Discovering Kubrick's Symbolism

Bringing to light the long-shrouded symbolism and startling spiritual depth that renowned director Stanley Kubrick packed into every detail of his iconic films, this book excavates the subtle ways that Kubrick calls attention to universal truths and shocking realities still pervading our society. This book cites the master director's use of encoded graphic symbols, signifying light effects, doppelgangers, esoteric color-coding, and framing techniques that communicate Kubrick's underlying topics. Beginning with an exploration of the inspirational themes of his classic science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey, including the multilayered meaning of the Monolith, this book then traces how those themes and symbols are encoded in the films that followed during the director's impressive career. It reveals the oblique methods Kubrick used to underscore a wide range of humanitarian alarms covered in films as diverse as A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut, and the surprising links these films have to one another. Kubrick's early films such as Lolita, Spartacus, Dr. Strangelove, and Paths of Glory are also explored.