Career Timeline of Stanley Kubrick: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Stanley Kubrick built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Stanley Kubrick was a highly influential American filmmaker renowned for his meticulous approach to filmmaking. His projects, often adaptations of novels, were notable for their technical innovation, particularly in cinematography and set design, and his penchant for dark humor. Regarded as one of cinema's greatest artists, Kubrick's diverse filmography covers various genres, all distinguished by his unique visual style and thematic depth.
13 hours ago : Kubrick's influence: Nicholson's impact and Tarantino's debt to a heist classic.
Stanley Kubrick's work significantly impacted cinema. Jack Nicholson's performance affected Kubrick. Quentin Tarantino revealed that Kubrick's heist film inspired his debut, Reservoir Dogs, shaping his directorial style and career.
1926: Publication of Traumnovelle
In 1926, Arthur Schnitzler's Freudian novella "Traumnovelle" (Dream Story) was published. Stanley Kubrick based his film "Eyes Wide Shut" on this novella.
1927: Kubrick Found Gance's Napoleon Film Terrible
Around 2001, Stanley Kubrick tried to see every film about Napoleon. Kubrick found Abel Gance's 1927 film, which is generally considered to be a masterpiece, a "really terrible" movie.
June 26, 1945: Kubrick's Photos Published in Look Magazine
On June 26, 1945, Look magazine published a photographic series by Stanley Kubrick. This marked an early achievement in his photography career.
April 16, 1946: Publication of "A Short Story from a Movie Balcony"
On April 16, 1946, Look magazine published Stanley Kubrick's "A Short Story from a Movie Balcony," which staged a fight between a man and a woman.
1948: Clarke's Short Story
In 1948, Arthur C. Clarke wrote the short story "The Sentinel", which would later form the basis for 2001: A Space Odyssey, a film he collaborated on with Stanley Kubrick.
1948: Assignments in Portugal and Florida
In 1948, Stanley Kubrick was sent to Portugal to document a travel piece and later covered the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Sarasota, Florida for Look magazine.
January 18, 1949: Publication of 'Prizefighter'
On January 18, 1949, Look magazine published Stanley Kubrick's photo essay 'Prizefighter', which captured a boxing match featuring Walter Cartier.
April 2, 1949: Publication of 'Chicago-City of Extremes'
On April 2, 1949, Look magazine published Stanley Kubrick's photo essay 'Chicago-City of Extremes', showcasing his early talent for creating atmosphere with imagery.
July 1950: Publication of 'Working Debutante – Betsy von Furstenberg'
In July 1950, Look magazine published Stanley Kubrick's photo essay, 'Working Debutante – Betsy von Furstenberg', which included a Pablo Picasso portrait in the background.
1951: Making of 'Flying Padre'
In 1951, Stanley Kubrick began making 'Flying Padre', a short film documenting Reverend Fred Stadtmueller's travels. The film was originally going to be called "Sky Pilot".
1952: Ophüls' "Le Plaisir" named as favorite film.
In 1952, Stanley Kubrick named Max Ophüls' film "Le Plaisir" as his favorite film. Kubrick was influenced by Ophüls' tracking and fluid camera styles and used them in many of his films.
June 1953: Shooting of The Seafarers
In June 1953, Kubrick shot his first color film, The Seafarers, for the Seafarers International Union. The film focused on the logistics of the union and the amenities of seafaring, with Kubrick using a dolly shot in the cafeteria scene, which would later become his signature technique.
1953: Production of Fear and Desire
In 1953, Kubrick began making his first feature film, Fear and Desire, originally titled The Trap, after raising $1000 and receiving a $9000 investment from his uncle. The film, shot in the San Gabriel Mountains, is about soldiers behind enemy lines after a plane crash, with a scene noted for rapid close-ups.
1955: Production of Killer's Kiss
In 1955, Kubrick began working on Killer's Kiss, originally titled Kiss Me, Kill Me. The film is a film noir about a young boxer and a woman abused by her boss. Kubrick explored unconventional angles and imagery during filming, drawing inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock's Blackmail (1929).
1955: Formation of Harris-Kubrick Pictures Corporation
In 1955, Kubrick met James B. Harris and they formed the Harris-Kubrick Pictures Corporation. Harris purchased the rights to Lionel White's novel Clean Break for $10,000. Jim Thompson was hired to write the dialog for the film, which became The Killing (1956).
1956: Ruth Sobotka is art director for "The Killing".
In 1956, Ruth Sobotka, Stanley Kubrick's wife at the time, was the art director for his film The Killing.
1956: Release of 'The Killing'
In 1956, Stanley Kubrick made his first major Hollywood film, 'The Killing', for United Artists. This marked a significant step in his career.
