Debuts from Christopher Nolan, Stanley Kubrick: Kenneth Turan’s pick

As the new year begins, what could be more fitting than a look at the first films of celebrated directors?

The folks at Criterion have given us 1998’s “Following,” the fine independent debut by Christopher Nolan, who shot it over a year while he was in film school in London.

Going even further back, Kino is releasing Stanley Kubrick’s “Fear and Desire,” his 1953 war film that has never been on any home video format and is virtually unseen even in a museum context. A chance to see what Stanley was hiding under the mat.

Though not his debut film, several early silent works by great German director Fritz Lang are also newly out on Kino. These include “Harakiri,” an adaptation of “Madame Butterfly,” “The Wandering Shadow” and “Four Around the Woman.”

Are you an aficionado of iconic Hollywood? Like our Classic Hollywood Facebook page to get more Times coverage.

ALSO:

“Singin’ in the Rain” is a glorious feeling

A century of French cinema in just two DVDs

“Blade Runner,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Heaven’s Gate”: The age of epics

PHOTOS AND MORE

VIDEO: The making of ‘Argo,’ ‘Les Miz’ and more