Colour Me Kubrick
Encyclopedia
Colour Me Kubrick: A True...ish Story (released in the US as Color Me Kubrick) is a French/British Dramedy film
directed by Brian W. Cook
, released in 2006 (March 23, 2007 in the US). The film stars John Malkovich
as Alan Conway
, a man who had been impersonating director Stanley Kubrick
since the early 1990s. The film follows the exploits of Conway as he goes from person to person, convincing them to give out money, liquor, and sexual favours for the promise of a part in "Kubrick's" next movie. The soundtrack, Colour Me Kubrick: The Original Soundtrack featured five songs co-written by Bryan Adams
.
with the after-effects of one of Alan Conway
's (Malkovich) minor cons
: two thugs are sent to collect a bar bill that Conway has generated by impersonating Kubrick. Conway has provided the address of an elderly couple as Kubrick's home address. Conway is nowhere to be seen, and the thugs are arrested by the police for causing a ruckus outside the house.
Following these events, the audience is taken through several of Conway's scams, including tricking a fashion designer, members of a heavy metal
band, and a popular bar owner. All of the victims are deceived into giving in to "Kubrick" for sums of money, free food and drinks, and even sexual favours. Conway actually knows little about Kubrick or his movies, so he simply puts on a different persona — from reserved English gentleman to flamboyant Jewish stereotype — with each victim. Conway deceives just about everyone he meets into thinking he is the reclusive director, except for a rent boy at a bar, who tests Conway by saying that his favourite Kubrick film is Judgment at Nuremberg
; when Conway begins an anecdote about directing the film, the young man tells him that Judgment at Nuremberg was directed by Stanley Kramer
, and Conway walks away.
Conway also has a run-in with Frank Rich
(William Hootkins
), a journalist from the New York Times. He meets Rich and his wife in a restaurant and confronts him about an article the New York Times ran on the real Kubrick. He is personally offended that the paper called Kubrick a recluse
, and wants them to know that he shaved off his beard. After this chance meeting, Rich instigates Kubrick to look further into the identity of the man he met.
One of the biggest scams is when Conway promises to help establish Lee Pratt (Jim Davidson
) as a performing star in Las Vegas
. Pratt is a British entertainer that has seen limited success as a flamboyant dancer and stage singer. Pratt is described as a "low-rent Liberace
with an Elvis gleam in his eye." Conway makes huge promises to get Pratt a permanent seat in the spotlight in Las Vegas
. While Pratt, Conway, and Pratt's manager try to decide how to conquer America, Conway lives a life of luxury on Pratt's bill. He sleeps in a high class hotel consuming vodka and cigarettes, until Pratt's manager becomes suspicious and catches Conway in the act. Conway is thrown out of Pratt's life and off a pier in another homage to A Clockwork Orange
.
From there, Rich exposes Conway's lies, and Conway is sent to a hospital after an apparent nervous breakdown
— which, of course, is another of Conway's elaborate ruses. His case is published by his doctor and he is sent to the Rimini
Clinic, a centre where famous celebrities go for rehabilitation
. Conway is shown to be living the good life, and the movie ends with him relaxing in a hot tub (with the Ray Noble Orchestra
with Al Bowlly
version of "Midnight, the Stars and You" playing on the soundtrack, harking back to the finale of The Shining
).
by some famous names.
. Alan Conway had been impersonating Kubrick for many years, but it was during the filming of Eyes Wide Shut
that the information reached the director. Kubrick's assistant, Anthony Frewin, had been receiving various calls and complaints of people who had met with Conway, while he was impersonating Kubrick, and were offered money, gifts, or even parts in upcoming movies. Frewin brought the information to Kubrick, who asked to find those affected. Very little progress was made in reprimanding Conway, however, because none of the people who were conned
would come forward. Frewin decided to write these accounts and stories into a screenplay, which would later become Colour Me Kubrick.
Brian Cook, an assistant director who worked with Kubrick on many films, including Eyes Wide Shut, read Frewin's work and enjoyed it. Cook also knew of Conway's actions, and how they affected Kubrick's work and personal life. He mentioned that one of the worst incidents was "when he signed Stanley's name on a bank loan for a gay
club in Soho
". Cook made his debut as director on the film.
, Russia
, Portugal
) and on March 23, 2007 in the United States
. The film received mixed to negative reviews. Colour Me Kubrick, as of April 2009, has an average Metacritic
score of 57 of 100. Most critics criticised the story for a lack of depth. Tasha Robinson of the A.V. Club stated "it literally only has one idea in its head, and when that idea runs dry, it's as lost as Conway is without his plethora of Kubrick masks."
