Stanley Kubrick

18 Stories

An Up-and-Coming Actor, He Gave It All Up for Kubrick

Leon Vitali, who played Lord Bullingdon in 'Barry Lyndon,' has died at 74

(Newser) - Leon Vitali, the Barry Lyndon actor who became one of Stanley Kubrick's closest associates, has died at age 74. Vitali died Friday in Los Angeles, surrounded by children Masha, Max, and Vera and other family members, per the AP . "Leon was a special and lovely man driven by...

Truly Horrifying Prop From The Shining Fetches 6 Figures

Axe used by Jack Nicholson auctioned for $175K

(Newser) - Update: Heeeere's $175,000. That's how much an anonymous buyer paid at auction for the axe used by Jack Nicholson in The Shining. The new owner was identified only as a businessman who is, not surprisingly, a fan of the Stanley Kubrick movie, reports TMZ . The winner outbid...

Twitter Calls Out a 'Creepy' Anniversary for the Shining

Celebration of photo shown at the film's end renews talk about the fate of Jack Nicholson's character

(Newser) - Fans of The Shining have another anniversary to celebrate Sunday: "100 years ago today. It was Kicking at the Overlook Hotel," one tweet said. The merriment was captured in the "Overlook Hotel July 4th Ball 1921" photo that fills the screen at the end of Stanley Kubrick'...

He Found Shelley Duvall, and She Was 'Engrossing'
He Found Shelley Duvall,
and She Was 'Engrossing'
longform

He Found Shelley Duvall, and She Was 'Engrossing'

Seth Abramovitch tracks down the actress in Texas Hill Country

(Newser) - Seth Abramovitch has managed to find Shelley Duvall, the actress forever famous for her turn as Wendy Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. She essentially vanished when she left Hollywood for Texas in the '90s, only resurfacing in 2016 with an appearance on a mental illness episode of...

Online Sleuth Finds Mystery Monolith

And theories are popping up that might explain it

(Newser) - Artists? Aliens? Prop masters? A monolith discovered in the middle of the Utah desert has spawned all kinds of theories—including the notion that a film crew left it behind, the Smithsonian reports. So let's start with that one:

NBA Great Floats Conspiracy About Moon Landings
NBA Great Floats Conspiracy
About Moon Landings
the rundown

NBA Great Floats Conspiracy About Moon Landings

Stephen Curry seems to think NASA faked them

(Newser) - Stephen Curry is one of the NBA's biggest stars—in fact, the Golden State Warriors great just picked up Player of the Week honors for the second time this season, notes NBC Sports . But the most recent headlines about him have nothing to do with basketball and everything to...

One of Film's Most Chilling Voices Is Gone
One of Film's Most
Chilling Voices Is Gone
obituary

One of Film's Most Chilling Voices Is Gone

Douglas Rain voiced HAL in '2001: A Space Odyssey'

(Newser) - Canadian actor Douglas Rain never appeared before the camera in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, but anyone who's seen the movie will vividly remember him anyway. Rain provided the voice for the HAL 9000 computer, which eventually turns against the human astronauts when it realizes they intend...

Director of 2001 Finally Explains the Film's Ending

Stanley Kubrick had long avoided putting it into words

(Newser) - Ever wondered what Stanley Kubrick's classic sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey is all about? Well, keep wondering, but an excerpt from an unreleased Japanese documentary has Kubrick explaining the film's mysterious ending, BoingBoing reports. "I've tried to avoid doing this ever since the picture came...

Kubrick's Daughter Starts Fundraiser for Shelley Duvall

Vivian Kubrick has raised more than $16K to help the actress get healthy

(Newser) - Vivian Kubrick, daughter of legendary director Stanley Kubrick, says Shelley Duvall's appearance Friday on Dr. Phil had "nothing to do with compassionate healing," E! Online reports. While some have called for a boycott of the show for exploiting the 67-year-old actress, Kubrick—who hasn't seen Duvall...

