Forgotten and misunderstood masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (9 March 1999)

Two days after Stanley Kubrick´s death, I try to recollect my memories of all his films and the first film that always pops up in my mind is Barry Lyndon, his most forgotten and misunderstood masterpiece. At first glance you might think of it as an ordinary historical film, scene after scene following each other, like a traditional TV-soap opera, but hidden behind the beautiful setting, clothing, surroundings and modest acting (the acting is actually brilliant), you find a critical and honest film about life itself, ambitions, weakness, betrayal and disasters. And is there any other film that is made like a historical 18th century painting? Visconti´s Il Gattopardi is the only equal film ever made. They both ask and give us the answers about the meaning of life in a true epic and funny way. Only masters like Stanley Kubrick are able to show us something like this.