March 1957: Filming of Paths of Glory
In March 1957, filming for Paths of Glory began in Munich. Kubrick meticulously lined up cameras for the battle scene, capturing specific fields, and operated an Arriflex camera, zooming in on Kirk Douglas. The film became Kubrick's first significant commercial success.
October 1957: Optioning of I Stole $16,000,000
In October 1957, after Paths of Glory premiered, Bryna Productions optioned Herbert Emerson Wilsons's autobiography, I Stole $16,000,000, for Kubrick and Harris to produce as part of their co-production deal, where Kubrick was to write and direct and Harris to co-produce.
November 1957: Gavin Lambert signed as story editor
In November 1957, Gavin Lambert was signed as story editor for I Stole $16,000,000, and with Kubrick, finished a script titled God Fearing Man, but the picture was never filmed.
1957: Offer from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
In 1957, Dore Schary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) was impressed with The Killing. Schary offered Kubrick and Harris $75,000 to write, direct, and produce a film, which ultimately became Paths of Glory.
1957: Release of 'Paths of Glory'
In 1957, Kubrick collaborated with Kirk Douglas on the anti-war film 'Paths of Glory'.
February 1959: Kubrick asked to direct Spartacus
In February 1959, Kirk Douglas asked Kubrick to direct Spartacus (1960). Kubrick was hired for $150,000 to replace director Anthony Mann. The film starred Douglas, who also produced it, and Laurence Olivier.
October 1960: Filming of Lolita begins
In October 1960, Kubrick began shooting Lolita at Elstree Studios. The filming went on for 88 days.
1960: Release of 'Spartacus'
In 1960, Kubrick collaborated with Kirk Douglas again on the historical epic film 'Spartacus'.
1960: Kubrick explains the meaning of his films.
In 1960, Kubrick explained in an interview with Robert Emmett Ginna that he was careful not to present his own views of the meaning of his films and to leave them open to interpretation.
March 1961: Filming of Lolita ends
In March 1961, Kubrick wrapped up the filming of Lolita at Elstree Studios. The filming went on for 88 days and Kubrick often clashed with Shelley Winters.
1961: Release of One-Eyed Jacks
In 1961, One-Eyed Jacks was released. Though Kubrick worked on a script with Marlon Brando for six months based on Charles Neider's The Authentic Death of Hendry Jones, he ultimately distanced himself from the project, which Brando directed.
1961: Kubrick Drafted Napoleon Screenplay
In 1961, Stanley Kubrick drafted a screenplay for a "grandiose" epic film about Napoleon, planning to use up to 40,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry.
1961: Kubrick Moves to England
In 1961, Stanley Kubrick left the United States due to concerns about crime and creative differences with Hollywood studios, settling in England.
December 28, 1962: Terry Southern's Involvement Ends
On December 28, 1962, Terry Southern concluded his brief but impactful involvement in rewriting the script for Dr. Strangelove. This led to a dispute with Peter George, the novel's author, over credit for the film's writing.
1962: Release of Lolita
In 1962, Lolita, Kubrick's first attempt at black comedy and an adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's novel, was released. Kubrick shot Lolita in England to take advantage of the Eady plan. Kubrick was impressed by the range of actor Peter Sellers and gave him one of his first opportunities to improvise wildly during shooting.
April 1963: Dr. Strangelove Filming Concludes
In April 1963, Stanley Kubrick completed filming Dr. Strangelove after a 15-week shoot. He then spent eight months editing the film. Peter Sellers played three roles in this film.
1963: Kubrick lists "I Vitelloni" as his favorite film.
In 1963, when asked by the magazine Cinema to name his favorite films, Kubrick listed Federico Fellini's "I Vitelloni" as number one in his Top 10 list.
April 1964: Kubrick Meets Arthur C. Clarke
In April 1964, Stanley Kubrick met with Arthur C. Clarke in New York City, leading to a collaboration on the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey, based on Clarke's short story "The Sentinel".
1964: Release of Dr. Strangelove
In 1964, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, another satirical black comedy, was released. Kubrick became preoccupied with the issue of nuclear war as the Cold War unfolded in the 1950s.
1964: Weegee as Special Stills Photographer
In 1964, Stanley Kubrick hired Weegee (Arthur Fellig) as the special stills photographer for 'Dr. Strangelove'.
December 29, 1965: Filming of Monolith Excavation Begins
On December 29, 1965, filming began for the excavation of the monolith on the moon for 2001: A Space Odyssey. This marked a key stage in the production of the film.
