Robert P. Kolker & Nathan Abrams, authors of "Kubrick: An Odyssey"
Stanley Kubrick was a visionary American filmmaker, whose groundbreaking work redefined cinema. Renowned for his meticulous attention to detail, visual innovation and the complexity of his narratives, Kubrick's films crossed many genres. Perhaps most interestingly for Lit With Charles listeners, many of his most famous movies also began their lives as books. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) set new standards in science fiction, while A Clockwork Orange (1971) delved into dystopian violence. His horror masterpiece, The Shining (1980), remains a genre-defining classic. Beyond his creative output, he had a reputation as a complicated somewhat anti-social man, with both foibles and genius aplenty. Kubrick's relentless pursuit of perfection and his ability to push cinematic boundaries have solidified his legacy as one of the most influential and enigmatic directors of all time. This week, I had the incredible opportunity to talk with Robert P. Kolker and Nathan Abrams, the joint co-authors of Kubrick, a new and comprehensive biography of the great director, published by Faber & Faber earlier this year, which for fans of Kubrick and beyond, is an absolutely enlightening read. Robert Kolker is an American film historian, theorist and critic, who has authored a number of books on film, including A Cinema of Loneliness and Triumph over Containment. Nathan is a professor of Film Studies at Bangor University in the UK, and the co-founder of Jewish Film and New Media, an international academic journal which analyses Jewish film, television and other media across the years. In today’s episode, Robert, Nathan and I discuss, as always, the four books which have shaped them most as thinkers, scholars and writers, along with the luminary life of their fascinating subject. So, join us as we peel back the curtain on the personal, public, and creative life of the 20th Century’s most important movie-maker. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let’s get more people listening – and reading! Book selections: Robert: Anatomy of Criticism, Northrope Frye, (1957) The collective works of Samuel Beckett, particularly the novels Malone Dies (1951) and The Unnamable (1953), and the play Endgame (1957). Nathan: The Unfinished Journey: America Since WWII, William H Chafe (1986) Ordeal of Civility: Freud, Marx, Levi-Strauss, and the Jewish Struggle With Modernity, John Murray Cuddihy (1974)