Film making at its best
- Barry Lyndon review by CP Customer
In my opinion Barry Lyndon suffered from two unfortunate problems. Firstly it competed for attention with Jaws and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Secondly the film's title does not capture the audiences imagination. Shame.
Watching the film today (giving little thought to these two issues) is an eye opening treat. As a work of art it is truly remarkable and as an evocation of a long passed period of history it is without equal. The techniques employed by the director result in a film that feels like a documentary made in the 1770's! The attention to detail combined with the use of natural light results in the viewer having no problem suspending their disbelief and watching as if the events were being recorded as they happened. Quite astounding.
The story is not earth shaking but entertaining enough and trots along at a decent pace. The performances are excellent across the board and even Ryan O'Neal's Irish accent is passable.
For anybody remotely interested in 18th century life in Britain and the aristocracy in general this film is a must.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Barry Lyndon
- Barry Lyndon review by TD
Excellent overall. I can understand why it was not liked when first released,because I think that the main player was slightly miscast, but he grew on me.
The direction & cinematography were superb, with each shot like a painting.
A tragic tale,but worth watching to the end.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Brilliant 18th Century Drama
- Barry Lyndon review by CD
The scale and ambition of this drama is amazing. Superbly acted, amazing sets, music and filming, good plot and narration and a wonderful array of characters - a real gem of a film.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Brilliant, but also a slog.
- Barry Lyndon review by MN
Kubrick's directing here is faultless and with many interiors lit only by candlelight, the cinematography is exquisite. Every frame a painting. The humour is bone dry and perfectly observed. That said it is a rather exhaustive history of our protagonist and I was struggling by the end. Perhaps worth watching in two parts as there is an intermission!
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Costume Epic.
- Barry Lyndon review by Steve
Epic comedy-drama adapted from the satirical novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, published in 1844. It's a picaresque adventure story which follows Barry Lyndon from his beginnings as a nondescript ruffian in Ireland and via many escapades in the armed forces during the Seven Years War, to a propitious marriage with an English aristocrat. And his eventual downfall.
It's a long journey and Ryan O'Neal is on screen all the way, giving a numb, blank performance which matches the detached, tranquillised feel of the film. It is celebrated for the artistic set design and innovative photography which was inspired by contemporary painting. The score uses period classical pieces and folk songs.
So there is a powerful impression of Europe in the mid-to-late 18th Century. The story moves on sedately, offering familiar incidents like a highway robbery, the vogue for gambling, a couple of duels, and romance whether for love or advancement. There is a droll quality of comic irony which sustains the action most of the running time.
But going into the third hour, there grows a sensation that the narrative has wandered and we are just watching the splendid costumes and furniture. And when the tone darkens, even the roguish whimsy is gone. The disengaged performances are unable to come to the rescue and the script is flat. It's a critical landmark. But maybe not a crowdpleaser.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.