Stanley Kubrick Quotes

“I do not always know what I want, but I do know what I don't want.”
― Stanley Kubrick

“Suddenly, I viddied what I had to do, and what I had wanted to do, and that was to do myself in; to snuff it, to blast off for ever out of this wicked, cruel world. One moment of pain perhaps and, then, sleep forever, and ever and ever.”
― Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange

“The destruction of this planet would have no significance on a cosmic scale.”
― Stanley Kubrick

“The destruction of this universe would have no significance on a cosmic scale.”
― Stanley Kubrick

“[...] el cine se mueve en un nivel más cercano a la música y a la pintura que a la palabra escrita. Por eso, las películas ofrecen la oportunidad de explicar conceptos y abstracciones sin la tradicional dependencia de las palabras. En dos horas y cuarto , hay tan sólo cuarenta de diálogo [en 2001: una odisea del espacio] Stanley Kubrick
Entrevista al New York Times el 1 de abril de 1953”
― Paul Duncan, Stanley Kubrick. Sämtliche Filme

“As sure as I am that the reality of one night, let alone that of a whole lifetime, can ever be the whole truth.”
― Alice Harford

“2001’s production notes contain a number of startlingly prescient glimpses of the world we live in today. As of mid-1965, approximately the same time that the US Department of Defense was conceiving of the internet’s direct predecessor, ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), Kubrick’s intrepid band of futurists had seemingly already visualized important aspects of the new technology’s implications. One document sent from Tony Masters to Roger Caras on June 29 listed matter-of-factly—under a letterhead replete with the roaring MGM lion—nine props that he asked Caras to help him with. Number one was “2001 newspaper to be read on some kind of television screen. Should be designed television screen shape; i.e., wider than it is high.”
― Michael Benson, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece

“Minister: As I was saying, Alex, you can be instrumental in changing the public verdict. Do you understand, Alex? Have I made myself clear?

Alex: As an unmuddied lake, Fred. As clear as an azure sky of deepest summer. You can rely on me, Fred.”
― Stanley Kubrick screenplay Anthony Burgess novel

“It's not a remarkable note except for one thing. The typeface Tony used to print it is the exact typeface Kubrick used for the posters and title sequences of 'Eyes Wide Shut' and '2001'.
'It's Futura Extra Bold,' explains Tony. 'It was Stanley's favorite typeface. It's sans serif. He liked Helvetica and Univers too. Clean and elegant.'
'Is this the kind of thing you and Kubrick used to talk about?' I asked.
'God, yes,' says Tony. 'Sometimes late into the night. I was always trying to persuade him to turn away from them. But he was wedded to his sans serifs.”
― Jon Ronson, Lost At Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries

“Why does Kubrick always chill our blood, and make us huddled up scared stiff with eyes wide shut? Because even dead he's still "Shinnying" with his old hand and his eye-catching plots.”
― Ana Claudia Antunes, The Mysterious Murder of Marilyn Monroe

“Redrum by Stewart Stafford

A Winter's tale of horrors profound,
The haunted hotel's dark tapestry,
Supreme isolation's moonscape snowbound,
A father gripped by homicidal history.

He sought to write, heal, absolve sins,
Overlooked the hotel’s Redrum plans,
Vomiting up daymares of phantom twins,
His mind possessed by unseen hands.

Room Two Three Seven, malevolent,
Forbidden to enter its dark hole,
Where ageless ladies bathed decadent,
Luring caretakers to an adulterer's role.

His wife and son sensed the danger,
A bloody elevator with nowhere to run,
A father's warpath with axe and anger,
He became the monster, the devil's son.

It might horrify 42 ways from Sunday,
Only his shining son grasped the fact,
May as well be across the galaxy,
As in a labyrinth with that maniac.

He failed to kill, he froze, met his fate,
The hotel consumed his spirit as its own,
Purgatorial torture in damnation's bait,
He smiled in the photo, eternally alone.

© Stewart Stafford, 2023. All rights reserved.”
― Stewart Stafford

“People who deal with Stanley and don’t know him perhaps don’t understand that he was an alien.”
― Michael Benson, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece

“It being a good three decades before computer-generated imagery, detailed models would have to be constructed for all their exteriors.”
― Michael Benson, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece

“When you do a science fiction film, it’s very difficult to discipline yourself to stay within reason. There are no limits, and you can go berserk.”
― Michael Benson, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece

“Stan, I want you to know that I’m a very well-adjusted homosexual.”
“Yeah, I know,” responded Kubrick without missing a beat.”
― Michael Benson, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece

“What we want is a smashing theme of mythic grandeur.”
― Michael Benson, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece

“Forbes asked what kind of project he was thinking of doing next. Kubrick responded that he was looking into the possibility of doing a science fiction film.
“Oh, Stanley, for God’s sake!” Forbes exclaimed, turning. “Science fiction?”
― Michael Benson, Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece