When a psychotic U.S. general launches a preemptive strike against Russia, the American president must deal with gung-ho military brass, bureaucratic bumblers, a drunken Soviet premier, and a twisted German rocket scientist. Stanley Kubrick's black-comedy masterpiece is one of the funniest, most insightful films ever made. DR. STRANGELOVE was originally going to be a thriller, but Kubrick found the many elements of the story darkly funny; he told film critic Joseph Gelmis, "It occurred to me that I was approaching the project in the wrong way. The only way to tell the story was as a black comedy or, better, a nightmare comedy, where the things you laugh at most are really the heart of the paradoxical postures that make a nuclear war possible." Thus, Kubrick hired Terry Southern, author of THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (the film version of which starred Peter Sellers); Southern said, "[Kubrick] would talk about the mechanics of making [DR. STRANGELOVE] totally credible and convincing in terms of the fail safe aspect and then try to make that funny. And the way you make it funny, because the situation is absurd, is by dealing with it in terms of the dialogue and characters." When the film first got reviewed more credit was given to Southern than to Kubrick, who bought ad space in American papers claiming that Southern had nothing to do with the success of the film. After Southern wrote a letter to the New York Times explaining how the collaboration actually worked, the minibattle was settled.

European filmmakers weren't the only cinematic artists to lay claim to coveted auteur status - the title directors earn when they leave such an indelible mark on a movie that it becomes a personal extension. Stanley Kubrick emerged as an American auteur as early as 1957 with the anti-war film, Paths of Glory. In The Stanley Kubrick Collection, a boxed set of seven films, viewers chart his outstanding career through his most influential films: from Lolita, 2001, A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon to The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Dr. Strangelove. The films appear in wide-screen letter box format and store in an attractive case. This is a wonderful library for any cinephile, particularly those interested in closely studying Kubrick's impact on film.

When Jack Torrance finds a job as a caretaker for an old, abandoned hotel during the winter, he thinks of it as the perfect place to focus on his writing. Even his son's misgivings about the move don't deter him. But soon after the Torrances arrive, strange things start happening... and it looks as if the spooky hotel has a plan of its own for Jack and his family.

Stanley Kubrick's unique spectacle tells the picaresque tale of Redmond Barry, a rougish youth who starts his foray into the world as a likable Irish lad, and ends up a rakish gambler. After a jealous Barry shoots his beloved cousin's fiance in a duel, he is forced to flee Barryville. He embarks on a journey that leads him to the continent as a British soldier -- a job he finds less than pleasant. But he survives, and hardened by his stretch in the army, finds his way into the highest gambling circles of Europe, where his newly acquired ruthlessness stands him in good stead. After deciding he would be well served by an advantageous marriage, Barry weds Lady Lyndon, the beautiful young widow of a wealthy English knight. With his new bride comes the sumptuous Lyndon estate and new-found respectability. As a stable society man, Barry takes on the task of becoming a peer... which eventually leads to his utter ruin.

DVD Features: Region 1 Keep Case Two Disc Set Full Frame - 1.33:1 Additional Release Material: Original Theatrical Trailer Interactive Features: Scene Access Interactive Menus

The epic saga of the rebellious slave Spartacus, adapted from Howard Fast's popular novel. Spartacus, a Thracian who was born into slavery, become one of the notorious Roman gladiators. During what became known in history as the Servile Wars, he led an uprising against the mighty Roman Republic; when his insurrection failed, the Romans captured and crucified him -- but his martyrdom in the cause of freedom has never been forgotten.

Filmed at Shepperton Studios, England. Complete title: "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb." Additional cast: Jack Creley (Staines); Frank Berry (Lieutenant H.R. Dietrich); Glenn Beck (Lieutenant W.D. Kivel); Paul Tamarin (Lieutenant B. Goldberg); Gordon Tanner (General Faceman); Robert O'Neil (Admiral Randolph); Roy Stephens (Frank). Film debut for actor James Earl Jones. Released theatrically in the USA January 30, 1964.

In this riveting look at military life during the Vietnam conflict, Stanley Kubrick, who made the powerful anti-war classics "Paths of Glory" and "Dr. Strangelove," once again explores the behavior of men in battle. "Full Metal Jacket", adapted from Gustav Hasford's novel "The Short Timers", follows several raw recruits as they endure the soul-breaking rigors of boot camp. The film focuses particularly on Private Joker, an aspiring photojournalist who provides the story's point of view. After surviving basic training, Joker initially goes to Vietnam as a member of the army's press corps, but ends up with a combat unit during the 1968 Tet Offensive.

DVD Features: Region 1 Keep Case Two Disc Set Full Frame - 1.33:1 Additional Release Material: Original Theatrical Trailer Interactive Features: Scene Access Interactive Menus

When a psychotic U.S. general launches a preemptive strike against Russia, the American president must deal with gung-ho military brass, bureaucratic bumblers, a drunken Soviet premier, and a twisted German rocket scientist. Stanley Kubrick's black-comedy masterpiece is one of the funniest, most insightful films ever made. DR. STRANGELOVE was originally going to be a thriller, but Kubrick found the many elements of the story darkly funny; he told film critic Joseph Gelmis, "It occurred to me that I was approaching the project in the wrong way. The only way to tell the story was as a black comedy or, better, a nightmare comedy, where the things you laugh at most are really the heart of the paradoxical postures that make a nuclear war possible." Thus, Kubrick hired Terry Southern, author of THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN (the film version of which starred Peter Sellers); Southern said, "[Kubrick] would talk about the mechanics of making [DR. STRANGELOVE] totally credible and convincing in terms of the fail safe aspect and then try to make that funny. And the way you make it funny, because the situation is absurd, is by dealing with it in terms of the dialogue and characters." When the film first got reviewed more credit was given to Southern than to Kubrick, who bought ad space in American papers claiming that Southern had nothing to do with the success of the film. After Southern wrote a letter to the New York Times explaining how the collaboration actually worked, the minibattle was settled.