a misunderstood film in Kubrick's canon

Rating: Null/10 (23 April 2000)

BARRY LYNDON has been mistaken as a serious film, as is much of the work of Kubrick. What some people miss often in his work is the irony. THE SHINING is chockful of it(which I think is why S. King hates it) and so is this film, the one he made previously. I think what made me laugh the most in the film (aside from the purposefully drawn-out conclusion in the barn) was the narration. Alot of the time, this tale of times gone by and missed opportunities plays like the film START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME, a silly comedy, and the narration often counters what is being shown on-screen. I've read how Kubrick often tried to get out of using narration, for he did use it often, but this was not the case here. Lifting the narration would have made the film more realistic, but it would also take away form the veiwers comprehension and fun. It almost seems as if Kubrick had thought the story over for so long, that the tragedy had now become almost a comedy of errors. Not as wacky as LOVE AND DEATH, mind you, but much better that some of the hokier costume dramas of recent years. Needless to say, the film itself is gorgous, and the DVD transfer I have seen is well worth viewing.