Stanley Kubrick
LACMA, Art of the Americas Building, Level 2 November 1, 2012–June 30, 2013
The Stanley Kubrick Exhibit that has traveled the world, yet never graced England or New York, two places Kubrick spent most of his time, will be opening shortly in LA this November. A late October Wednesday, I was at the press preview. Before entering the exhibit from the cinematic master one speakers words moved me, "... he's work doesn't disappear". Even today you can see his work kept alive. That night South Park parodied The Shining for their Halloween episode. A few days after the exhibit opens a documentary about The Shining will be playing at the AFI Festival here in LA and no doubt somewhere someone will be playing 2001 on their iPad. His work has endured due to his legacy of crafting some of the most eye-catching and controversial films. Kubrick was not a liked man on set, but you didn't have to like him, just his work.The exhibit is another delight to walk through just like the previous well known Tim Burton exhibit with rare props, pictures and miniatures from his films. Each film has it's own section. Even films that were never completed like The Aryan Papers or a film about Napoleon. You'll also be delving into unfinished or dropped scenes like a pie fight in Dr. Strangelove or a floating monolith from 2001. Whatever film held your attention has it's own section to study.
Some sections cater to teaching more about just Kubrick's film making. One section is devoted to a young Kubrick as a photographer at Look magazine learning his craft. Seeing all the different lenses he used might shock you. One section goes over the element of sound in his films and what role music plays in them.
It won't surprise you that the exhibit on "The Shining" was my favorite. Seeing the hedge maze from the film nearly turned my head around. I only wish they could have gotten the same carpet from the Overlook Hotel to complete the look of the exhibit, still it just gets a bit creepier when you enter that part.
2001 and many other classic are all well represented and I don't doubt that LACMA will be playing Kubrick's films down the line. This new exhibit will have you meticulously going through each part, studying and seeing what one man's vision of cinema was and how much of it is still kept up today
The Shining
2001
