Barry Lyndon movie (1 Viewer)

[Cornwallis]

Hi

Just wondered if any fellow Treefroggers have seen this movie and what your thoughts on it are?

I have seen a clip on Youtube of the skirmish between the British and French armies and it looks quite good. I just wondered what the rest of the movie is like and if there are any more battle scenes?

Cheers

Corny

 

[theBaron]

It is an excellent period piece, albeit a long one, and I recommend it highly. Great story, of course, great directing (one of Kubrik's best movies, I think), and if I am not mistaken, John Mollo was one of the consultants on the uniforms. Andrew Mollo may have been, too. The battle scenes from the Seven Years War look pretty authentic.

Great performances, too, by Ryan O'Neal, Hardy Kruger, and all of the supporting cast.

I haven't read the original novel, though, so I don't know if the movie kept all elements or not, but without having read the novel, I enjoyed it that much.

Prost!
Brad

 

[binder001]

Way back when I saw it I can only think of what a LONG, Boring, self-indulgent movie it was. I'm no "deep thinker" who goes to movies for deeper meaning. I regard it as several hours of my life that I will never get back.

Gary B.
poor but honest

 

[theBaron]

Wow! We've got a "Roger liked it, but Gene-can't recommend" here between me and Gary

I can see your point about the length and the tone, Gary, since it's based on Thackeray's novel. Those early Victorians can get a little verbose.

 

[lancer]

A must see if you are a Kubrick fan. It is long but it is a kind of epic film that tells a life story over many years. There are a few well done battle scenes. Kubrick shot this film in natural light if I remember correctly, thus the dark interior scenes. Fine acting and a good story made this a worth-while show to see if you have the time. JMHO. -- lancer

 

[Spitfrnd]

It has been a long time since I saw this but I remember liking it. Interestingly Kubrick had originally wanted to do a film about Napoleon but lost his backers when Waterloo failed to be a commercial success. The movie is basically about the life of a fallen aristocrat who overcomes many challenges to eventually rise above his former station but reverses most of his success with his underlying character flaws. There are other battle scenes and several duels and much gambling. The photography, a Kubrick hallmark, is superb and the acting is very good. The film received Academy Awards for Best Art Direction (Ken Adam, Roy Walker, Vernon Dixon), Best Cinematography (John Alcott), Best Costume Design (Milena Canonero) and Best Musical Score (Leonard Rosenman). Kubrick was nominated three times, for Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film is long and slow at times but Kubrick intended that to help convey the feeling of the period. It is regarded as a classic by most film critics and while it is not my favorite Kubrick film, it is certainly worth seeing.

 

[cantinetozzo]

With this post i'll not add anything significative to what was already said , but in my opinion is one of the best (or maybe the best) depiction of 18th century life in movies.

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

I would agree that this movie is well worth seeing! I remember going to see this on the big screen... with an intermission when it was first released.
I think the opening scene with narration is perfect and would not be duplicted again until 'The Duelist' was made. (another must see)
Another great scene is the British advance on the French as the narrator says..." some now forgotten rear action". They really captured the way the rear ranks deploy to the front when there are gaps in the front ranks from casualties during an advance with bayonets.
Ken

 

[theBaron]

I agree, Ken, "The Duellists" is another great period piece, and has some of the same hallmarks: well-known, acclaimed and talented director, Ridley Scott; great acting performances, by the leads Keitel and Carradine, but also by the supporting characters (Edward Fox, for example), and based on a novel by an acclaimed novelist (Joseph Conrad).

Another one that I have on VHS, that I want to replace with DVD.

Prost!
Brad

 

[lancer]

I would agree that this movie is well worth seeing! I remember going to see this on the big screen... with an intermission when it was first released.
I think the opening scene with narration is perfect and would not be duplicted again until 'The Duelist' was made. (another must see)
Another great scene is the British advance on the French as the narrator says..." some now forgotten rear action". They really captured the way the rear ranks deploy to the front when there are gaps in the front ranks from casualties during an advance with bayonets.
Ken

IMO the action described above is one of the best done battle scenes in the movies. The steady advance into volley fire is just great. On a similar vein, does anyone remember the same type attack scene from "Revolution" with Pacino and with Donald Sutherland playing the British Sgt.? I liked that scene, too. Found the rest of the movie interesting as well. I think it is unfairly overlooked. -- lancer

 

[cantinetozzo]

I founded a group on FB to celebrate The Duellists..i see many similarities between the 2 movies , and the housemaid of Keitel / Feraud is the same actress playing Barry Lyndon's cousin..You can spot another great actor in The Duellists :is Peter Postlethwaite (In the name of the Father) , playing a barber.In Barry Lyndon's playing a german noble you can see Wolf Kahler ,he is always casted in german military roles , just to remember a short but memorable role he made, he is the german general giving a wonderful speech in the last episode of the series Band of Brothers.