Stanley Kubrickhas envisioned some of the most iconic shots in all of cinema, with certain moments of his impressive filmography being instantly recognizable as pop culture icons. Widely considered to be one of the singlegreatest movie directors of all time, Stanley Kubrick unleashed multiple critical masterpieces over the course of his career, becoming a household name thanks to his grandiose vision and meticulous execution. His 13 movies contain some of the greatest single shots in movie history.
The varied collection of Stanley Kubrick’s films manages to output some breathtaking shots in a few different ways. For the most part, the artistry with which Kubrick’s frames are composed and lit betrays Kubrick’s vast artistic genius. In other cases, the sheer technical skill with which Kubrick was able to capture dazzling imagery in ways that should’ve been impossible to move with a camera is worth commendation in its own right.
All 13 Stanley Kubrick Movies, Ranked Worst To Best
Stanley Kubrick was one of the most innovative and imaginative directors of all time, with almost every entry making waves in cinematic history.
10The Bathtub Shot
The Shining
One of the most famous adaptations of a Stephen King novel,The Shiningis a deeply chilling horror film that proves Kubrick’s cinematic mastery in all genres. ThoughKing himself took issue withThe Shining, Kubrick didn’t allow a sense of obligation to the source material to get in the way of what he thought was a more engaging narrative. The film follows the Torrance family as they take charge of the mysterious Overlook Hotel during the off-season, with patriarch Jack falling prey to his violent desires, as encouraged by the haunted location.
His ability to completely control every minute detail of what appears in frame in a given scene
Perhaps the most striking single shot in the entire film is the disturbing bathroom scene, in which Jack has an encounter with one of the hotel’s many phantoms. The sickly green color palette of the room lends itself to the tone, seeping paranoia into both Jack and the viewer as what exactly both are looking at becomes ominously clear.This shot in particular demonstrates Kubrick’s mastery of mise en scène,or his ability to completely control every minute detail of what appears in frame in a given scene.
9The War Room Table
Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
A unique blend of comedy, satire, and misery all blended together to form a powerful critique of military might,Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bombis one of Kubrick’s all-time greatest masterpieces. Shot in black-and-white, the film describes a rogue U.S. general who gives the order to drop the atomic bomb on Russia on his own authority, resulting in a frightening mission to stop the explosion before World War III can begin. The film is laden with scenes of exasperated world leaders struggling over what to do.
The best of these scenes begins with an arresting overhead shot ofa massive circular table in the so-called “war room”,which the various generals and politicians use to plan their next move. Kubrick intended for this angle to evoke the idea of poker players huddled around a game table. While the film wasn’t shot in color, the actual surface of the table on-set was green, further playing into the idea that, to the world’s leaders, matters of war are simple games of chance.
8The Newborn Baby Looking At Earth
2001: A Space Odyssey
For so many reasons,2001: A Space Odysseyis considered Kubrick’s best film, thanks in no small part to the sheer beauty of its visual construction. An esoteric and far-out journey through space, the film tells the story of an astronaut on a mission to find a mysterious obelisk, which turns out to be responsible for important stages in human evolution. The spacefaring traveler Dave enters the next stage of this journey when he ascends to a higher plane of being, coming back to Earth as a massive, celestial baby.
The ending shot of2001: A Space Odysseysees Dave’s new form, larger than the Earth itself, gazing upon his home planet.The visual is both beautiful and terrifying, with foreboding implications for humanity’s new futurefollowing Dave’s journey through the cosmos. While the meaning of this ending can be endlessly debated, there’s no questioning the brilliance with which Kubrick was able to conjure such striking imagery.
7The Final March
Full Metal Jacket
Full Metal Jacketis usually better remembered for its first half, with Private Pyle’s descent into madness at the hands of R. Lee Ermey’s incredibly-portrayed abusive drill Sergeant being the highlight of the film. But once the troops actually deploy,Full Metal Jacketis able to truly unleash Kubrick’s sharp eye for cinematography on the hellish landscape of the Vietnam War. The film ends on a bleak note, as protagonist Sergeant Joker marches back to camp with his squad while singing theMickey Mouse March.
There’s a macabre comedy to the soldiers' high-pitched Mickey Mouse impressions while strolling amid the burning jungles of Vietnam, but the shot itself is also a feast for the eyes. Vivid oranges and deep blacks dominate the screen as a narration of Joker’s thoughts assumes command, surrendering his mind to his loathsome fate in the violent war. Kubrick’s skill is unparalleled as he keeps even with the soldiers in the uncomfortably-long tracking shot,masterfully blending technical prowess and artistic taste.
6The Trench Tracking Shot
Paths of Glory
The ending ofFull Metal Jacketis far from the extent of Kubrick’s capabilities when it came to elaborate single-take shots. EnterPaths of Glory,one of the lesser-known ofKubrick’s many war films, but far from the least important. The movie follows a colonel in the throes of World War I, who takes it upon himself to defend a regiment of soldiers accused of cowardice.
