The Stanley Kubrick retrospective at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is a phenomenal representation of all of Kubrick’s classic films. Set in the Art of the Americas building, this massive exhibit houses famous movie props, production and development documents and nostalgic items from Kubrick’s life. 

Thanks to Terry Semel, current co-chairman of the LACMA Board of Trustees (and a former Warner Bros. executive), the Stanley Kubrick retrospective was able to come to Los Angeles.  After seeing it in Germany, he lobbied for this exhibit to be shown at LACMA, stating, “I saw the show in Europe. I thought it was nice but it could be delivered in a more exciting way… In our generation, Kubrick would be the person we would want to know more about and see more about” (LA Times).  Keeping with the newly instated tradition of honoring film at LACMA, (last year Tim Burton was given a tremendous exhibit honoring his darkly stylized, animated films) the Kubrick exhibit certainly delivers the excitement Semel was hoping for. 

Upon entering the exhibit, visitors enter a dark room with two movie screens playing scenes from Kubrick’s films. This room serves as a corridor from the real world into Kubrick’s fantasy movie world, immediately ushering the viewer into the main hall. Here, a large wall of movie posters serves as the focal point of the room, emphasized by items like Kubrick’s various lenses and cameras encased in glass. Music and dialogue from different scenes of Kubrick’s films play in the exhibit, filling the air with bustling electricity. 

Kubrick’s movies are organized into specialized portions that are styled to reiterate each of the movie’s unique themes. Color plays an important part in Kubrick’s movie-making style, with an entire wall dedicated to Kubrick’s reoccurring use of the color red. 

The display of The Shining is the most noteworthy of the entire exhibit. With a plush, deep red carpet, a menacing floor-to-ceiling projection of the notorious twins and an ax stabbed into the wall, visitors are fantastically transported into the mood of the movie. 

This retrospective truly encapsulates Kubrick’s legacy as a filmmaker, and is an inspiring tribute to his groundbreaking work. 

The retrospective of Stanley Kubrick will be on exhibit at LACMA until June 30th, 2013. 

Reach Staff Reporter Clara Canul here.