1965: Kubrick Buys Abbots Mead
In 1965, Stanley Kubrick bought Abbots Mead on Barnet Lane, located south-west of the Elstree/Borehamwood studio complex in England. He worked almost exclusively from this home for 14 years, managing all aspects of four of his films from this location.
1966: Kubrick uses video assist during filming.
In 1966, Kubrick was among the first directors to use video assist during filming, considered cutting-edge technology at the time, requiring him to build his own system.
1966: Kubrick Expresses Desire to Make a Horror Film
In 1966, Stanley Kubrick expressed his long-held desire to create the world's scariest movie, involving episodes that would play upon the audience's nightmare fears.
1968: Kubrick notices Wendy Carlos' album "Switched-On Bach".
In 1968, Kubrick noticed composer Wendy Carlos' album Switched-On Bach—which re-interpreted baroque music through the use of a Moog synthesizer.
1968: Lindsay Anderson's if....
Malcolm McDowell's role in Lindsay Anderson's if.... (1968) was crucial to his casting as Alex in A Clockwork Orange, and Kubrick professed that he probably would not have made the film if McDowell had been unavailable.
1969: Kubrick Settles on A Clockwork Orange
At the end of 1969, Stanley Kubrick decided to film A Clockwork Orange (1971), exploring themes of violence and experimental rehabilitation. This decision reflected contemporary concerns about youth degeneration.
1969: MGM Cancels Kubrick's Napoleon Project
In 1969, well into preproduction, MGM canceled Stanley Kubrick's film about Napoleon. Jack Nicholson had been cast as Napoleon.
1970: Poor Reception of the Soviet Film Waterloo
In 1970, the poor reception of the Soviet film "Waterloo", a film about Napoleon, was one of the reasons cited for the abandonment of Stanley Kubrick's Napoleon project.
1970: Shooting of A Clockwork Orange
The film A Clockwork Orange was shot over 1970. A Clockwork Orange (1971) is an exploration of violence and experimental rehabilitation by law enforcement authorities, based around the character of Alex (portrayed by Malcolm McDowell).
1971: Release and Controversy of 'A Clockwork Orange'
In 1971, Stanley Kubrick's film 'A Clockwork Orange' was released, generating controversy and mixed reviews. Kubrick later withdrew it from circulation in the UK.
1971: Carlos composes music for "A Clockwork Orange".
In 1971, Wendy Carlos composed and recorded music for the soundtrack of Kubrick's film A Clockwork Orange.
1972: Warner Bros. Investment in Barry Lyndon
In 1972, John Calley of Warner Bros. agreed to invest $2.5 million into Barry Lyndon, contingent on Kubrick casting major Hollywood stars.
1973: Kubrick Turns Down "The Exorcist"
In 1973, Stanley Kubrick turned down the opportunity to direct "The Exorcist". Despite his desire to create the world's scariest movie, he declined directing this horror film.
1973: Filming Begins for Barry Lyndon
In the autumn of 1973, filming began on location in Ireland for Barry Lyndon, with a large cast and crew. The decision to film in Ireland was due to the abundance of 18th-century buildings.
1975: Kubrick on the essence of dramatic form.
In a 1975 Time magazine interview, Kubrick stated: "The essence of a dramatic form is to let an idea come over people without it being plainly stated. When you say something directly, it is simply not as potent as it is when you allow people to discover it for themselves."
1976: Kubrick uses Steadicam in "The Shining".
In 1976, Kubrick was among the first directors to use the Steadicam in "The Shining". Kubrick described Steadicam as being like a "magic carpet", allowing "fast, flowing, camera movements" in the maze in The Shining which otherwise would have been impossible.
1977: Kubrick Turns Down "Exorcist II: The Heretic"
In 1977, Stanley Kubrick declined directing "Exorcist II: The Heretic". This was despite once expressing interest in making the scariest movie.
1978: Home at Childwickbury Manor
In 1978, Stanley Kubrick made his home at Childwickbury Manor with his wife Christiane, which became his workplace for managing film productions.
1978: Kubrick Moves to Childwickbury Manor
In 1978, Stanley Kubrick moved into Childwickbury Manor in Hertfordshire, about 30 miles north of London. This 18th-century stately home became a workplace for him and his wife, with stables converted into production rooms.
1979: Herr writes narration for Apocalypse Now
In 1979, Michael Herr wrote Martin Sheen's narration for Apocalypse Now.
May 23, 1980: Kubrick Orders Scene Deletion from "The Shining"
On May 23, 1980, five days after its release, Stanley Kubrick ordered the deletion of a final scene from "The Shining", featuring the hotel manager Ullman visiting Wendy in the hospital, deeming it unnecessary due to the audience's excitement at the climax.
1980: "The Shining" Release
In 1980, "The Shining", directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, was released. The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name.
