Aside from the very obvious influences – primarily the characters, mise en scene, cinematography and subject matter of Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon – I drew on many other Kubrick films during the writing and during the planning for the shoot of KBC. You’ll see subtle and not so subtle influences and references to 2001, A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, The Killing, Killer’s Kiss, Eyes Wide Shut, Lolita and The Shining.
But you’ll also see a strong influence from my comedy heroes. There are several nods to Mel Brooks movies.
Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles
The films that informed the comedy style were as diverse as the charming Hear My Song, Local Hero and Withnail & I. We have a fight that I drew inspiration from the epic 10 minute fight from The Quiet Man as well as from the two magnificently “bad” fights in the first two Bridget Jones films.
John Wayne lays a haymaker in The Quiet Man
For the Film Crew on tour I drew on my own experiences of course but also some truly brilliant films that have brought us behind the scenes...
– Sweet Liberty and State and Main for costume dramas taking over a small town, After the Fox with Peter Sellers, Extras from Ricky Gervais, Tropic Thunder, Day for Night, Hellzapoppin, Ed Wood, Bowfinger, The Player, Living in Oblivion, Singing in the Rain and last but by no means least Tristam Shandy A Cock and Bull Story with the comedy partnership of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon.
Rob Brydon & Steve Coogan in Tristam Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story
I should also talk about the inspiration from conversations I had with those who worked with Kubrick. Namely Nick Daubeny, BAFTA Award winning location manager who worked with Stanley on Eyes Wide Shut and the legendary Michael Stevenson who worked with Stanley on Barry Lyndon, The Shining and countless other movies going back as far as Lawrence of Arabia.
Legendary Assistant Director Michael Stevenson on the set of The Shining
Nick kindly arranged for a lunch with the three of us at Riva in Barnes which was not only delicious but very expensive. What was more delicious was the catalogue of unbelievably funny and moving stories about Barry Lyndon and Kubrick that Michael shared some of which formed ideas and notions for KBC and some of which I shall never be allowed to share! Michael was the actual person who answered the infamous phone call that sent Kubrick packing from Ireland so the sense of film history was tangible. Their generosity with time and memories was as strong and intoxicating as the wine on offer…
Legendary Location Manager Nick Daubeny, me (David O'Reilly) and Michael Stevenson at Riva, Barnes, London.