The Design Museum in London is currently hosting an exhibition dedicated to Stanley Kubrick, a visionary genius of 20th Century cinematography. The exhibition opened in late April and runs until 15th September 2019. To avoid disappointment, it is recommended to book tickets online as it has quickly become a sell out venue every weekend.

Exhibition: Stanley Kubrick

The exhibition is a total immersion in Stanley Kubrick artwork and showcases such films as A Clockwork Orange, Lolita, Full Metal Jacket, The Shining, 2001 A Space Odyssey, and the New York-based Eyes Wide Shut starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, though as the artwork will show, the film was actually shot in London, England.

Upon entry into the Kensington based museum, the orange car from A Clockwork Orange is on display. Leading on from there is the main entrance which has the carpeted flooring from The Shining’s Overlook Hotel framed by giant screens showing some of the most famous scenes of Kubrick’s movies. In the first room, which is framed with movie posters, there is a collection of objects, notes, scripts, and memorabilia of Kubrick’s work, including letters, cards, and correspondence between Kubrick and actors and members of the entertainment environment, of which there is a letter from Audrey Hepburn rejecting the director’s proposal to work in the role of Josephine for Napoleon’s project.

The second part of the exhibition has separate spaces for each individual Cult Movie: Lolita, Full Metal Jacket, Spartacus, Paths of Glory, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, Dr. Strangelove, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Eyes Wide Shut, and The Shining. For many of the movies, stages simulating the set have been recreated, and there are objects, some original on display. Adding to that, musical themes and film clips can be viewed.

Exhibition: Stanley Kubrick

The film Eyes Wide Shut was Kubrick’s final work, and although it was supposed to be set in New York, the actual production was done in London. Manual Harlan has been asked to research and photograph possible locations. He complied thousands of images of apartments, coffee shops, gates, staircases and even individual doors as potential locations. It is one of the most impressive items is this previously unseen panorama of Commercial Road in east London and on display at the exhibition.

Exhibition: Stanley Kubrick

Meticulously taped together by Harlan, it gives an intimate portrait of London in the 1990s. The production team sought streets that could convincingly stand in for New York. On a map of Greenwich Village in New York, they highlighted specific blocks for which they could use London streets. In the end, Kubrick shoes to film the majority at Pinewood Studios rather than on location. Some critics complained that the sets were unconvincing, but the Manhattan of Eyes Wide Shut is Kubrick’s Manhattan rather than a replica, and can be read as a stage for themes of fantasy and desire that run through the film.

Exhibition: Stanley Kubrick

Principal photography began in November 1996. Kubrick's perfectionism led to script pages being rewritten on the set, and most scenes requiring numerous takes. The shoot went much longer than expected; Vinessa Shaw was initially contracted for two weeks but ended up working two months, while Alan Cumming, who appears in one scene, was required to audition six times throughout the filming process. Filming finally wrapped in June 1998. The Guinness World Records recognised Eyes Wide Shut as the longest constant movie shoot, "for over 15 months, a period that included an unbroken shoot of 46 weeks".

Exhibition: Stanley Kubrick

Given Kubrick's fear of flying, the entire film was shot in England. Sound-stage works were done at London's Pinewood Studios, which included a detailed recreation of Greenwich Village. Kubrick's perfectionism went as far as sending workmen to Manhattan to measure street widths and note newspaper vending machine locations. Real New York footage was also shot to be rear projected behind Cruise. Production was followed by a strong campaign of secrecy, helped by Kubrick always working with a short team on set. Outdoor locations included Hatton Garden for a Greenwich Village street, Hamleys for the toy store from the film's ending, and Mentmore Towers and Elveden Hall in Elveden, Suffolk, England for the mansion. Larry Smith, who had first served as a gaffer on both Barry Lyndon and The Shining, was chosen by Kubrick to be the film's cinematographer. Kubrick refused to use studio lighting, forcing Smith to use the available light sources visible in the shot, such as lamps and Christmas tree lights. When this was not adequate, Smith used Chinese paper ball lamps to softly brighten the scene. The colour was enhanced by push processing the film reels, which helped bring out the intensity of colour.

Exhibition: Stanley Kubrick

Kubrick's perfectionism led him to oversee every visual element that would appear in a given frame, from props and furniture to the colour of walls and other objects. One such element were the masks used in the orgy, which were inspired by the masked Carnival balls visited by the protagonists of the novel, and on display at the museum.

Exhibition: Stanley Kubrick

After shooting completed, Kubrick entered a prolonged post-production process. On March 1, 1999, Kubrick showed a cut to Cruise, Kidman, and the Warner Bros. executives. The director died six days later.

Although Eyes Wide Shut was shot in London, but it has now been added to otsoNY as there are references made to New York.