If you look
up the term osmosis in the dictionary you find the following description: “the
process of gradual or unconscious assimilation of ideas and knowledge: i.e. “by
some strange political osmosis private reputations become publicâ€. I hope this
will be the case for the wonderful Leon Vitali after the release of the new
documentary “Filmworker†from Tony Zierra and Dogwoof in regards to recognizing
the key role he played in bringing together the latter works of the great film
director Stanley Kubrick.
The remarkable,
untold story of Leon Vitali, who gave up fame and fortune as a much respected
actor to serve for over three decades as Stanley Kubrick’s right-hand man, is
told in this compelling documentary charting Vitali’s work with the maestro and
their unique relationship. To say Vitali was Kubrick’s right hand man doesn’t
really do him justice but the fact that Vitali himself would have given his
right arm to help his friend and icon in any way rings true. The obvious love
that Vitali has for Kubrick, no matter how others perceive his role, is
humbling and inspiring. We see Vitali move from his acting role in “Barry
Lyndon†to working behind the camera with Kubrick, whose intense eye seemed
glued to his viewfinder. When it came to set dressing, lighting, through to
casting and final print transfer, Vitali was there.
As with the scene in the recent “Blade Runner 2049 (a
film I’m sure Kubrick would have loved) where the hologram Joi melds with another
to truly feel an experience, so Vitali melded with Kubrick; working with him so
closely and for so long that he knew the exact way Kubrick wanted anything to
look, sound or be released. He wrote thousands of pages of notes that the
director would read word for word and act upon. This esteem Kubrick held for
Vitali says all that needs to be said about his own professionalism and eye for
detail- such as spending 24 hours looking at reels of actual film negatives in
order to extract the exact single image he knew Kubrick would concur with for
posters and stills usage. Vitali gave himself to the process of making ‘A Stanley
Kubrick Film’- perfectly illustrated when he says “as soon as I drove through
the gates at Stanley’s home I knew I wouldn’t see myself again until I passed
through them on the way outâ€.
It’s very,
very rare to find such dedication in any profession but to be the assistant to
one of the most demanding directors in history is even more impressive. Kubrick
was a man who screamed for perfection and Vitali’s ability to withstand these
demands indicates his own staying power was on par with that of the films
Kubrick created. The movies Vitali worked on include “The Shiningâ€, “Full Metal
Jacket†and “Eyes Wide Shutâ€, in which he had two roles (the fact that we never
really get to see him is a perfect analogy to the reason why the documentary
was made).
This
intimate documentary should appear on every key Kubrick film that’s released on
home video from this point forward but I do urge you to see it on the big
screen if you have the opportunity, as this is a film about a larger than life
director whose canvas was the cinema screen itself. Just as importantly, it’s
about a less celebrated man whose heart is far bigger than his ego,who is happy
to represent and recall tales of his friend and mentor based on experiences no
one else shared. Vitali’s reverence for Kubrick is inspiring on different
levels, the most obvious being that he relates to him on personal terms rather
than as a cinematic icon. I would urge anyone with an interest in Kubrick, the
film industry or indeed friendship itself, to go and see this film when it’s
released in UK cinema’s on 18 May 2018 from Dogwoof,. The month also marks the 50th anniversary of
Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odysseyâ€. This is a perfect companion piece to that
masterwork.