Kubrick and Nihilism

[Undermind]

The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent, but if we can come to terms with the indifference, then our existence as a species can have genuine meaning. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.

After reading this quote from Stanley Kubrick, I started to think about the works of Kubrick and their relation to Nihilism.  A great deal of his films seemingly deal with various ideas compatible with Nihilism such as the indifference of human values on the universe as a whole (Barry Lyndon), the Ubermensch (2001), and the problems with modern egalitarian society (A Clockwork Orange).  While not every idea of his falls into nihilist thought, it would seem the overarching goals would.  Is it possible he is the most prominent modern nihilist director?

[UmlautsForEnglish]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Kubrick#Politics

Stanley had views on everything, but I would not exactly call them political... His views on democracy were those of most people I know, neither left or right, not exactly brimming with belief, a noble failed experiment along our evolutionary way, brought low by base instincts, money and self-interest and stupidity... He thought the best system might be under a benign despot, though he had little belief that such a man could be found. He wasn't a cynic, but he could have easily passed for one. He was certainly a capitalist. He believed himself to be a realist.

Sounds like Kubrick really liked Nietzsche.

[Anarcho hesh]

A clockwork orange could have been some psychic prediction about heavy metal if you evaluate it a certain way. Heavy metal at it's highest form being a correlation between the darker aspects of life and finding beauty in these things.

[freshblood]

Maybe - but what about the ending of Eye's Wide Shut... That seems to me to be a pretty strong affirmation of the two characters relationship...

Well, I dunno, but sex between two lovers doesn't really seem to be that nihilist.

[UmlautsForEnglish]

Maybe - but what about the ending of Eye's Wide Shut... That seems to me to be a pretty strong affirmation of the two characters relationship...

Well, I dunno, but sex between two lovers doesn't really seem to be that nihilist.

Would it have been more Nihilistic if they suggested sodomy instead?

[aaron]

You can't get any more obvious than this:
"In his book Nihilism in Film and Television, Kevin L. Stoehr writes "if there is one film director whose movies express consistently, in terms of both form and content, the pervasive dangers and creative opportunities of nihilism in contemporary culture, that filmmaker is the late Stanley Kubrick'."

[freshblood]

Maybe - but what about the ending of Eye's Wide Shut... That seems to me to be a pretty strong affirmation of the two characters relationship...

Well, I dunno, but sex between two lovers doesn't really seem to be that nihilist.

Would it have been more Nihilistic if they suggested sodomy instead?

Nah, it would've been more nihilist if they never got back together

[lord.aspie]

Maybe - but what about the ending of Eye's Wide Shut... That seems to me to be a pretty strong affirmation of the two characters relationship...

Well, I dunno, but sex between two lovers doesn't really seem to be that nihilist.

Would it have been more Nihilistic if they suggested sodomy instead?

Nah, it would've been more nihilist if they never got back together

....that making every Woody Allen film in existence "nihilistic".

[Gefechtsgruppe10]

Maybe - but what about the ending of Eye's Wide Shut... That seems to me to be a pretty strong affirmation of the two characters relationship...

Well, I dunno, but sex between two lovers doesn't really seem to be that nihilist.

Would it have been more Nihilistic if they suggested sodomy instead?

Nah, it would've been more nihilist if they never got back together

....that making every Woody Allen film in existence "nihilistic".

ahaha, reminds me of a line from "Deconstructing Harry"

"Your personal philosophy is nihilism, cynicism, and orgasm!"
"Yeah, but in France I could run on that platform and win!"

[aaron]

Maybe - but what about the ending of Eye's Wide Shut... That seems to me to be a pretty strong affirmation of the two characters relationship...

Well, I dunno, but sex between two lovers doesn't really seem to be that nihilist.

Would it have been more Nihilistic if they suggested sodomy instead?

Nah, it would've been more nihilist if they never got back together

Well, other than the obvious idea that it was meant as an ironic joke, I think it was commenting on the decadence of the plutocracy over anything else. Not being confronted with reality, they lose themselves in soulless depravity and dehumanization (a common Kubrickian theme - think of Crassus in Spartacus), where people are rendered sexual objects (In Spartacus, they were gladiators). If you notice, all of the masks in the film are Venetian - and, of course, Venice has historically been connected to money and decedance. All of this sounds rather nihilist to me.

[freshblood]

I guess you can't post images here, but this is relevant:

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lir6trEvBb1qa6x5oo1_500.png

(Excuse the embarrassment of a tumblr link)

Kubrick asked by Playboy magazine: "If life is so purposeless, do you feel that it's worth living?"

[JewishPhysics]

I guess you can't post images here, but this is relevant:

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lir6trEvBb1qa6x5oo1_500.png

(Excuse the embarrassment of a tumblr link)

Kubrick asked by Playboy magazine: "If life is so purposeless, do you feel that it's worth living?"

You can post images here:

[indjaseemun]

Does anyone think Eyes Wide Shut was made to show the secret satanic societies of america that kubrick got to know?

[freshblood]

No - It was just a symbol to show how Tom Cruises character was dealing with the relationship stuff

[The internet shelters weaklings.]

If my memory serves me correctly, Eyes Wide Shut was indeed pretty nihilistic. There is not one mode of thought pertaining to sex and mating that is shown to be the "right" one. Instead it's more like a showcase of sexual shit that happens for the sake of happening in all its wonder. The ending affirms this: You snap out of the trance when the film is summarized in one phrase. Kidman says something to the effect of "we should just fuck."