Lenses that lensed Clockwork Orange

[GeorgeSelinsky]

I was curious if anyone knew for fact what lenses were used to lens Kubrick's Clockwork Orange? I know that there was the use of a 16mm Anginieux zoom fitted with a CP 1.6X extender for some of the shots, and an ultrawide 9mm Cooke for some of the shots, but what was the standard package? To me the glass looks and flares similarly to my Cooke Ser II and III's.

 

 

Incidentally, a lot of the film was supposedly shot on a blimped Arri IIc from the production stills I've seen. I don't think any BNCR's were involved.

 

- G.

[Mitch Gross]

Not a Cooke 9mm but a Kinoptik 9.8. Same lens that was used later to such great effect in the Steadicam/maze sequence at the end of The Shining.

[Christian Appelt]

If you want to see a lot of Kubrick lenses, including the Kinoptik lens used for the ultra wide angle shot in CLOCKWORK, also Kubrick's Arriflex 35, Mitchell BNC and much more equipment like this (not to forget the Zeiss Planar 50mm f0.7 from BARRY LYNDON) - they will be on display at the German Film Museum, Frankfurt on the Main as a part of the exhibition STANLEY KUBRICK opening March 31, 2004.

 

During the next two years this unique exhibition will travel, possibly also to England and Los Angeles. Here's more information:

 

Stanley Kubrick exhibition

[Mitch Gross]

Great Link! I hope that exhibit comes to New York or I can make my way to it.

[Christian Appelt]

Update on the Kubrick exhibition:

 

 

the exhibition is open now, all equipment including Kubrick's favourite cameras, lenses and his custom-built front projector has been restored by Mr. Joe Dunton, BSC and is on display at the German Film Museum.

 

All lenses, their origin, adaptations and use are commented by Joe Dunton (on video) in the exhibition, Mr. Kubrick's 65mm Mitchell BFC camera is set up on a fully funtional front projection rig that can be tried by the visitors.

 

Many original costumes (e.g. from SPARTACUS, BARRY LYNDON, THE SHINING. EYES WIDE SHUT), props, sketches, documents, photos from shooting all Kubrick films and even his still cameras from his LOOK photographer days can be seen.

 

I will post the other locations and dates of the exhibition when they have been decided on.

[Mitch Gross]

Christian, thanks for the update. I really do hope that this exhibit makes it to me or I can make it to the exhibit.

[Gregory Lowry]

There are production stills from A Clockwork Orange showing Kubrick using a BNC (non-reflex) on the record store set. So he used the BNC, ARRI 2Cs with the ARRI blimp (the 400' mag version) and the Cine 60 blimp.

 

Apart from the previously mentioned Kinoptik 9.8, I don't know what fixed focal length lenses were used, but Cinema Products built Kubrick a zoom lens with a 20-1 or 25-1 ratio based on Angenieux components if I recall correctly (the memory grows fuzzy after 30 years) which was subsequently used on Barry Lyndon.

[Christian Appelt]

Here's an article by Ed DiGiulio about the 20-1 zoom; this lens and other special made lenses are on display too.

 

Special Lenses for Kubrick