Jon Ronson has an anecdote from the time he spent in Kubrick's archives about a family member (of Kubrick's, not Ronson's) who needed work. Kubrick got him to photograph the entirety of a London street (one of the famous ones, can't remember which), putting up ladders every few metres to capture different levels of the architecture. Having developed what must have been hundreds (thousands?) of pictures he then pasted them up in one of Kubrick's halls--effectively creating a google-street-view-style model of the street that you could walk around. It was months of work. When Kubrick saw it he said, 'thanks--much better than having to go there and look around the street in person.'
I half-checked this, and my entire anecdote might have been a bit wrong (or maybe just spun up a bit over time, or maybe it occurred more than once). Ronson, from a Guardian article: "In one portable cabin, for example, there are hundreds and hundreds of boxes related to Eyes Wide Shut, marked EWS - Portman Square, EWS - Kensington & Chelsea, etc, etc. I choose the one marked EWS - Islington because that's where I live. Inside are hundreds of photographs of doorways. The doorway of my local video shop, Century Video, is here, as is the doorway of my dry cleaner's, Spots Suede Services on Upper Street. Then, as I continue to flick through the photographs, I find, to my astonishment, pictures of the doorways of the houses in my own street. Handwritten at the top of these photographs are the words, "Hooker doorway?"
"Huh," I think. So somebody within the Kubrick organisation (it was, in fact, his nephew) once walked up my street, on Kubrick's orders, hoping to find a suitable doorway for a hooker in Eyes Wide Shut."
Never mind the Stanley Kubrick archives, I’d be keen on a tour of the Steve Cook archives. Great pics, as ever, and almost makes me sorry I didn’t buy that massive Taschen book on the man. And boy he worked with fantastic designers - Ken Adam, Saul Bass, Philip Castle, Eliot Noyes, Milena Canonero, etc., whose fab work was on show at the Kubrick exhibition at the Design Museum a few years ago.
Dave Hine gave me that Taschen book for a birthday present a few years ago. It's incredible, but far too heavy to carry to LA. Regrettably I had to leave it back in London. :(
I worked with Chris Foss briefly on 2000 AD. Apparently Kubrick offered him accomodation at Borehamwood while they worked on concept art for A.I. But he (Chris) found the whole experience so onerous, Kubrick demanding he rework pieces over and over, that he would drive hundreds of miles home every night just to escape him! He had a lot more fun working for Alejandro Jodorowsky on Dune – surely the greatest '70s SF movie never made.
Ugh! I was hoping you’d remember… memory man! I can’t quite recall what it was, but I know it had something to do with the refrigerator at Boreham Wood.
Fascinating! Chris Halls aka Chris Cunningham spent six months working for Kubrick in the early 90s, I remember him telling me about the experience while working on the animated TV ad to promote the young Dredd comic mid-90s. Kubrick was quite the boss!
I seem to remember hearing about that, but I didn't know he worked on the animated tv ad. I also believe Chris Foss was there too. I think they were there to work on the A.I. Artificial Intelligence movie in its early stages.
Yes, he definitely worked on AI. Think Chris found Kubrick's lengthy preparations frustrating, wanted to be making his own films, not spending years in service of Kubrick's vision. Understandable when you're young and in a hurry!
Yeah, especially when you're destined to work for Bjork, Madonna, and Aphex Twin! Those videos were amazing. I actually chatted to Chris at a Grace Jones gig on the South Bank, I'm sure he told me she wanted to work with him... I think. It was a long time ago.
Thanks, Dave! I took so many photos I definitely have enough for another Kubrick post, including the shots I took of Brett Ewins, Jim McCarthy and Peter Milligan on the East End location for Full Metal Jacket, and a pretty rare book by Allen Jones.
Forgive the vagueness of this, but:
Jon Ronson has an anecdote from the time he spent in Kubrick's archives about a family member (of Kubrick's, not Ronson's) who needed work. Kubrick got him to photograph the entirety of a London street (one of the famous ones, can't remember which), putting up ladders every few metres to capture different levels of the architecture. Having developed what must have been hundreds (thousands?) of pictures he then pasted them up in one of Kubrick's halls--effectively creating a google-street-view-style model of the street that you could walk around. It was months of work. When Kubrick saw it he said, 'thanks--much better than having to go there and look around the street in person.'
