Stanley Kubrick's films ranked
The top 3 according to 1,958 votes from people: 2001: A Space Odyssey · A Clockwork Orange · Dr. Strangelove. (Updated Jul 27, 2024.)
All thirteen Kubrick features, from Fear and Desire to Eyes Wide Shut, ranked by consensus across Gold Derby, Letterboxd and critics' rankings.
Top 13
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1
2001: A Space Odyssey
1968. HAL 9000 and the monolith; his only Oscar, for visual effects.
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2
A Clockwork Orange
1971. Alex and his droogs, from Anthony Burgess's novel.
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3
Dr. Strangelove
1964. Nuclear satire with Peter Sellers in three roles.
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4
The Shining
1980. Jack Nicholson at the Overlook Hotel; 'Here's Johnny!'
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5
Full Metal Jacket
1987. Boot camp with Sergeant Hartman and the battle of Huế.
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6
Barry Lyndon
1975. Ryan O'Neal in the 18th century, with scenes lit only by candles.
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7
Paths of Glory
1957. Kirk Douglas defends three soldiers accused of cowardice in World War I.
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8
The Killing
1956. A racetrack heist told out of order; a model for Tarantino.
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9
Lolita
1962. James Mason and Sue Lyon in Nabokov's novel.
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10
Killer's Kiss
1955. A boxer and a dancer in New York on a micro-budget.
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11
Eyes Wide Shut
1999. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman; his last film, released after his death. Even his lowest Rotten Tomatoes score is 75%.
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12
Spartacus
1960. Kirk Douglas leads the slave revolt; four Oscars.
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13
Fear and Desire
1953. His low-budget debut, which he later disowned.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (32)
A Clockwork Orange still feels dangerous today.
Fear and Desire last makes sense, he tried to destroy every copy.
A Clockwork Orange still disturbing 50 years later
13 films and almost all classics, unbelievable career.
Full Metal Jacket's boot camp section is all-time cinema.
The Shining should be higher, it's the most rewatchable.
Dr. Strangelove is the funniest film ever made about the end of the world.
Peter Sellers playing three roles, legend.
2001 at #1 and it's not close.
The Killing is a perfect 85 minutes.
No Fear and Desire? Oh right, he hated it and pulled it from circulation.
Lolita at #9 seems right
2001 at #1, still the most ambitious film ever made.
The Killing is a perfect heist movie
Spartacus is the least Kubrick of his films, he disowned it basically
Eyes Wide Shut gets better every time I watch it.
Eyes Wide Shut is so strange and hypnotic
The Shining over Barry Lyndon? Barry Lyndon is his real masterpiece.
Barry Lyndon is gorgeous but three hours of slow, The Shining is the one people rewatch.
'Slow' is the point, every frame is a painting.
Paths of Glory is underrated, the ending with the German girl singing...
Lolita in the middle feels right.
Full Metal Jacket first half is perfect, second half meh
Agreed, R. Lee Ermey carries the first half.
Kubrick never made a bad film, just different levels of masterpiece.
Paths of Glory should be top 5, Kirk Douglas at his best.
Overrated director tbh
Bold take, but ok 😄
Killer's Kiss at the bottom, fair, it's his first real feature.
Dr. Strangelove: 'Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!' 😂
Watched The Shining on 35mm last year, the Steadicam shots are unreal.
Barry Lyndon shot by candlelight with NASA lenses. Kubrick was insane.