Stanley Kubrick directed just 13 films, yet a significant portion are considered masterpieces. But one film, he felt, never received its due: Barry Lyndon.
‘Barry Lyndon’ Faced Initial Boredom
Appreciation for Barry Lyndon has grown over time, but it didn’t initially resonate with audiences when Kubrick unexpectedly died in March 1999. Months after his death, screenwriter and director John Milius shared insights with The New York Times.
He was very vulnerable to criticism and whether a film was a success or not. He wasn’t entirely comfortable with ‘Barry Lyndon’. He just felt like people didn’t understand it.
Milius recalled that the director of Conan the Barbarian repeatedly said, “People were bored. I think after that film he felt that no one was going to let him make a film again. Apparently the only thing that really bothered him was the commercial failure of Barry Lyndon.” Kubrick then turned to The Shining. Jack Nicholson, at the time, remarked, “I’m glad I finished it. It was hard work.”
The disappointing box office performance of Barry Lyndon prompted Kubrick to seek a project with guaranteed success. This led him to explore numerous horror novels, ultimately choosing a book by Stephen King. His previous consideration of The Exorcist suggests a deliberate shift toward the genre.
Despite not achieving immediate critical acclaim, The Shining proved to be a box office success. In the United States alone, it grossed $49 million against a $19 million budget.
