MovieChat Forums > The Terminal Man (1974) Discussion > One of Kubrick's favorites

One of Kubrick's favorites

posted 9 years ago by !!!deleted!!! (63057267)
4 replies | jump to latest

I was pleased to see THE TERMINAL MAN listed in Stanley Kubrick's list of his 100 favorite movies, which he assembled shortly before he died. It has been a favorite of mine for years, and I was starting to think I was alone in loving it. With all the negative posts about the movie here, it's reassuring to know that one of the most praised and influential filmmakers of all time championed it fervently... And I'll gladly side with him over all the suckers who post about the film being "boring".

[–] liasmulevici 8 years ago

Cinesicko, I was pleased to read your post. Kubrick knows his stuff. Terminal Man has an aura you rarely find in movies today.The Bach Goldberg is chilling. Another nice touch was the look of the film - the sets & wardrobe were all black & white or grey for the most part, & served to set off the bits of color - a red rose, red blood, colors of nature, etc. Always dug that. These bitches complaining it's too slow or pointless - well why even bother? The early-mid 70's was an interesting time for American movies, including sci-fi, before the onslaught of blockbusters later in the decade became the norm. Which reminds me of another Michael Crichton from a couple years earlier - Andromeda Strain. And I can just hear the bitches complaining about that one. Sigh.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (63057267) 8 years ago

Not sure how I missed your response, but thanks for responding. I agree with you about the bold splashes of color throughout; they really punctuate several key shots/scenes. I was surprised to find this was directed by the guy who gave us GET CARTER (1971), which feels so different stylistically... but which is similarly cold-blooded in its approach (unflinching portrayals of jarringly brutal violence perpetrated by anti-heroes) and hasthe same ultra-bleak worldview. Both are amazing movies, but I'd definitely hide the razor blades before embarking on a double feature.

[–] johnmiller (3327) 5 years ago

The movie certainly has its issues. The main one being that it should have been trimmed down to 90 minutes, or a bit less. Also, there could have been more debate about toying with nature, which is a recurring Michael Crichton topic.

But, there is a lot that works. The deliberate pacing. The freaky use of the Goldberg Variations performed by Glenn Gould, and the antiseptic cinematography by Richard Kline.

You can see why Kubrick liked it!

[–] Interlepos (1783) 3 years ago

Stanley Kubrick never actually assembled a top 100 list.

His favorite movies are put together from early top 10 lists, comments from family members and comments from the man himself in interviews.