Barry Lyndon

( 4 )

Overview

With ornate imagery reminiscent of paintings from the story's 18th century period, Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel depicts the rise and fall of a sensitive rogue in the British aristocracy. Young Irishman Redmond Barry Ryan O'Neal leaves home to seek his fortune after apparently killing an English officer in a duel. Through a series of mishaps and accidents, Barry winds up fighting with the Prussian army in the Seven Years' War under the command of Capt. Potzdorf Hardy Kruger; ...
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Overview

With ornate imagery reminiscent of paintings from the story's 18th century period, Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel depicts the rise and fall of a sensitive rogue in the British aristocracy. Young Irishman Redmond Barry Ryan O'Neal leaves home to seek his fortune after apparently killing an English officer in a duel. Through a series of mishaps and accidents, Barry winds up fighting with the Prussian army in the Seven Years' War under the command of Capt. Potzdorf Hardy Kruger; at war's end, Potzdorf enlists Barry to spy on a shady Chevalier Patrick Magee. Instead, Barry joins up with the Irish Chevalier to flee Prussia and live as gamblers among Europe's elite. Wishing to climb even higher, Barry soon meets the beautiful Lady Lyndon Marisa Berenson, marrying her for her fortune after her older titled husband dies. Her son Lord Bullingdon Leon Vitali, however, despises the upstart Barry, and, regardless of how his mother may feel, sees to it that the re-named Barry Lyndon will never be able to stake his claim to the entrenched aristocracy. Coming after Kubrick's esteemed hits 2001 1968 and A Clockwork Orange 1971, Barry Lyndon opened with high expectations and met with decidedly mixed responses to its restrained tone. Even with Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director and wins for Cinematography, Art Direction, Costumes, and Adapted Score, Barry Lyndon was a box office failure, as mid-'70s audiences increasingly turned away from such narrative challenges as its epic length and muffled emotions. Since then, Barry Lyndon has gained in stature, taking its place among the formidable artistic achievements of Kubrick's career.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Mark Deming
While not too well-regarded on its initial release, Barry Lyndon, like most of Stanley Kubrick's work, has stood the test of time as a dramatically compelling and visually stunning motion picture. Kubrick's retelling of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel has often been accused of moving too slowly for its own good, but if you allow yourself to slip into its admittedly deliberate rhythm, you'll discover an absorbing, complex, and dryly witty tale packed with sex, violence, gambling, war, family feuds, romantic betrayals, love, death, and all the other things that make historical dramas so much fun. Though no one has ever accused Ryan O'Neal or Marisa Berenson of being expressive actors, their limited emotional palettes work in their favor here; Kubrick structures the film so that the audience reads triumph and tragedy in the subtle emotional variations of his cast, allowing many of them to register onscreen as they never would otherwise. (And, in fairness to O'Neal, Barry Lyndon is doubtless this actor's strongest and most expertly modulated performance.) And no one has ever contested Barry Lyndon's visual splendor. Attempting to recreate both the aesthetic style of 18th century paintings and the physical look of the period, Kubrick, cinematographer John Alcott, and production designer Ken Adam used authentic antique props and costumes to brilliant effect, and they lit their scenes with only natural sunlight or candles, for a look that no other movie has ever touched. The result is a film of singular visual style and beauty, and one of the richest and most evocative period pieces ever made.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 8/23/2011
  • UPC: 883929209446
  • Original Release: 1975

    • Rating:

  • Source: Warner Home Video
  • Time: 3:04:00
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Sales rank: 9,949

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Ryan O'Neal Redmond Barry (Barry Lyndon)
Marisa Berenson Lady Lyndon
Patrick Magee The Chevalier
Hardy Kruger Capt. Potzdorf
Gay Hamilton Nora Brady
Leonard Rossiter Capt. Quin
Godfrey Quigley Capt. Grogan
Arthur O'Sullivan Highwayman
Diana Koerner German Girl
Steven Berkoff Lord Ludd
Marie Kean Mrs. Barry
Frank Middlemass Sir Charles Lyndon
Murray Melvin Reverend Runt
Philip Stone Graham
Leon Vitali Lord Bullingdon
Dominic Savage Lord Bullingdon as Child
David Morley Brian Lyndon
Andre Morell Lord Wendover
Michael Hordern Voice Only
John Bindon
Roger Booth
Billy Boyle
Jonathan Cecil
Peter Cellier
Geoffrey Chater
Anthony Dawes
Patrick Dawson
Bernard Hepton
Barry Jackson
Wolf Kahler
Patrick Laffan
Ferdinand "Ferdy" Mayne
Hans Meyer
Liam Redmond
Pat Roach
Frederick Schiller
George Sewell
John Sharp
Anthony Sharp
Roy Spencer
John Sullivan
Harry Towb
Leonard Rosenman Conductor
Technical Credits
Stanley Kubrick Director, Producer, Screenwriter
Ken Adam Production Designer
John Alcott Cinematographer
Alan Boyle Makeup
Ann Brodie Makeup
Milena Canonero Costumes/Costume Designer
Jill Carpenter Makeup
Brian Cook Asst. Director
Yvonne Coppard Makeup
Barbara Daly Makeup
Vernon Dixon Set Decoration/Design
Robin Gregory Sound/Sound Designer
Jan Harlan Executive Producer
Tony Lawson Editor
Leonard Rosenman Musical Arrangement
Bill Rowe Sound/Sound Designer
Ulla-Britt Soderlund Costumes/Costume Designer
Geraldine Stephenson Choreography
Michael Stevenson Asst. Director
David Tomblin Asst. Director
Roy Walker Art Director
Bernard Williams Associate Producer
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 4 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(2)

4 Star

(2)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

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1 Star

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Sort by: Showing all of 5 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Visual Masterpiece

    Stanley Kubrik's 1975 film on a low-born Irish upstart (Ryan O'Neil) who leaves his home after a family feud to pursue wealthy opportunities. Ryan O'Neil was not a great choice for the lead role. One can see that he's rather uncomfortable in playing a period piece: his accent sounding more and more American each step into the movie. The screenplay is well balanced and the story is well paced. As always, Kubrik's obssession with detail and stylized scenes bring out vivid images of 18th century Europe. Filmed in natural light, this narrative epic's brilliant direction and cinematography alone makes it a worthwhile viewing experience.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted September 1, 2012

    One of my all-time favorite movies. Yes, the pacing is very slow

    One of my all-time favorite movies. Yes, the pacing is very slow but that was the 18th century. The ponderous music sets the tone just right. Barry is the classic tragic hero who causes his own downfall, leaving destruction in his wake. Kubrik's movies always require at least 2 viewings.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    One Heck of a Beautiful Film

    This film once again displays Kubrick's excellent use of the environment to create a vivid visual experience. It is perhaps one of the most beautifully shot films I've ever seen. Aside from the scenery, the performances are upstanding and the story is witty. This film is another entry in a fabulous tradition of films that only a great director like Kubrick could have created.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Cinematic Wallpaper?

    Is how Harvard Lampoon regarded this when it first appeared. However, both Fellini and Scorcese regard this as a masterpiece. Who you gonna believe..? This holds up incredibly well. It makes all those Merchant Ivory films look positively limp. BL is subtle and funny, deeply upsetting and EXTREMELY beautiful. So Ryan was not a great choice for the lead, but he doesn't get in the way either. By the end of the first half you may be exhausted and not really care what happens, but keep watching as the downfall of Barry is chilling and exciting. There are some wrong notes(the epilogue is pointless)but this is a great film.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 23, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 5 Customer Reviews