The notion of holding art exhibitions
dedicated to the work of a film director is a relatively
recent phenomenon. In principle, it seems rather absurd.
A film director's work, on balance, is all about movement,
whereas exhibitions are static. However, if done with taste
and intelligence, such gallery exhibitions can be fascinating,
though a knowledge of the director’s oeuvre would seem
to be a pre-requisite.
The exhibition on the work of Stanley Kubrick at the Martin
Gropius-Bau in Berlin was the result of eight months sifting
through the estate of the director who died in 1999. It contains
photos and letters, original props and costumes, screenplays
and production materials, with the inevitable video installations
running scenes from the films, each of which has a room to
itself. Moving through the three-dimensional filmography,
one is reminded of the depth and range of Kubrick’s
films.
Among the artefacts on display are a monkey suit worn by
an actor in 2001: A Space Odyssey and the
bowler hat and cod piece worn by Malcolm McDowell in A
Clockwork Orange. There is a walk-in ‘dimensionless’ space
modelled on the inside of the HAL 9000 computer in 2001 and
the Eyemo camera which Kubrick used during the shooting of Killer’s
Kiss.
More illuminating are the many original shooting scripts
with Kubrick's markings on them, Ken Adam's designs for Dr
Strangelove, letters from Christian societies to
Kubrick objecting to his intention to film Lolita,
letters between Vladimir Nabokov and Kubrick on the film,
and Kubrick’s notes and sketches for AI,
aborted by his death and (differently and indifferently)
made by Steven Spielberg. Also unfamiliar are Kubrick’s
photographs for Look Magazine from the mid-1940s, starting
with the first one he sold aged 16 – a sorrowful looking
newsvendor surrounded by newspapers announcing the death
of Franklin D Roosevelt. Other photos include a picture spread
of the young Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra taken unawares
and fashion shoots.
Arguably, Kubrick’s last three films after Barry
Lyndon showed a decline, and the exhibition reflects
this, though some might be interested to see the little
dresses of the sisters from The Shining or
Private Joker’s ‘Born to Kill’ helmet
in Full Metal Jacket or the masks worn
at the orgy in Eyes Wide Shut. But the
room dedicated to his Napoleon project is the most fascinating.
In a book case are the tons of books Kubrick collected
on Napoleon, with a card index on all references to the
historical character who became an obsession with Kubrick
over many years. One can also read his treatment and shooting
schedule for perhaps one of the great unmade films.
This exhibition ran from January 20 through April 11 2005
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© Copyright Ronald Bergan 2005. No part of this article may be reprinted
without permission of the author.
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