Filmworker

Director Tony Zierra’s documentary on the moth-to-flame aspect of Stanley Kubrick’s relationship to the actor Leon Vitali, who in the early ’70s heard about the casting for Barry Lyndon, secured the role of Lord Bullingdon in the production and remained as Kubrick’s assistant, toiling in obscurity for the next 30 years. Through interviews with Vitali and his association with Ryan O’Neal, R. Lee Ermey and Matthew Modine, it’s revealed how this Shakespearean trained actor became not only the right-hand but the embodiment for Kubrick’s will as liaison between the director and the studios, overseeing restorations, editing trailers for foreign markets and taking an essential role in casting decisions and location scouting. Leon coached Danny Lloyd, the child, throughout the shooting of The Shining, and was determined that Lee Ermey land the drill instructor role in Full Metal Jacket even though the studio wanted Tim Colceri. Vitali sees his job as getting Kubrick’s vision on screen regardless of the time consuming workload involved. An incredible examination of what it means to move from in front of the camera to behind the scenes in the shadow of a master!

[NR]