっただけで感激です。データを記すと、1080p, High Definition, 16x9 1.85:1。音はDTS-HD MA: English Dolby Digital 5.1。 この１８世紀ヨーロッパにどっぷり浸かることのできる大傑作の日本盤ＢＤが単品発売されないことに悔しい思いをしている人は、試してみる価値大です。