1980: Kubrick collaborates with Carlos on "The Shining".
In 1980, Kubrick collaborated with Wendy Carlos on The Shining. The opening of the film employs Carlos' rendering of "Dies Irae" (Day of Wrath) from Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.
1980: Kubrick Meets Michael Herr
In 1980, Stanley Kubrick met author Michael Herr, through mutual friend David Cornwell, and became interested in Herr's book "Dispatches", about the Vietnam War. Herr had also written Martin Sheen's narration for Apocalypse Now.
1980: Release of 'The Shining'
In 1980, Stanley Kubrick released the horror film 'The Shining', becoming one of the first directors to use a Steadicam for stabilized tracking shots.
August 1985: Filming of Full Metal Jacket Begins
In August 1985, Stanley Kubrick started shooting "Full Metal Jacket". The film was shot within a 30-mile radius of his house.
September 1986: Filming of Full Metal Jacket Concludes
In September 1986, Stanley Kubrick concluded shooting "Full Metal Jacket". The film was shot within a 30-mile radius of his house.
June 1987: "Full Metal Jacket" Opens Strong
In June 1987, "Full Metal Jacket" opened strongly, taking over $30 million in the first 50 days. The film was overshadowed critically by Oliver Stone's "Platoon", which was released a year earlier.
1987: Full Metal Jacket Released
In 1987, "Full Metal Jacket", directed by Stanley Kubrick, was released. The film was based on Gustav Hasford's Vietnam War novel "The Short-Timers".
1987: Kubrick discusses his reputation for excessive takes.
In 1987, Kubrick addressed his reputation for excessive takes in an interview with Rolling Stone, stating it was exaggerated but often due to actors being unprepared with their dialogue.
1987: Release of 'Full Metal Jacket'
In 1987, Stanley Kubrick released 'Full Metal Jacket', a Vietnam War film that utilized Steadicam technology for fluid tracking shots.
1993: Release of Schindler's List
In 1993, Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List" was released. Kubrick's unfinished Aryan Papers was a factor in the abandonment of his project about a Nazi officer who used the pen name "Dr. Jazz" to write reviews of German music scenes during the Nazi era, as Schindler's List covered much of the same material.
1995: Kubrick Approaches Spielberg with "A.I." Script
In 1995, Stanley Kubrick approached Steven Spielberg with the "A.I." script, suggesting that Spielberg direct it with Kubrick producing. They held long telephone discussions about the film.
July 16, 1999: Planned Release Date for Eyes Wide Shut
July 16, 1999 was the planned release date for Stanley Kubrick's final film, "Eyes Wide Shut", starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
1999: Death of Kubrick and Release of 'Eyes Wide Shut'
In 1999, Stanley Kubrick died at the age of 70, a few days after hosting a screening for his family and the stars of his final film, the erotic drama 'Eyes Wide Shut'.
2001: Kubrick After Completing 2001: A Space Odyssey
After completing 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kubrick searched for a project that he could film quickly on a more modest budget. He settled on A Clockwork Orange (1971) at the end of 1969, an exploration of violence and experimental rehabilitation by law enforcement authorities, based around the character of Alex (portrayed by Malcolm McDowell).
2001: Video assist used during the filming of 2001.
In 2001, Kubrick had video assist in place during the filming of the movie, and was able to view a video of a take immediately after it was filmed.
2001: Ligeti's music in "2001".
In 2001, Kubrick included music by Hungarian composer György Ligeti in his film, introducing the composer to a broad Western audience. The music in 2001 was "at the forefront of Kubrick's mind" when he conceived the film.
2001: Kubrick and Spielberg Collaborate on A.I. Artificial Intelligence
In 2001, Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg previously collaborated on "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" after Kubrick's death.
2001: Kubrick wins Oscar for Special Effects in "2001".
In 2001, Stanley Kubrick used special effects, including slit-scan photography and front-screen projection, and won his only Oscar for special effects in the film.
2001: Kubrick influenced by Max Ophüls style.
In 2001, Walker noted that Kubrick was influenced by the tracking and fluid camera styles of director Max Ophüls, and used them in many of his films, including Paths of Glory and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick noted how in Ophüls' films "the camera went through every wall and every floor".
March 2013: Spielberg Announces Napoleon TV Miniseries
In March 2013, Steven Spielberg announced that he would be developing Napoleon as a TV miniseries based on Stanley Kubrick's original screenplay.
2013: Frewin Reveals Kubrick's Interest in Nazis
In 2013, in an Atlantic article, Tony Frewin, an assistant who worked with Stanley Kubrick, revealed that Kubrick was limitlessly interested in anything to do with Nazis and desperately wanted to make a film on the subject.
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