This was Stanley Kubrick's first foray into film, a 13-minute short following the minor boxer Walter Cartier the day of a fight. This short was based on Kubrick's pictorial layout for Look magazine entitled "Prizefighter", where Kubrick had followed Cartier around before a previous fight.
The short is in black and white, which serves the subject beautifully. Not much happens throughout the short film. Cartier, and his twin brother Vincent, walk to church, eat breakfast, and eat lunch, among other things. However, there were a few moments that stood out, one being the short part where Walter is looking at himself in the mirror. He messes with his hair, and then plays with his face and moves his nose around. This reminded me of the scene at end of "Raging Bull" when Jake LaMotta is contemplating himself in the mirror.
The action starts to pick up right before the fight. The editing builds the tension as we and the fighter wait. Then before we know it the fight has begun and is over. All day's preparation for 90 seconds of action. Luckily our hero comes out on top, and film ends.
A promising start to a legendary career.
The short is in black and white, which serves the subject beautifully. Not much happens throughout the short film. Cartier, and his twin brother Vincent, walk to church, eat breakfast, and eat lunch, among other things. However, there were a few moments that stood out, one being the short part where Walter is looking at himself in the mirror. He messes with his hair, and then plays with his face and moves his nose around. This reminded me of the scene at end of "Raging Bull" when Jake LaMotta is contemplating himself in the mirror.
The action starts to pick up right before the fight. The editing builds the tension as we and the fighter wait. Then before we know it the fight has begun and is over. All day's preparation for 90 seconds of action. Luckily our hero comes out on top, and film ends.
A promising start to a legendary career.