5 of the Best Films That Never Got Made

These movies could have been classics

(Newser) - In honor of last week's release of Jodorowsky's Dune , a documentary about Alejandro Jodorowsky's planned but never made adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel, the BBC lists the "10 greatest movies never made." Five standouts:
  • Stanley Kubrick's Napoleon: Kubrick spent years digging
...

Pioneering Makeup Artist Behind Yoda Dead at 98
Pioneering Makeup Artist Behind Yoda Dead at 98
In Peace, Rest

Pioneering Makeup Artist Behind Yoda Dead at 98

Stuart Freeborn's legendary career spanned 6 decades

(Newser) - Stuart Freeborn, a pioneering movie makeup artist behind creatures such as Yoda and Chewbacca in the Star Wars films, has died at 98. LucasFilm confirmed yesterday that Freeborn had passed away, "leaving a legacy of unforgettable contributions." George Lucas said in a statement that Freeborn was "already...

To Prove It Didn't Copy iPad, Samsung Cites Kubrick Film

Argues Apple shouldn't have been granted iPad design patent in first place

(Newser) - In the ongoing patent battle waged by Samsung and Apple, score one point for Samsung—at least in terms of originality. Apple is arguing that the design of Samsung's products is too similar to that of its iPhone and iPad. Samsung, in turn, is trying to argue that it'...

Fun Facts About Apple
 Fun Facts About Apple 
one involves a real apple

Fun Facts About Apple

Computer giant's original logo featured Isaac Newton

(Newser) - Secretive , vengeful , and irresistible, Apple occupies a unique niche in technology and business. Some obscure facts about the company, courtesy of Mashable :
  • The Macintosh was named for a variety of real apple: "Steve Jobs is said to have tried to change the project’s name to 'Bicycle' while
...

Help Wanted: Imaginary Friend Exorcist

5-year-old's new buddy gives dad flashbacks of 'The Shining'

(Newser) - A generally literal-minded 5-year-old has a new imaginary friend, and his dad is quietly freaking out—and blaming Stephen King. Oh, and Stanley Kubrick, who translated King's novel The Shining to the big screen. "Before King and Kubrick came along, I'm guessing that imaginary friends were kind of cute,...

Scorsese's Favorite Horror Flicks
 Scorsese's Favorite 
 Horror Flicks 
happy halloween

Scorsese's Favorite Horror Flicks

One of cinema's greats shares his favorite scary movies

(Newser) - Martin Scorsese wants to give you a Halloween treat: The legendary director, writing for the Daily Beast, lists his top 11 fright-fests.
  1. The Haunting: “You may not believe in ghosts but you cannot deny terror!”
  2. The Isle of the Dead: "There’s a moment in this
...

Unhappy Ending, Where Art Thou?
Unhappy Ending, Where Art Thou?

Unhappy Ending, Where Art Thou?

Newsweek critic laments Hollywood's love for the upbeat

(Newser) - Happy endings don't ensure box-office sales, but Hollywood still snubs sad or complex finales—even if they better fit the film, David Ansen writes in Newsweek. Filmgoers don't need movies to end on a smile: Take Titanic or The Third Man. But this year's summer fare, like Iron Man and...

Arthur C. Clarke Is Dead at 90
 Arthur C. Clarke Is Dead at 90 

Arthur C. Clarke Is Dead at 90

'2001' author shaped space-age thought

(Newser) - Arthur C. Clarke, the sci-fi author who helped shape 20th-century scientific imagination, is dead at 90, the New York Times reports. The co-creator of 2001: A Space Odyssey faced post-polio syndrome in recent decades and died at his home in Sri Lanka due to breathing trouble. “No one can...

Top 10 Oscars That Weren't
Top 10 Oscars That Weren't

Top 10 Oscars That Weren't

Film classics and actors the Academy overlooked

(Newser) - In the Academy Awards' 80-year history, many classic films, performers, and directors have been robbed of their statues. CNN's Screening Room names the 10 most crushing Oscars that weren't, many of which lost out to—gulp—musicals:
  • 1941: Seminal Citizen Kane loses to sappy How Green Was My Valley
  • 1956:
...

18 Stories