The critics seemed to agree that Malkovich's performance was the high point of the movie. Brian Tallerico of UGO said "even if the film is essentially a one-man show, a one-man show starring John Malkovich is bound to be really damn good."
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Brian W. Cook
Brian W. Cook
-Career:Cook has worked as a producer and assistant director on five films with Michael Cimino, three films with Stanley Kubrick and two with Sean Penn. His recent producing credits include The Piano Player, The Pledge and Eyes Wide Shut. In 2005, he directed Colour Me Kubrick starring John...
, released in 2006 (March 23, 2007 in the US). The film stars John Malkovich
John Malkovich
John Gavin Malkovich is an American actor, producer, director and fashion designer with his label Technobohemian. Over the last 25 years of his career, Malkovich has appeared in more than 70 motion pictures. For his roles in Places in the Heart and In the Line of Fire, he received Academy Award...
as Alan Conway
Alan Conway
Alan Conway became known for impersonating the film director Stanley Kubrick. Conway and his wife were travel agents with offices in Harrow, Muswell Hill and London.-Early years:...
, a man who had been impersonating director Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
since the early 1990s. The film follows the exploits of Conway as he goes from person to person, convincing them to give out money, liquor, and sexual favours for the promise of a part in "Kubrick's" next movie. The soundtrack, Colour Me Kubrick: The Original Soundtrack featured five songs co-written by Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
.
Plot
Colour Me Kubrick begins with a direct homage to A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange (film)
A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
with the after-effects of one of Alan Conway
Alan Conway
Alan Conway became known for impersonating the film director Stanley Kubrick. Conway and his wife were travel agents with offices in Harrow, Muswell Hill and London.-Early years:...
's (Malkovich) minor cons
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
: two thugs are sent to collect a bar bill that Conway has generated by impersonating Kubrick. Conway has provided the address of an elderly couple as Kubrick's home address. Conway is nowhere to be seen, and the thugs are arrested by the police for causing a ruckus outside the house.
Following these events, the audience is taken through several of Conway's scams, including tricking a fashion designer, members of a heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band, and a popular bar owner. All of the victims are deceived into giving in to "Kubrick" for sums of money, free food and drinks, and even sexual favours. Conway actually knows little about Kubrick or his movies, so he simply puts on a different persona — from reserved English gentleman to flamboyant Jewish stereotype — with each victim. Conway deceives just about everyone he meets into thinking he is the reclusive director, except for a rent boy at a bar, who tests Conway by saying that his favourite Kubrick film is Judgment at Nuremberg
Judgment at Nuremberg
Judgment at Nuremberg is a 1961 American drama film dealing with the Holocaust and the Post-World War II Nuremberg Trials. It was written by Abby Mann, directed by Stanley Kramer, and starred Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Werner Klemperer, Marlene Dietrich, Judy...
; when Conway begins an anecdote about directing the film, the young man tells him that Judgment at Nuremberg was directed by Stanley Kramer
Stanley Kramer
Stanley Earl Kramer was an American film director and producer. Kramer was responsible for some of Hollywood's most famous "message" movies...
, and Conway walks away.
Conway also has a run-in with Frank Rich
Frank Rich
Frank Rich is an American essayist and op-ed columnist who wrote for The New York Times from 1980, when he was appointed its chief theatre critic, until 2011...
(William Hootkins
William Hootkins
William Michael Hootkins was an American character actor, most famous for supporting roles in Hollywood blockbusters such as Star Wars, Batman and Raiders of the Lost Ark.-Early life:...
), a journalist from the New York Times. He meets Rich and his wife in a restaurant and confronts him about an article the New York Times ran on the real Kubrick. He is personally offended that the paper called Kubrick a recluse
Recluse
A recluse is a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society, often close to nature. The word is from the Latin recludere, which means "shut up" or "sequester." There are many potential reasons for becoming a recluse: a personal philosophy that rejects consumer society; a...
, and wants them to know that he shaved off his beard. After this chance meeting, Rich instigates Kubrick to look further into the identity of the man he met.
One of the biggest scams is when Conway promises to help establish Lee Pratt (Jim Davidson
Jim Davidson (comedian)
Jim Davidson OBE is a British comedian, actor and television presenter. He has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment, particularly of British service personnel in conflict zones.- Biography :The son of a Glaswegian father, Davidson was born in...
