Stanley Kubrick is considered one of the finest filmmakers in history. He has a catalog that ranges from the greatest horror film ever made, to some intense thrillers and light-hearted comedies. It’s impossible to imagine Kubrick as a young man, but almost 50 years before his final film, Eyes Wide Shut, was released, he was a newbie with a vision for works of cinematic greatness.
Looking at his impressive catalog, each film could be assigned into a Hogwarts house. Whether the film tackles themes of the bravery seen in Gryffindor, the cunning of Slytherin, the loyalty of Hufflepuff or the intelligence of Ravenclaw, this article will look at all of his films through the lens of the Harry Potter universe.
Fear And Desire - Hufflepuff
Fear And Desire was Stanley Kubrick’s first full-length (sort of, it was only an hour-long) film. It told the story of an unnamed war and took on his famous anti-war stance.
This good-natured opposition to war is quite in line with what Harry Potter fans could imagine Hufflepuff’s stance would be.
Killer’s Kiss - Slytherin & Hufflepuff
On the one hand, Killer’s Kiss is about Davey Gordon’s relationship with Vincent Rapallo, a violent man with the cunning, manipulative tendencies of a Slytherin.
On the other, the film ends with a rather wholesome, nice romance between Davey and Gloria, that brings a Hufflepuff positivity into the mix.
The Killing - Slytherin
The Killing has Slytherin overtones through and through.
Much of the plot revolves around a plot to steal $2 million from a racetrack, which is executed using the cunning most associated with clear members of Slytherin house.
Paths Of Glory - Hufflepuff, Gryffindor & Slytherin
Paths Of Glory is a rather complex one. The Kirk Douglas film is another of Kubrick’s anti-war masterpieces and shows off this Hufflepuff viewpoint clearly throughout.
However, it also has the complex battle between the brave (Gryffindor) decision made by the soldiers to cancel a suicidal attack, and the manipulative (Slytherin) attempts to have them court-martialled for cowardice.
Spartacus - Gryffindor
Spartacus is a very long film. Considering Kubrick had only recently graduated from his hour-long features, the more than three-hour runtime of Spartacus is a tough one to get through.
However, if you like themes of Gryffindor bravery, this one might be for you: it tells the story of the titular character’s brave leadership of a slave revolt.
Lolita - Slytherin
Considering Kubrick made some incredibly controversial films over his time, Lolita might be up there with the strangest of the bunch.
It centers on a relationship between a middle-aged lecturer and a young girl. His characterization is difficult to associate with any house except for Slytherin.
Dr. Strangelove - Hufflepuff & Gryffindor)
Dr. Strangelove is one of Kubrick’s comedies that touches on such dramatic topics that it’s rather difficult to class it as such. Still, it is considered to be one of the best comedies of all time.
The joint Hufflepuff and Gryffindor classification comes from the light-hearted humor that appears much of the time, combined with the genuine bravery of its protagonists.
2001: A Space Odyssey - Ravenclaw
2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the most impressive feats of cinema ever. For Kubrick to have made a grand, space-based film in the 1960s that holds up visually today is truly incredible.
Obviously, the genius of this film on both a filmmaking level and its actual content means we can’t sort this one into any house except for Ravenclaw, who are known for their intelligence.
A Clockwork Orange - Slytherin
A Clockwork Orange is probably the one Kubrick film that can be considered more controversial than Lolita.
The graphic depiction of needless violence is something that can be instantly linked to the Death Eaters, who are almost exclusively Slytherin.
Barry Lyndon - Ravenclaw & Slytherin
Barry Lyndon came in the middle of Kubrick’s most impressive period, but it certainly isn’t one of his most impressive works of cinema.
The central character has some very Slytherin motivations, but he combines them with an impressively intelligent approach to climbing the social ladder.
The Shining - Slytherin & Ravenclaw
The Shining might be hated by the man that wrote it, Stephen King, but nobody else can deny its brilliance. It can easily be considered the greatest horror film ever made, and wouldn’t be out of place on a list of the best films ever made.
Of course, Jack Torrance’s mental decline has to be associated to the Slytherin mindset. However, the fact that many of the film’s biggest moments are up for interpretation means we have to consider the intelligence of Ravenclaw in this sorting.
Full Metal Jacket - Slytherin & Gryffindor
Returning to his anti-war mentality, Full Metal Jacket is the gritty, realistic depiction of what it was like for U.S. Marines in training.
The sorting of this film into Slytherin and Gryffindor is rather simple: the twisted mind of the drill instructor is Slytherin through and through, and the brave privates in training are most certainly Gryffindor.
Eyes Wide Shut - Ravenclaw
Eyes Wide Shut was Stanley Kubrick’s final ever film, released a few months after his death.
It starred Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as they navigated a sexually-charged mystery that was full of clever, Ravenclaw-esque twists and turns.