Barry Lyndon (1975) Criterion 1080p BluRay x265 HEVC EAC3-SARTRE

With ornate imagery reminiscent of paintings from the story's 18th century period, Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel depicts the rise and fall of a sensitive rogue in the British aristocracy. Young Irishman Redmond Barry (Ryan O'Neal) leaves home to seek his fortune after apparently killing an English officer in a duel. Through a series of mishaps and accidents, Barry winds up fighting with the Prussian army in the Seven Years' War under the command of Capt. Potzdorf (Hardy Kruger); at war's end, Potzdorf enlists Barry to spy on a shady Chevalier (Patrick Magee). Instead, Barry joins up with the Irish Chevalier to flee Prussia and live as gamblers among Europe's elite. Wishing to climb even higher, Barry soon meets the beautiful Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson), marrying her for her fortune after her older titled husband dies. Her son Lord Bullingdon (Leon Vitali), however, despises the upstart Barry, and, regardless of how his mother may feel, sees to it that the re-named Barry Lyndon will never be able to stake his claim to the entrenched aristocracy. Coming after Kubrick's esteemed hits 2001 (1968) and A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon opened with high expectations and met with decidedly mixed responses to its restrained tone. Even with Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director (and wins for Cinematography, Art Direction, Costumes, and Adapted Score), Barry Lyndon was a box office failure, as mid-'70s audiences increasingly turned away from such narrative challenges as its epic length and muffled emotions. Since then, Barry Lyndon has gained in stature, taking its place among the formidable artistic achievements of Kubrick's career.

Extras

• Making Barry Lyndon - This brand new featurette examines the production history of Barry Lyndon and Stanley Kubrick's reputation of being a perfectionist. Included in it are clips from an archival interview with the late director, and new interviews with executive producer Jan Harlan, location scout Katharina Kubrick, first assistant director Brian Cook, and actors Dominic Savage and Leon Vitali, amongst others. The featurette was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2017. (38 min, 720p).

• Achieving Perfection - In this brand new featurette, focus puller Douglas Milsome and gaffer Lou Bogue recall what it was like to work with Stanley Kubrick and discuss the visual style of Barry Lyndon. Also included are excerpts from an archival interview with cinematographer John Alcott in which he discusses the type of lenses that were used to shoot the film. The featurette was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2017. (16 min, 720p).

• Timing and Tension - in this brand new interview, editor Tony Lawson discusses Stanley Kubrick's working methods and fascination with technology as well as the editing of Barry Lyndon. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2017. (14 min, 720p).

• Drama in Detail - In this new featurette, historian and author Christopher Frayling (Ken Adam: The Art of Production Design) discusses the impressive legacy of Oscar-winning production designer Ken Adam and his professional relationship with Stanley Kubrick. The featurette was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2017. (14 min, 720p).

• Balancing Every Sound - in this new featurette, actor Leon Vitali, who was Stanley Kubrick's personal assistant, discusses the important role sound has in the director's work and the original sound design of Barry Lyndon. There are also some interesting comments about the 5.1 remix that was created in 2000. The featurette was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2017. (11 min, 720p).

• On the Costumes - Presented here is an archival segment from the September 19, 1976, broadcast of Les rendez-vous du dimanche in which Ulla-Britt Soderlund the fabrics and costumes that were used in Barry Lyndon and her work with designer Milena Canonero. In French, with optional English subtitles. (5 min, 720p).

• Passion and Reason - In this brand new interview, critic Michel Ciment (Kubrick: The Definitive Edition) discusses the evolution of Stanley Kubrick's style, the narrative structure of Barry Lyndon, and the theme of 'passion vs. reason' that reappears in different forms in the director's films. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2017. (18 min, 720p).

• A Cinematic Canvas - In this new featurette, Metropolitan Museum of Art assistant curator Adam Eaker discusses the compositional devices of 18th century painting that inspired Stanley Kubrick and ultimately influenced the visual style of Barry Lyndon. Also included are direct comparisons between original paintings and carefully composed scenes from the film. The featurette was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2017. (15 min, 720p).

• Trailers - two original trailers for Barry Lyndon. (3/5 min, 720p)