Masterpiece

Rating: Null/10 (27 December 2002)

An elegant and well-crafted masterpiece form the undisputed king of wit and humanity, Stanley Kubrick.
Remarkably, in less than 3 hours (!!), Mr Kubrick presents with great subtlety the compelling message that descent into madness is possible if one is to marry an unattractive, third rate actress and spend the Winter with her in a snow-bound hotel. Really, quite brilliant.
Other fine touches include the repeated scenes of blood pouring out of elevator doors. While some reviewers have apparently interpreted this symbollism as a clever device to warn audiences of the risks involved in standing too close to elevators full of blood, it seems more likely to me to be Mr Kubrick's highly original way of satirising the sort of crassness and pretentiousness which prevail in movies other his own. Masterful!
All in all, this movie is an inspired tour-de-force, replete with depth, meaning and intrigue. I happily grant it a full 10 out of 10!