Stanley Kubrick is the greatest American filmmaker of all time. Obviously a title like that is so ridiculously subjective that it’s practically meaningless for me to say, but I’m not sure anyone would be able to come up with a more credible contender for the title. For myself, anyway, Kubrick certainly sparked my love of film more than any other director. He may not have been as prolific as Hitchcock or as commercially successful as Spielberg, but nearly every film he made has come to be seen as a bonafide classic—which is a good thing, considering he only made 14 films over the course of a nearly five-decades-long career. His demanding perfectionism, once viewed as a quirk that became part of the mythos of him as a great auteur, has more recently—perhaps rightfully—become subject to criticism given his treatment of those he employed, particularly Shelley Duvall. Still, it’s tough to argue that he got results: nearly every film he made has come to be seen as among the best of their respective genres in a filmography that expanded a great number of genres.
For the sake of this list, I chose not to include his documentary shorts—which I can’t imagine many have seen—or Kubrick ajacent films such as A.I. Artificial Inteligence, which he didn’t actually direct.
13.) Fear and Desire (1952)
Let’s be honest: most people reading this probably haven’t seen this film—including many of the most die-hard Kubrick fans. Kubrick’s debut film, shot on a shoe-string budget, was a commercial failure and only gained a tepid critical response. It fell out of circulation, and legend has it Kubrick, embarrassed by it, attempted to have it destroyed. It finally recieved a DVD release in 2012 and, given that the war film is the only genre Kubrick continuously returned to, it may be interesting for some who want a picture of where Kubrick began. For most, it’s skippable.
12.) Killer’s Kiss (1955)
Kubrick’s follow-up to Fear and Desire, Killer’s Kiss is a pretty fascinating time capsule of a budding auteur who still hasn’t quite reached his full potential. A film noir about an aging boxer who becomes entangled with a taxi dancer and her violent boss, the naturalistic directing style is about as conventional as the plot. Financed on a budget not much larger than its predecessor, the film still failed to recoup costs, and distributor United Artists demand Kubrick alter the original ending.
11.) Spartacus (1960)
The first bonafide commercial smash of Kubrick’s career, he had been hired to take over the project by United Artists at thirty-years-old after the more experienced Anthony Mann dropped out. With a budget comparable to a Marvel film, this was no easy task. Most created as a vehicle for Kirk Douglas after he failed to win the titular role in Ben-Hur, Kubrick had zero control—the script, written by the famously blacklisted Dalton Trumbo, was the only one in Kubrick’s filmography he had no part in writing. Though it holds certain place in Kubrick’s history for establishing him as a major director and pushing him to demand total creative control over future projects—as well as it’s continued culture impact due to its iconic climax—Spartacus simply isn’t the height of Kubrick’s artistic vision.
10.) Lolita (1962)
With the success of Spartacus, Kubrick had leeway to push boundaries with his follow-up, choosing to adapt the iconic yet controversial Nabokov novel Lolita. The film toned down many of the most controversial aspects of the source material, yet still divided critics over the subject matter—the late Sue Lyon, who played the titular role, was 14 at the time of filming. The film perhaps suffers due to the censorship—Kubrick himself has said he never would have made the film had he known the extent it would limit him—yet it remains about as good of a film adaptation of Lolita that could possibly be made in 1962.
9.) Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
On the topic of Kubrick tackling sexuality, his final film gets a little too weird for many with its focus on secret societies and orgies. Though he allegedly considered it his best work, it suffers from weird pacing, repetitive music usage, and a Tom Cruise performance as bland as any of his others. An attempt to capture a dreamlike feel? Maybe, but I had always imagined someone as interesting as Kubrick having dreams a little more exciting than the final film. Regardless, the visuals remain stunning and Nicole Kidman gives one of her best performances.
8.) Barry Lyndon (1975)
In many ways, Barry Lyndon was an attempt to salvage his Napoleon Bonaparte project, which he intended to be his magnum opus. A favorite among filmmakers, the film is likely best know for its groundbreaking lighting and cinematography, which makes up for a particularly boring performance by Ryan O’Neal. If three-hour-long period pieces adapted from 19th century picaresque novels interest you, it’s about as good as a film can get. If that sounds like torture, however, I can’t guarantee this is the film to convince you otherwise.
7.) The Killing (1956)
The first true masterpiece in Kubrick’s filmography, The Killing is one of the definitive film noirs about a heist gone wrong starring Sterling Hayden. Despite performing poorly at the box-office like its predecessors, it recieved critical acclaim and, despite the somewhat awkward narration common in Kubrick’s early films, mostly stands the test of time.
6.) Full Metal Jacket (1987)
One of the most quotable films of all time, Kubrick’s penultimate film and final war drama spends its first half on a platoon of Marine recruits during boot camp, with a memorable performance from R. Lee Eremy and story that is equal parts frightening, hilarious, and heartbreaking—had the film ended after boot camp, it would be among Kubrick’s best. After the soldiers leave for Vietnam, however, the film loses focus and culminates in a climactic sniper ambush that never quite sticks the landing with the ease of the first portion.
5.) The Shining (1980)
Originally receiving a lukewarm response from critics, Kubrick’s Stephen King adaptation has developed a reputation as one of the greatest horror films ever made, despite not neatly falling into sub-genres or using the typical horror tropes of the time. Jack Nicholson gives one of his most memorable performances, while Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd are impeccably cast. While Jack and Wendy Torrance lack the complexity of their novel counterparts—leading to King’s infamous hatred of the film—its groundbreaking Steadicam usage, symbolism, and atmosphere more than make up for it.
4.) Paths of Glory (1957)
While Kubrick isn’t known for films that will leave you in tears, Paths of Glory’s brilliant ending may be the exception. Featuring a career best performance from Kirk Douglas, Kubrick’s World War I epic is among his most powerful and—at least for the time—controversial films. At 88-minutes-long, it’s a masterpiece from beginning to end and is where Kubrick truly joined the ranks of Hollywood’s great directors.
3.) A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Easily the most controversial film in his filmography, Kubrick’s dystopian satire about a sadistic teenager who undergoes brainwashing was infamously accused of inspiring copycat crimes—causing Kubrick himself to have it withdrawn from cinemas. Like The Shining, author Anthony Burgess loathed Kubrick’s interpretation of his source material, despite it being a relatively accurate adaptation beyond the omission of the novel’s final chapter. A cult classic, Malcolm McDowell’s charismatic performance contributes to its reputation as one of the most disturbing films ever made.
2.) Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
While all of Kubrick’s films have an element of dark comedy to them, none are quite funny or as dark as Dr. Strangelove. Satirizing the Cold War, it has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any Kubrick film and features the most memorable performance(s) of Peter Sellers’ career. Perhaps the most unforgettable of Kubrick’s statements on war, the film unfortunately remains perpetually relevant.
1.) 2001: A Space Odyssey
While it recieved a polarized response upon release, there’s little doubt that 2001 is among the greatest films of all time. Featuring pioneering special effects that still hold up today, the film helped popularize the idea of science fiction as an art form rather than just low-brow B-movie fare. No film ever made has elicited such a sense of wonder and mystery from audiences. It’s simply Kubrick’s masterpiece.