) as a performing star in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. Pratt is a British entertainer that has seen limited success as a flamboyant dancer and stage singer. Pratt is described as a "low-rent Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
with an Elvis gleam in his eye." Conway makes huge promises to get Pratt a permanent seat in the spotlight in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. While Pratt, Conway, and Pratt's manager try to decide how to conquer America, Conway lives a life of luxury on Pratt's bill. He sleeps in a high class hotel consuming vodka and cigarettes, until Pratt's manager becomes suspicious and catches Conway in the act. Conway is thrown out of Pratt's life and off a pier in another homage to A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange is a 1962 dystopian novella by Anthony Burgess. The novel contains an experiment in language: the characters often use an argot called "Nadsat", derived from Russian....
.
From there, Rich exposes Conway's lies, and Conway is sent to a hospital after an apparent nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
— which, of course, is another of Conway's elaborate ruses. His case is published by his doctor and he is sent to the Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...
Clinic, a centre where famous celebrities go for rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
. Conway is shown to be living the good life, and the movie ends with him relaxing in a hot tub (with the Ray Noble Orchestra
Ray Noble (musician)
Ray Noble was an English bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day...
with Al Bowlly
Al Bowlly
Albert Allick Bowlly was a Southern-African singer, songwriter, composer and band leader, who became a popular Jazz crooner during the 1930s in the United Kingdom and later, in the United States of America. He recorded more than 1,000 records between 1927 and 1941...
version of "Midnight, the Stars and You" playing on the soundtrack, harking back to the finale of The Shining
The Shining (film)
The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. A writer, Jack Torrance, takes a job as an...
).
Cameos
Colour Me Kubrick has several short cameosCameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
by some famous names.
| Full Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Ken Russell Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church... |
The Man in a Nightgown |
| Honor Blackman Honor Blackman Honor Blackman is an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in The Avengers and Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger .-Early life:... |
Madam |
| Richard E. Grant Richard E. Grant Richard E. Grant is a Swaziland-born British actor, screenwriter and director. His most notable role came in the film Withnail and I. He holds dual British and Swazi citizenship.-Early life:... |
Jasper, a wine merchant |
| Peter Sallis Peter Sallis Peter Sallis, OBE is an English actor and entertainer, well-known for his work on British television. Although he was born and brought up in London, his two most notable roles require him to adopt the accents and mannerisms of a Northerner.Sallis is best known for his role as the main character... |
The Second Patient |
| Marc Warren Marc Warren Marc Warren is an English actor, known for his British television roles as Danny Blue in Hustle, Dougie Raymond in The Vice and Dominic Foy in State of Play.-Career:... |
Hud |
Production
The idea and screenplay for Colour Me Kubrick was conceived during the filming of Eyes Wide ShutEyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama film based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle . The film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and was his last film. The story, set in and around New York City, follows the sexually-charged adventures of Dr...
. Alan Conway had been impersonating Kubrick for many years, but it was during the filming of Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama film based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle . The film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and was his last film. The story, set in and around New York City, follows the sexually-charged adventures of Dr...
that the information reached the director. Kubrick's assistant, Anthony Frewin, had been receiving various calls and complaints of people who had met with Conway, while he was impersonating Kubrick, and were offered money, gifts, or even parts in upcoming movies. Frewin brought the information to Kubrick, who asked to find those affected. Very little progress was made in reprimanding Conway, however, because none of the people who were conned
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
would come forward. Frewin decided to write these accounts and stories into a screenplay, which would later become Colour Me Kubrick.
Brian Cook, an assistant director who worked with Kubrick on many films, including Eyes Wide Shut, read Frewin's work and enjoyed it. Cook also knew of Conway's actions, and how they affected Kubrick's work and personal life. He mentioned that one of the worst incidents was "when he signed Stanley's name on a bank loan for a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
club in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
". Cook made his debut as director on the film.
Release and Reception
Colour Me Kubrick was released in 2006 to various countries (FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
) and on March 23, 2007 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The film received mixed to negative reviews. Colour Me Kubrick, as of April 2009, has an average Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
score of 57 of 100. Most critics criticised the story for a lack of depth. Tasha Robinson of the A.V. Club stated "it literally only has one idea in its head, and when that idea runs dry, it's as lost as Conway is without his plethora of Kubrick masks."
The critics seemed to agree that Malkovich's performance was the high point of the movie. Brian Tallerico of UGO said "even if the film is essentially a one-man show, a one-man show starring John Malkovich is bound to be really damn good."