Stanley Kubrick Dead

Stanley Kubrick, director of 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange has died of a heart attack

Stanley Kubrick, the director of 2001: A Space Odyssey (expanded from a short story by Arthur C Clarke) and A Clockwork Orange (from Anthony Burgess's novel) has died of a heart attack, aged 70.

As with all his later films, his current project - Eyes Wide Shut - was filmed in the UK, despite being set elsewhere (Full Metal Jacket had London Docklands doubling for Viet Nam). It also suffered from his notoriously long schedules: rumour has it that Tom Cruise had to shoot certain scenes again, due to visible ageing during a movie meant to take place in a 24-hour period. Stephen King was never satisfied with Kubrick's version of The Shining, recently producing his own script (directed by Mick Garris).

One long-standing Kubrick project was AI, based in part upon a short story by Brian Aldiss and developed at various points by Bob Shaw and Ian Watson. It is unlikely this will now ever see the screen.

-- Steve Green

07 Mar 1999