The film’s most dramatic shot comes in the elaborate tracking sequence that follows Colonel Dax on a journey through a hectic, war-torn trench. Bombs explode and bullets fly as Dax wades through the carnage, making for one of the most elaborate and impressive single shots in Kubrick’s entire career. It’s a rare kind of technical mastery that goes intoshots like the trench sequence ofPaths of Glorythat proves Kubrick’s lauded reputation.
5The Spinning Spaceship Interior
The majesty of the closing image is far from the only impressive shot in2001: A Space Odyssey.Outside of the artistic beauty of Kubrick’s special effects work, the film also manages to achieve some unparalleled technical shots that show off the director’s practical side. One stand-out moment in this regard is the dizzying introductory shot detailing the inside of Dave’s space station, rotating to generate itsown artificial gravity in a scientifically accurate manner.
2001: A Space Odysseyconvinced many conspiracy theorists that Kubrick had a hand in supposedly faking the moon landing
To create this sequence, the crew of2001: A Space Odysseyactually constructed a massive moving rig, with actors walking inside as the whole thing rotated to give the impression of a spinning room. The brilliance of such a technique goes a long way to selling the science fiction world as rooted in reality. With shots like this, it’s no wonder that2001: A Space Odysseyconvinced many conspiracy theorists that Kubrick had a hand in supposedly faking the moon landing.
4The Droogs Arrive Under The Overpass
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orangeis one of Kubrick’s most controversial and disturbing films ever, which is saying something considering his track record before and since. Followingthe sadistic Alex and his gang of “droogs"as they commit all kinds of heinous crimes in the name of sick entertainment, the movie includes many beautifully rendered scenes which are nevertheless difficult to watch. Among these, the sequence in which Alex and the droogs come across a homeless drunkard beneath an overpass is one of the most visually striking.
Despite just being bored teenagers in silly outfits, the droogs look menacing as ever with the searing blue light of the street behind them casting long shadows across the sparse industrial environment. Their looming frames are an omen of the violence to come as they descend upon the helpless old man, instantly setting the tone of the scene without saying a word. To this day,this shot in particular has been poured over by gaffersin the film industry hoping to glean some of Kubrick’s skill with dynamic lighting.
3The Prisoners Exercise
The first, chaotic, violent storm ofA Clockwork Orangeisn’t where its arresting visuals end. As the film progresses, Alex is eventually caught and institutionalized, put through a grueling process of ironing out his villainous nature in order to become a compliant, productive member of society. One of the earliest parts of this journey is his stint in a dreary prison, which Kubrick illustrates brilliantly in the shot where Alex and his fellow inmates pace in a tight circle in a claustrophobic yard for exercise.
Once again, Kubrick’s choice of muted colors helps quickly sell the tone of Alex’s new pitiful existence. Amazingly, this scene is actually a reference to a famous Vincent van Gogh painting,Prisoners Exercising,which portrays a similarly bleak scene of interned men being exercised by slowly shuffling in a small circle, though Kubrick’s prisoners march in the opposite direction. The shot is also much more drained of color compared to Van Gogh’s original work, stressing the despair in this stage of Alex’s rehabilitation.
2Bill Harford Staggers Around New York
Eyes Wide Shut
Kubrick’s last and most critically-divisive picture,Eyes Wide Shutis in an utterly unique place among his revered filmography both tonally and visually. The film stars Tom Cruise as Bill Harford, a doctor in New York City who goes to great lengths to appease his wife during a rocky period of his marriage. During his exploits, he becomes aware of a shadowy sexual organization run by powerful people, using anonymity to live out their wildest fantasies.
For as far-out as the plot ofEyes Wide Shutgets, one of its most beautiful shots is one of Bill Harford simply wandering around New York City. The vibrant neon signs and inky black alleyways come and go as Tom Cruise staggers across Manhattan’s seedy underbelly. Colorful, tone-setting, and hazy, this shot would feel right at home in aDavid Lynch movie, butis comfortably nestled within the bizarre drama that marked the end of Kubrick’s career.
1Major Kong Rides The Bomb
Occasionally, Kubrick was able to craft shots so relentlessly iconic that they became recognizable even to those who never saw the films they were from in the first place. The paramount example of such might be Major Kong’s final ride on the bomb inDr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Ordered to unleash the atomic bomb, a mechanical malfunction requires the steadfast Major Kong to make the ultimate sacrifice, manually triggering the bomb’s exit from his plane’s bay.
On the way down, Kong at least tries to have fun with his impending doom, whooping and hollering as he waves his signature cowboy hat back-and-forth while riding the weapon like a mechanical bull. It’s one thing to craft an amazing shot due to technical skill or artistic integrity, but the sheer concept of Major Kong riding the atomic bomb like a bronco down to his demise is worthy of commendation in and of itself. This shot just might be the most iconic ofKubrick’s entire collection.
