Few filmmakers have received as much attention and analysis as Stanley Kubrick. His films — only sixteen over a 48-year career — have lost none of their potency in the years since their production and span genres from noir thrillers to war films, from political satires to science fiction. Kubrick’s combination of artistry and technological innovation is the blueprint for the modern filmmaker, and his influence can be found virtually everywhere in contemporary cinema, from the work of Steven Spielberg to Alfonso Cuarón to Martin Scorsese.

Developed by the Deutsches Filmmuseum in Frankfurt and drawing on extensive archives, the exhibition features rare photographs and letters, original props and costumes, screenplays, production materials, and camera equipment from his nearly 50-year career. Iconic artifacts such as the 'Starchild' from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the dresses of the ghostly sisters from The Shining, the 'Born to Kill' helmet of Private Joker from Full Metal Jacket, and the authentic model of the 'War Room' in Dr. Strangelove are featured, together with documentation from Kubrick's famously uncompleted projects Napoleon and The Aryan Papers. Materials such as research papers, costume designs, and shooting scripts demonstrate how far Kubrick had developed these projects and testify to his comprehensive and meticulous working style. The exhibition also spotlights Kubrick's early documentary shorts and his work as a photojournalist for Look magazine from 1945 to 1950.

Photography by Tom Arban