So with the colorful history of A.I. comes people’s perceptions about this and that and how much of the film was really Kubrick’s and how much of it was Spielberg’s. The thing is though, most of the film is really still Kubrick–and you can tell that it is. After the film was released and people got all crotchedy about what they perceived to be a poor film due to “Spielberg taking over a Kubrick vision”, everyone made assumptions. They assumed that Spielberg added in all this cheesy, emotional business. It’s a fair call to make since we all know how Spielberg likes to mix in heartbreak and sadness with his Science Fiction. BUT listen to this: it was in fact Kubrick’s vision to have the story go to places of emotional upheaval. The beginning, and the end–the most emotional bits in the film were all Kubrick.
Spielberg says himself, “it was Stanley who did the sweetest parts of A.I., not me. I’m the guy who did the dark center of the movie, with the Flesh Fair and everything else. That’s why he wanted me to make the movie in the first place. He said, ‘This is much closer to your sensibilities than my own.”
So yes, Spielberg took the vision and made it his own, but there is still a strong sense of Kubrick emanating from much of A.I. Can’t you feel it? It’s in the simplistic way that the film is shot in its beginning and end. There is this amazingly pure feeling there, that isn’t compromised by anything. There are so many shots that are just…nice. I can’t even describe them.
I just saw this movie for the first time. Yes, seriously. Truthfully, I’m glad that it worked out this way. I’ve seen Kubrick’s films about 2 times each with not seeing Clockwork Orange, 2001 or Eyes Wide Shut until this year. Over the last 2 years, I watched all of Spielberg’s highest rated movies that had eluded me. I think I was primed to finally give this film a fair viewing.
I loved it. Complex, confusing at times and worth a re-watch but it was wonderful. I don’t really care about which parts of the film were Spielberg or Kubrick. The film works.