The title of this documentary on Leon Vitali, the British actor who became Stanley Kubrick's personal assistant for over 20 years, comes from the job description that Vitali wrote on his travel documents: filmworker. At the beginning of a successful career on stage and screen (both big and small), Vitali landed a major role in Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975) and became fascinated by Kubrick's working methods. When Kubrick invited Vitali to help him cast the boy in The Shining, he embraced the opportunity and then spent the next two decades as Kubrick's right hand, doing everything from scouting locations to historical research to coaching actors on the set. Filmmaker Tony Zierra is clearly fascinated by Vitali's devotion to Kubrick during his lifetime, a relationship that was often thankless and came at the expense of Vitali's acting career. But Vitali remains proud of his role in helping Kubrick bring his visions to the screen and in overseeing the legacy of Kubrick’s work since his death. This portrait of one man's service to a genius pays tribute to his "sacrifice" without delving too deeply into the often-dysfunctional relationship between the two or exploring Vitali's life outside of Kubrick's orbit. Interviewees including Ryan O'Neal, Danny Lloyd, Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, and Stellan Skarsgård, among others, share their memories of Vitali's work on the films. A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)
Filmworker
Kino Lorber, 93 min., not rated, DVD: $29.99 Volume 33, Issue 6
Filmworker
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