A Filmmaker's Review: "Barry Lyndon" (1975)

And so, I was watching one of the most masterful period dramas out there last night. Before I go through why I really enjoyed this film, I'd like to give a big thank you to everyone who has been reading along or just jumped into these reviews. You are appreciated, loved and very welcome to contact me on Instagram (@anniethebritindian) at any time. Now, on with this review. Let's first and foremost talk about my history with this film. It's a long and drawn out one so please, sit tight and get a drink or something.

The very first time I ever encountered this film, I was 15 years' old and I was most likely studying for some exam because it was the summer and I still didn't want to go outside. I encountered this film on television and I must have jumped in halfway through because I couldn't really follow what was going on. For those of you who have seen the film, I switched the TV on during the scene where Barry fights the other soldier after making fun of his wife being a washerwoman and says something about the man getting his ears boxed. From what I did see, I enjoyed the film so much I decided to actively seek it out through the DVD system at school. According to that (since it is a Catholic Girls' School and certain things were prohibited), I was still too young to watch the film even though it was rated 15 and I was 15.

I gave up searching and then, I encountered the book when I was in sixth form - so I was about 17 or 18 years' old. I saw the book on the library shelf and immediately remembered how I had once tried to get my hands on the DVD to no avail. Since I went to a different school now, I asked if they stocked the DVD and by gosh, yes they did. I borrowed it, went home, put it on and kicked back instead of doing my coursework. That's just how I was. I cared far more about film than I did about anything else.

I then watched the film when it appeared on TV again when I was about 21. This time I actually got to see the whole thing, but I still didn't have my own copy. Thanks to streaming services though, last night I rented the movie and I watched it one more time. By the way, I'm 23 at this present moment - never ask a lady's age, how rude.

"Barry Lyndon" (1975) is one of those satirical period dramas that makes every single other period drama you watch afterwards a funny parody show because you literally cannot stop laughing at the very thought of Kubrick's adaptation masterpiece. Based on the book "The Luck of Barry Lyndon" by William Makepeace Thackeray (the guy who wrote "Vanity Fair"), this book is a nod to the high society culture and the weird obsessions of the 19th Century popular class. Jokes about too much grease and stolen money are flung around in the air whilst each and every character retains this serious persona in which you really don't think they're joking - but you cannot help but laugh your ass off. The problem is that the actual luck of Barry Lyndon doesn't seem so great for most of the movie.

The satirical themes in the film include war, peace, generosity, payment and obviously, social class and idealism. There is a definite concentration on the colour red and there is also a big thing about human sexuality and animalism that goes on throughout the film. For example: the animalism includes the war - so we have soldiers. It also includes the scene where he's in love with the woman he's playing cards with - there's animalism. Then, we have everything on top of that which makes us laugh - and that's the stuff of the high society 19th Century popular class. That's the stuff that differentiates us from them and so, Kubrick makes fun of it constantly but leaves the animalism there not only to bring them back down to earth but to make them look like savages.

An incredible film, filled with thrilling jokes and amazing satire tropes, Kubrick creates a duplicitous satire - one that makes fun of them and one that makes fun of you. Whether you like it or not, you're laughing at the human condition and unfortunately, you suffer the same condition too.