There’s a reason Stanley Kubrick‘s “Barry Lyndon” won several Oscars, including Best Cinematography, Art Direction, and Costume Design: It seamlessly replicates William Makepeace Thackeray‘s novel “The Luck of Barry Lyndon” and creates a stunning atmosphere in which a lurid young Irishman (Ryan O’Neil) destroys his privileged life by spying and amounting large debts. ‘Lyndon,’ aside from boasting a beautiful classical soundtrack and some aptly stoic performances, looks more than any other film like a string of paintings; it’s fine art brought to life, as only Stanley Kubrick could have done.
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In a new video essay from BFI, they place stills from the film side-by-side with some of the chiaroscuro masterpieces Kubrick used for inspiration. Taking notes from artists like John Constable and his landscapes and William Hogarth‘s satires, Kubrick broke new ground in creating scenery that was both rich in color and lavish in design. Instead of life imitating art, he used it as a touchstone, creating a film with painterly qualities and flawless, static camerawork.
Do you have a favorite scene from Barry Lyndon? Let us know in the comments below.
