Rating: 
Summary: Surprisingly... very good.
Review: Although a die-hard fan of Stanley Kubrick cinema, I was a little worried about 'Barry Lyndon'. I had read various reviews that complained about the length and the slow pace. Add that to my general dislike of period pieces, and its easy to see why 'Barry Lyndon' was intimidating.Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. While the 3 hour running time is staggering when read, I was pleased by how smoothly and swiftly the time passed while watching the film. It felt like Tape 1 was done in 5 minutes. The imagery in the film is truly beautiful - but if you've seen any other Kubrick film, this is a given. All in all, I'd say this is a great film with great performances by a great Director that pleasantly surpised me. Certainly not for everyone, but art-film fans will find plenty to rave about.
Rating:
Summary: Another Side of Kubrick
Review: I find "Barry Lyndon" interesting because at first glance, it seems to have little in common with other Kubrick films. But, like "Lolita", it accurately portrays the shaky foundation below a seemingly picturesque society, and in some ways the rigid dialogue of the 18th century parallels the military rote of "Full Metal Jacket." It is also interesting to consider that BL followed "Clockwork Orange", proving that Kubrick is equally comfortable moving at a slow, leisurely pace as he is creating future shocks. There are few scenes in this long movie that do not have something to offer, be it great cinematography, beautiful music or a comment on the societies being portrayed.
Rating: 
Summary: By far my favorite movie of all time.
Review: Some call this movie boring. They only say that because it moves slow. I think this is the most beautiful movie ever created and its soundtrack is amazing. I will never forget the best scene in movie history, where Redmond first sees Lady Lyndon. Words cannot describe how great this movie really is.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice Photography But Unremarkable Plot
Review: The cinematography is the real star. The atmosphere and costumes convincingly put the viewer into a completely different world. But the plot was unmemorable for me. So Redmond Barry was a morally corrupt womanizer? Big deal. This movie is really just a nice vacation in a lush countryside (a movie museum, if you will).
Rating:
Summary: The pinnacle of film as an art form
Review: Barry Lyndon defies description in the usual sense that one may describe a film. That is, the plot is not succinct; the cinematography is unlike anything you've ever seen; the music (arranged and conducted by Leonard Rosenman) is entirely authentic to the period; and the performances, especially that of Ryan O'Neal, set a mood rather than tell a story. (The fact that Mr. O'Neal was willing to turn in such an innocuous performance at the pinnacle of his career speaks volumes for the star's character.) As with all of Kubrick's films, don't expect entertainment. This is art. That is why it gets such wildly mixed reviews. Where most of today's filmed entertainment is the cinematic equivalent of rock-n-roll, Kubrick's films are mostly waltzes. If you come to this film expecting a patient, moving, wonderfully detailed painterly film with a fantastic score, you will enjoy it immensely. This is the difinitive example of film as art.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Film with a mediocre plot
Review: I think the best way to describe this film, is that it's more of a journey through the lead characters life, than it is a story with moral or purpose. It contains remarkable footage of the Irish countryside, the British Redcoats, the Prussian army and opulent French parlours. As the film turns though, we are left with less adventure and more humanity. True sadness and an unpleasant ending for a character you never really get to like. This film is amazing to watch especially on DVD, it just lacks redeeming values and leaves the viewer only with a slice of life in an incredible period.
Rating:
Summary: Kubrick Likes Beauty
Review: This is one of my favorites from Kubrick. I think it's his best looking film. It's just so beautiful. It's like a moving painting. I've heard so many horror stories about the making of this film. It had to have been exhausting. But you see the great results. Next to "A Clockwork Orange", I would say "Barry Lyndon" has the finest acting out of any Kubrick film. It feels like you are actually looking back in time. Very authentic. I can't believe Kubrick wrote the entire script AND produced AND directed. Such ambitious people don't come around often. My only complaint about the DVD is the picture and sound quality. Could've been better.
Rating:
Summary: Most Perfectly Crafted Period Film of All Time
Review: I somehow missed viewing Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon when it was first released in the 1970's. Recently I spotted it at a video store and took it home. Barry Lyndon is arguably the most beautiful and perfectly crafted period piece of all time. Though contemporary critics were not impressed, I believe it is an overlooked Kubrick masterpiece. There is no trace of the time in which the actual film was made, a phenomenon that prevents many lesser period pieces from aging gracefully. This may be due to the incredible detail used to create the wardrobe, set design, period music and breathtaking panoramic views of Ireland and Europe. The camera holds these views in its frame for unusually long periods of time compared to most films. I believe these views help hold the film together and keep it moving, showing us the incredible beauty of certain European landscapes from a vantage point bearing a similarity to certain paintings by Breughell. This aspect reminded me of 2001 A Space Oddysey because of the exaggerated feeling of vastness and impartiality. The film is rather beautifully narrated in period style, adding an additional dimension of authenticity, and a sort of sadness in that we know what is going to befall Barry before it actuallly happens. Certain scenes are lit entirely by candle, and are the most beautiful and focused of any period film I have experienced. A duel that takes place in an old chapel turned stable is astonishingly beautiful, with doves flying around in a far corner of the large room while one man attempts to take the life of another. The long camera shots of people in period rooms bore an eerie similarity to the final scenes in 2001, where we first see the man in the space suit invading the solitude of his own persona-- in an ultra modern and minimilist setting-- at an advanced age. I think people who dismiss Barry Lyndon as a dry and unecessarily long period piece by the master filmaker Stanley Kubrick do it a great injustice. What needs to be said about Kubrick is that he could create A Clockwork Orange, 2001 and Barry Lyndon, all taking place in different time periods and utilizing vastly different subject matter, yet all evoking the particular time or place so convincingly and authentically, because of the incredible attention to detail. This causes us to be there 100% as viewers. Very few films succeed in this regard. The final scenes of Barry Lyndon, a man whom we come to loathe during the telling of his life story, show his final mental and physical ruin in a way so poignant that we are overcome with a feeling of compassion. These final scenes, accompanied by the sumptuous yet mournful Schubert piano trio in E flat opus 100, are some of the most haunting and memorable ever brought to the screen.
Rating:
Summary: Better than I remembered - poor DVD transfer
Review: Just re-viewed this after many years. First, the DVD itself was disapointing - mine was part of the Kubrick Collection 6 DVD set. All the other DVDs work well (though i hate the fact that some of them are full screen - despite the fact that's supposedly what Kubrick wanted) - but this DVD is doubled layered - and my DVD player has a lot of trouble reading the disk - with screen pauses between each scene! But the film itself was very entertaining - yes it's long, but the cinematography is great - and I noticed all sorts of trick Kubrick plays with the viewer -
Rating:
Summary: Kubrick's most underrated film
Review: Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" is seldom considered to be among his best films, despite winning numerous awards at the the time including four Oscars. Chiefly known as a technically accurate, beautifully filmed period piece, it offers much more. All of Kubrick's films use music effectively, but none surpass the soundtrack to "Barry Lyndon", including "2001".The script by Kubrick is perhaps his very best. This film contains a sense of wit and beauty that has not been equalled before or since. A magical film from the finest artist of this past century.
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