KUBRICK'S SON

Hello?

Hi. Who’s this? What do you want?

I want to talk to Stanley.

Stanley who?

Stanley Kubrick.

It’s Mr. Kubrick to you, and how did you get this number?

He gave it to me….

Of course he didn’t, are you crazy? Of course he didn’t.

How else could I have got it…?

I have no idea, I’m not psychic.

I just want to ask Sta… Mr. Kubrick about some of the themes in his movies.

What themes? There are no themes.

The symbols, I mean. You know?

You boffins are all the same. Listen to me, he was just having fun. There are no meanings, no messages, and definitely no subtext.

That’s really not true. The movies are full of ideas. He’s given interviews about them. Lots.

Are you saying I don’t understand my dad’s movies? He’s my dad after all.

But he was interested in dehumanization, the afterlife… Jung.

Dad! Dad! I’ve got some kid on the phone here. He says he wants to talk to you about symbols…. yeah, and meanings. I know…. My dad says you’re barking up the wrong tree. He says if you want symbols Fellini’s your man.

Kubrick’s better than Fellini.

Jesus Christ! Are you insane? Dad, did you hear that? Dad’s shaking his head right now.

Please can I talk to him?

Ok, if you want to get technical…my dad’s a surrealist. He took images, messed them up. That’s it. It amazes me, nerds like you, obsessing about toilets and plans and numbers. Waste of time.

So, you do know some of the meanings then?

No. Why?

Because you just said! Is Stanley there? I’ve got to talk to him.

Jesus, don’t you know he’s dead? He died in 1999? He was 70?

Oh… Yeah… Yeah, that’s true.

Of course, it’s true. He’s my dad, right?

But you said just now you were talking to him.

Who is this? What do want?

My name is Tim Frank. I just want to talk to Stanley Kubrick. Please let me talk to Stanley Kubrick.