DVD Review Filmworker: Stanley Kubrick's Unsung Assistant DVD Review (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

Josh Steinberg submitted a new blog post

Filmworker: Stanley Kubrick's Unsung Assistant DVD Review

Continue reading the Original Blog Post.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

This is absolutely essential viewing for all Kubrick fans. I’m truly delighted that I got to be the reviewer for this one.

Don’t let the fact that it’s DVD-only dissuade you from checking it out!

 

[PMF]

Not dissuaded by the DVD; but I am surprised there wasn't a BD, as well.
Yet, as Josh has often said, the greater good far outweighs the rest;
and newer insights of a genius filmmaker - in any format - will wait for nobody.

 

[English Invader]

Definitely very interested in this. Thought he was great in Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut and would love to hear more about his behind the scenes "assistant" role.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Definitely very interested in this. Thought he was great in Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut and would love to hear more about his behind the scenes "assistant" role.

Simon, in that case, I think you'll love this movie. It turns out in this case, "assistant" meant that he was assisting in pretty much all aspects of production. It was Vitali, for instance, who discovered Danny Lloyd for The Shining, and who also worked as R. Lee Ermey's acting coach on Full Metal Jacket. And it was Vitali who discovered the twin girls for The Shining (the script didn't specify that they be twins, but he saw those girls and they just looked perfect for the part). And lots of little and big things along the way.

I don't think this would be a dream job for many people, but for the few who would be interested in doing that kind of work, it sounds like the experience of a lifetime.

 

[Ushabye]

Director Tony Zierra spent years tracking down and interviewing people who worked on EYES WIDE SHUT for a documentary about Kubrick's final film to be entitled SK13. At the very end of the process he encountered Leon Vitali. So mesmerized by this man's amazing story devoting his life to Kubrick he created this documentary about the man himself. He's now begun the task of editing the years of EYES WIDE SHUT interviews into SK13, which we'll hopefully see in a year, or two.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I don't think they mention that in the film proper, but it is discussed during the Q&A bonus feature.

Eyes Wide Shut is one of my very favorite Kubrick films, so I am naturally looking forward to that documentary!

 

[Mikael Soderholm]

Finally saw this today, with Leon in the audience, two seats next to me, followed by an interview/Q&A with the man himslef, very interesting, and a great movie. What a life. He spent some time in Sweden in he late 70s/erly 80s, and married, and his ex-wife and two (grown) children were also present, both for the movie and the interview.
Really makes you wonder what makes a man tick.

 

[Bill McCamy]

I'd not heard of this movie until I watched it on Netflix earlier this week. Truly an amazing and revealing look at a life spent in the service of art and Stanley Kubrick.

 

[KeithDA]

Just watched the UK release of this DVD and found it a fascinating story.
Unfortunately our 'Dogwoof' released edition does not include the 'Q and A'......