Fonds GB 3184 SK - Stanley Kubrick Archive

Identity area

Reference code

GB 3184 SK

Title

Stanley Kubrick Archive

Date(s)

  • c1945-2002 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

853 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Stanley Kubrick was born in New York City in 1928. At the age of 16 Kubrick took a photograph of a newsvendor the day after President Roosevelt died. Look magazine printed the photo and hired him as a freelance photographer, he worked on over 300 jobs. After creating a boxing photo essay for Look, he used his savings to make his first short film 'Day of the Fight' in 1950, a 16-minute documentary. Two other shorts and thirteen feature films followed. Compared to many directors Kubrick did not produce many films. However, he successfully spanned a plethora of genres from science fiction to costume drama.

Kubrick's influence on film is manifested in numerous ways, from lighting to special effects to film content to music. For example, his pioneering use of long takes, first used in Lolita using a high Average Shot Length, have inspired cinematographers since, as seen in the opening shot of 1997's Boogie Nights. Kubrick had a high level of artistic control and kept many items and papers relating to his film making. At the completion of a project Kubrick would box up items relating to it and store them.

Kubrick's influence goes beyond that of the film world to popular culture. The content of his films have been responsible for sparking public debate and discourse for example, Clockwork Orange (1971) is a dystopia featuring violence and sexual content that provoked debate on the nature of society and the portrayal of violence on screen.

Kubrick had an unprecedented level of control over his films and was interested in every aspect of the film making process. Therefore, his collection can inspire not only film makers but costume designers, advertisers, graphic artists and photographers to name but a few.
Kubrick and his family moved to England in 1969, where he lived until his death in 1999.

Stanley Kubrick: Filmography:

1953 'Fear and Desire' (not on general release)

1955 'Killer's Kiss'

1956 'The Killing'

1957 'Paths of Glory'

1960 'Spartacus'

1962 'Lolita'

1964 'Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'

1968 '2001: A Space Odyssey'

1971 'A Clockwork Orange'

1975 'Barry Lyndon'

1980 'The Shining'

1987 'Full Metal Jacket'

1999 'Eyes Wide Shut'

Kubrick planned to make two further films, 'Napoleon' and 'The Aryan Papers' (a holocaust film), but these were not made. He also played an important role in the conception of 'AI: Artificial Intelligence', which was made after his death by Steven Spielberg.

Archival history

GB 3184 SK c1945-2002 Fonds 853 linear metres Kubrick , Stanley , 1928-1999 , film director

Stanley Kubrick was born in New York City in 1928. At the age of 16 Kubrick took a photograph of a newsvendor the day after President Roosevelt died. Look magazine printed the photo and hired him as a freelance photographer, he worked on over 300 jobs. After creating a boxing photo essay for Look, he used his savings to make his first short film 'Day of the Fight' in 1950, a 16-minute documentary. Two other shorts and thirteen feature films followed. Compared to many directors Kubrick did not produce many films. However, he successfully spanned a plethora of genres from science fiction to costume drama.

Kubrick's influence on film is manifested in numerous ways, from lighting to special effects to film content to music. For example, his pioneering use of long takes, first used in Lolita using a high Average Shot Length, have inspired cinematographers since, as seen in the opening shot of 1997's Boogie Nights. Kubrick had a high level of artistic control and kept many items and papers relating to his film making. At the completion of a project Kubrick would box up items relating to it and store them.

Kubrick's influence goes beyond that of the film world to popular culture. The content of his films have been responsible for sparking public debate and discourse for example, Clockwork Orange (1971) is a dystopia featuring violence and sexual content that provoked debate on the nature of society and the portrayal of violence on screen.

Kubrick had an unprecedented level of control over his films and was interested in every aspect of the film making process. Therefore, his collection can inspire not only film makers but costume designers, advertisers, graphic artists and photographers to name but a few.
Kubrick and his family moved to England in 1969, where he lived until his death in 1999.

