The Film History of Stanley Kubrick Quiz

Answer: False

Actually, Douglas starred in the 1957 Kubrick-directed film 'Paths of Glory' three years before the release of 'Spartacus' in 1960. Both are among Kubrick's greatest works.

Answer: Lolita

The 1997 version of 'Lolita', based on the novel by Vladimir Nabokov, starred Jeremy Irons as Humbert Humbert and Dominique Swain As Dolores 'Lolita' Haze. The 1962 original by Kubrick featured James Mason as Humbert and Sue Lyon as the title character. I preferred the 1962 version...ahem!

Answer: True

'A Clockwork Orange' was one of only two films with an X-rating to be nominated for an Academy Award Oscar for Best Picture (the other was 'Midnight Cowboy'). Of course, an X-rating at the time didn't mean what it means now. At the time of the release of 'Clockwork', the X-rating meant no children under the age of 16 could view the film.

Answer: 'Spartacus' and Lew Wallace

The novel 'Spartacus' was authored by Howard Fast, while Dalton Trumbo, et al. wrote the screenplay. Stanley Kubrick wrote the screen play for the other three films mentioned in the question. Lew Wallace was the author of 'Ben Hur', the epic film directed by William Wyler (among others).

Answer: Full Metal Jacket

Gustav Hasford wrote the 1982 novel 'The Short Timers', while Michael Herr adapted the novel to film with Stanley Kubrick. Only the first two sections of the novel were included in the 'Full Metal Jacket' story, while Kubrick chose to discard the third, called 'Grunts'.

Answer: Dr. Strangelove

In the 1964 movie 'Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb' Peter Sellers pulled off one of the amazing feats in film history. He portrayed the straight-laced British Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, the somewhat incompetent President of the United States Merkin Muffley and the warped but brilliant Dr. Strangelove. Why he didn't receive an Oscar for this trio of performances I will never know!

Answer: Spartacus

While 'Spartacus' was based on a rebellion that occurred during the late Roman republican period in the first century B.C., 'Barry Lyndon' was based in 18th century Europe, 'Paths of Glory' in World War I and 'Full Metal Jacket' on the Vietnam era.

Answer: Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas starred in both the 1957 film 'Paths of Glory' and the 1960 film 'Spartacus'. Nicholson made his only Kubrick appearance in the 1980 film 'The Shining', while Cruise only appears in 1999's 'Eyes Wide Shut'. Matthew Modine partnered with Kubrick in the 1987 film 'Full Metal Jacket'.

Answer: The Shining

The 70-year old Crothers plays Dick Hallorann in 'The Shining'. He shares a connection with the young boy Danny, both having a form of extra-sensory perception. Apparently, Kubrick was quite demanding of the elderly Crothers (as he was with all his actors), requiring dozens of takes in certain scenes.

Answer: True

Of all of Kubrick's films, 'Eyes Wide Shut' evokes the most mixed feelings. Regardless of how one feels about the story, acting and gratuitous nudity, one cannot argue that the film, as with his other films, was beautifully shot. Apparently, Kubrick died just four days after delivering his final cut. Thank you for playing this quiz, I hope you enjoyed it and will try some of my other stuff.