Spectator engagement with characters -an analysis of Kubrick's characters-

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What makes Stanley Kubrickfs films and their characters so interesting? Why are we still seeking an explanation for his films? This paper will first explain the history of film theory and why character engagement is so important. Then will show how Kubrick, through various techniques, manipulates the spectatorfs engagement in order to achieve active engagement in part of the spectator.

This paper will use the systematic three-step approach to character engagement devised by the British cognitive film theorist Murray Smith and extend the theory to include narrative structures and other aspects of film to three films by Stanley Kubrick: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), and Barry Lyndon (1975).

This paper will conclude that Kubrick, using (not only) characters, narrative structure, and other aspects of film, manipulates the spectatorfs expectations, speculations, and schema in order achieve this active engagement.