I'm sure I remember hearing about this, or even seeing photos of it. Wasn't it the East End?
I half-checked this, and my entire anecdote might have been a bit wrong (or maybe just spun up a bit over time, or maybe it occurred more than once). Ronson, from a Guardian article: "In one portable cabin, for example, there are hundreds and hundreds of boxes related to Eyes Wide Shut, marked EWS - Portman Square, EWS - Kensington & Chelsea, etc, etc. I choose the one marked EWS - Islington because that's where I live. Inside are hundreds of photographs of doorways. The doorway of my local video shop, Century Video, is here, as is the doorway of my dry cleaner's, Spots Suede Services on Upper Street. Then, as I continue to flick through the photographs, I find, to my astonishment, pictures of the doorways of the houses in my own street. Handwritten at the top of these photographs are the words, "Hooker doorway?"
"Huh," I think. So somebody within the Kubrick organisation (it was, in fact, his nephew) once walked up my street, on Kubrick's orders, hoping to find a suitable doorway for a hooker in Eyes Wide Shut."
Great article! https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/mar/27/features.weekend
Great! Thanks for that, Mark!
Never mind the Stanley Kubrick archives, I’d be keen on a tour of the Steve Cook archives. Great pics, as ever, and almost makes me sorry I didn’t buy that massive Taschen book on the man. And boy he worked with fantastic designers - Ken Adam, Saul Bass, Philip Castle, Eliot Noyes, Milena Canonero, etc., whose fab work was on show at the Kubrick exhibition at the Design Museum a few years ago.
Dave Hine gave me that Taschen book for a birthday present a few years ago. It's incredible, but far too heavy to carry to LA. Regrettably I had to leave it back in London. :(
I worked with Chris Foss briefly on 2000 AD. Apparently Kubrick offered him accomodation at Borehamwood while they worked on concept art for A.I. But he (Chris) found the whole experience so onerous, Kubrick demanding he rework pieces over and over, that he would drive hundreds of miles home every night just to escape him! He had a lot more fun working for Alejandro Jodorowsky on Dune – surely the greatest '70s SF movie never made.
I seem to remember an anecdote about a refrigerator?
Unusually for me, I've forgotten that one! What was it?
Ugh! I was hoping you’d remember… memory man! I can’t quite recall what it was, but I know it had something to do with the refrigerator at Boreham Wood.
It was probably something to do with the terrible food he was expected to eat if he'd stayed over at Kubrick's. Another good reason to leave!
Wonderful!
Cheers!
worthy archiving yourself, young sir!
I wish 'young' still applied!
Really? I know what you mean, but I wouldn't want to be young in this world we have now... the state of things!
Okay, good point. I think you’re right.
Fascinating! Chris Halls aka Chris Cunningham spent six months working for Kubrick in the early 90s, I remember him telling me about the experience while working on the animated TV ad to promote the young Dredd comic mid-90s. Kubrick was quite the boss!
I seem to remember hearing about that, but I didn't know he worked on the animated tv ad. I also believe Chris Foss was there too. I think they were there to work on the A.I. Artificial Intelligence movie in its early stages.
Yes, he definitely worked on AI. Think Chris found Kubrick's lengthy preparations frustrating, wanted to be making his own films, not spending years in service of Kubrick's vision. Understandable when you're young and in a hurry!
Yeah, especially when you're destined to work for Bjork, Madonna, and Aphex Twin! Those videos were amazing. I actually chatted to Chris at a Grace Jones gig on the South Bank, I'm sure he told me she wanted to work with him... I think. It was a long time ago.
Great stuff. That Kubrick exhibition looked very classy.
Also, great comments!!!
Thanks, Dave! I took so many photos I definitely have enough for another Kubrick post, including the shots I took of Brett Ewins, Jim McCarthy and Peter Milligan on the East End location for Full Metal Jacket, and a pretty rare book by Allen Jones.
Really enjoyed that Steve ☺️
Amazing journey through Kubrick's movies 🎬
Great article, thanks for sharing 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!