Full Metal Jacket features what may be the most extreme example of the Kubrickian leering rictus. I'm referring to the famous scene in which pvt. Pyle (Vince D'Onofrio) shoots Hartman. His face is frozen in a mask-like psychotic leer of ecstasy. There are other examples in other films, some subtle, some not. On the subtle side we have Jerry the dance hall manager in Killer's Kiss, Sterling Hayden's clown mask in The Killing, Olivier's smoldering hate in Spartacus, Peter Sellars as Quilty in Lolita, Ripper in Dr Strangelove, and perhaps even HAL in 2001. Kubrick really ramps this tendency up with the opening shot of Alex in a Clockwork Orange and later in the film with Alex's cinematic doppelgänger, Mr Alexander, played in fantastically twitchy fashion by Pat McGee. The trend continues with Jack Nicholson in The Shining in practically every other scene. Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut seem to be exceptions, but that is perhaps because so many of the character in those films seem to be wearing masks (quite literally in Eyes Wide Shut, less so in Barry Lyndon were the masks are social ones). Paths of Glory, arguably Kubrick's most earnest movie, is comparatively leer-free.
No comments:
Post a Comment