Stanley Kubrick famously avoided the press, which makes this one feel like a small event for film fans: a rare, nearly three-hour conversation with the director, recorded in 1972, will be released in full on January 7, 2027.
The interview was conducted by Joseph Gelmis, then the film critic for Newsday, around the release of A Clockwork Orange. Turner Classic Movies and Criterion will publish the complete recording as a bonus episode of their podcast The Plot Thickens, whose current season, titled “Stanley,” is devoted to Kubrick’s life and career. Excerpts have already been used throughout the season, but this is the first time listeners will hear the whole thing.
What Kubrick Talks About
According to TCM, the conversation ranges well beyond one film. Kubrick discusses how he directs actors, his early days as an independent filmmaker, the difference between watching movies at home and in a theater, and the moral questions raised by A Clockwork Orange, including the unsettling charisma of its central character, Alex.
There are lighter moments too. Kubrick talks about football and his pets, and even describes a one-dollar copper bracelet he wore because he believed it eased shoulder pain from playing ping pong.
How to Listen
The season is hosted by TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz, with new episodes arriving on Thursdays. The full Gelmis interview drops January 7, followed on January 14 by a second bonus episode: a recording of TCM’s sold-out Kubrick panel at the Aero Theatre with Jason Reitman, dialect coach Elizabeth Himelstein and critic Kenneth Turan, held ahead of a screening of Dr. Strangelove.
Both episodes will be available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and other major podcast apps.