In association with

Barry Lyndon [1975]
from Warner Home Video
starring Ryan O'Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee, Hardy Krüger, Steven Berkoff
directed by Stanley Kubrick

Features:

• Dubbed
• PAL
• Widescreen

Editorial Review:

Perhaps Stanley Kubrick's most underrated film, Barry Lyndon--adapted from the picaresque novel by William Makepeace Thackeray--inhabits the 18th century in the way A Clockwork Orange and 2001: A Space Odyssey inhabit the future: perfect sets, costumes and cinematography capture characters whose rises and falls are at once deeply tragic and absurdly comical. Narrated in avuncular form by Michael Hordern, the film follows the fortunes of Redmond Barry (Ryan O'Neal), a handsome Irish youth forced to flee his hometown after a duel with a cowardly English officer (Leonard Rossiter). Stripped of his small fortune by a deferential highwayman, Barry joins the British army and fights in the Seven Years War, attempting a desertion that leads him into the Prussian army. A position as a spy on an exquisitely painted con man (Patrick Magee) leads to a life of gambling around the courts of Europe, and just before the intermission our hero achieves all he could want by marrying a wealthy, titled beautiful widow (Marisa Berenson). However, Part Two reveals that Barry can no more be a clockwork orange than the protagonist of Kubrick's previous film, and his spendthrift ways, foolhardy pursuit of social advancement and unwise treatment of his new family lead to several disasters, climaxing in another horrific, yet farcical duel. Shot almost entirely in the "magic hour", that point of the day when the light is mistily perfect, with innovative use of candlelight for interiors, Barry Lyndon looks ravishing, but the perfection of its images is matched by the inner turmoil of its seemingly frozen characters. Kubrick is often accused of being unemotional, but his restraint is all the more affecting when, for example, Barry is struck by the deaths of those close to him, his wife writhes into madness or his stepson (Leon Vitali) vomits before he can stand his ground in a duel.

On the DVD: The extras are skimpy, a trailer and a list of awards, a French alternate soundtrack and subtitles in seven languages. However, the film--"digitally restored and remastered"--is served superbly by the medium. Letterboxed to 1.59:1 (which fits the 14:9 option of a widescreen TV), with a 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack, the print looks and sounds wonderful, which not only allows a fresh appreciation of the wit and beauty of the film but shows just how good the apparent underplaying (unusual in Kubrick films) of the cast is. --Kim Newman

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

• This Is Kubrick
  Barry Lyndon hosts all the elements of something which is flawless, the genius of kubrick's vision and tenacity to gain perfection is seen through-out. Kubrick had custom camera lenses made by NASA so he could film in natural candle light only - this scene in paticular has a sense of texture and tone which a painting could provide. The performances are staggeringly brilliant and you feel the reserveness of the characters emotions and feelings, the battle scenes are shot with such beauty and realism that you... more info

• Kubrick does Thackery
  Kubrick is the archetypal perfectionist whatever the genre. For instance Barry Lyndon immerses the viewer in a haunting vision of 18th century Europe - war, love, gambling, honour, class and candles. Horden's narration devolves the original first person context of the novel to an anonymous voice who carries Barry's destiny from rural Ireland to the battlefields of central Europe and eventually aristocratic decadence. The atmosphere of the film is beautifully rendered by long shots in reverse as if Kubrick... more info

• Underrated Then?Overrated Now?
  First off,let me clarify that I Love Stanley Kubrick and his films,and he is probably my favorite director of them all.Second of all,I have only seen this movie once(although repeated viewings would probably not change my opinion about it and I really do not wish to see it again.Well,maybe once more).
  It is unbelievably Boring with a capital B.Again I clarify that I don't mind and like and respect slow paces in film(2001,The Shining,Eyes Wide Shut...getting the point here?)when well done,but that means... more info

• A MASTERPIECE
  I think that 'Barry Lyndon' is the film that really cements Stanley Kubrick's reputation into place among his most devoted fans. If he'd only made '2001' he'd still be considered a genius. Since he followed that with 'A Clockwork Orange' he moved up a notch to approach immortal status. But after making another 180 degree turn, taking on the historical novel/costume drama, and coming up with something this brilliant and stunning, well then, now was the time for deification. Has any director ever made three... more info

Similar Products:

More from Amazon