Stanley Kubrick: Filmography:

1953 'Fear and Desire' (not on general release)

1955 'Killer's Kiss'

1956 'The Killing'

1957 'Paths of Glory'

1960 'Spartacus'

1962 'Lolita'

1964 'Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'

1968 '2001: A Space Odyssey'

1971 'A Clockwork Orange'

1975 'Barry Lyndon'

1980 'The Shining'

1987 'Full Metal Jacket'

1999 'Eyes Wide Shut'

Kubrick planned to make two further films, 'Napoleon' and 'The Aryan Papers' (a holocaust film), but these were not made. He also played an important role in the conception of 'AI: Artificial Intelligence', which was made after his death by Steven Spielberg.

The collection was accumulated by Kubrick and held at his home until its transferral to the University of the Arts London in Mar 2007. It has been open to the public since Oct 2007.

The collection spans Kubrick's entire career from his time as a photographer in the 1940s and early 1950s until his last film in 1999 (Eyes Wide Shut). Kubrick died during the editing of Eyes Wide Shut and some items relating to the release/finished version were added by his staff. They have been included because they were held with the main collection, at the creator's home, following the pattern of what he kept and were deposited with the Archive.

The collection covers the film making process from pre until post production and includes: production paperwork [including pre and post production]; letters; props; costumes; publicity materials, both finished posters etc and drafts; production photographs. stills and slides; research paperwork and photographs; plans etc for how to film scenes; books; audiovisuals; drawings and artwork; equipment and press cuttings.

Further items will be received, currently much of the Napoleon material is being worked on elsewhere and many items are forming part of a touring exhibition.

The Archive has been arranged chronologically by film with series for personal and business papers, Look magazine work, documentaries about Kubrick and documentaries by Kubrick.

Open. The Archives and Special Collections Centre is open Tue-Fri 1-5. Please contact us if these times do not suit. It is advisable to make an appointment.

Copying of items is at the discretion of staff.

English

The collection is currently being catalogued.

The Stanley Kubrick Archives, ed Alison Castle (Taschen, 2005). This book was put together using items from the Archive and includes essays on Kubrick.

Description compiled by Karyn Stuckey, Archivist, University of the Arts London. Imported onto AIM25 by Sarah Drewery.

General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Feb 2009 Warner Brothers Harlan , Jan , fl 1975-2001 , film producer Kubrick , Stanley , 1928-1999 , film director Visual arts Broadcasting Films Film makers Design (arts) Costume design Literature Literary forms and genres Fiction Science fiction Photography Action photography Artists Performers Actors Hobby Films Metro Goldwyn Meyer United Artists Minotaur Productions Harris-Kubrick Productions Bryna Productions Universal Pictures Columbia Pictures Hawk Films Ltd

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The collection was accumulated by Kubrick and held at his home until its transferral to the University of the Arts London in Mar 2007. It has been open to the public since Oct 2007.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The collection spans Kubrick's entire career from his time as a photographer in the 1940s and early 1950s until his last film in 1999 (Eyes Wide Shut). Kubrick died during the editing of Eyes Wide Shut and some items relating to the release/finished version were added by his staff. They have been included because they were held with the main collection, at the creator's home, following the pattern of what he kept and were deposited with the Archive.

The collection covers the film making process from pre until post production and includes: production paperwork [including pre and post production]; letters; props; costumes; publicity materials, both finished posters etc and drafts; production photographs. stills and slides; research paperwork and photographs; plans etc for how to film scenes; books; audiovisuals; drawings and artwork; equipment and press cuttings.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Further items will be received, currently much of the Napoleon material is being worked on elsewhere and many items are forming part of a touring exhibition.

System of arrangement

The Archive has been arranged chronologically by film with series for personal and business papers, Look magazine work, documentaries about Kubrick and documentaries by Kubrick.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open. The Archives and Special Collections Centre is open Tue-Fri 1-5. Please contact us if these times do not suit. It is advisable to make an appointment.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copying of items is at the discretion of staff.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

The collection is currently being catalogued.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

University of the Arts London: University Archives and Special Collections

Rules and/or conventions used

General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area