Eyes Wide Shut

This has to be one of the worst films I have ever seen. It really made no sense to me. To me it seems like a film someone made re their own sexual fantasies which isn't necessarily of any interest to anyone else.

Lots of rich white Americans living the high life in New York ... yawn ... oh yeah, and there's some softcore sex too.

I found everything about this film really mesmerizing, from the acting, to the music, to the cinematography, to the sheer bizarreness of some scenes, which seems to have alienated a lot of viewers. Tom Cruise has never been better; Kidman unfortunately is a little underused which would be one of my only criticisms of the film. The use of Venetian masks is also a great artistic touch which makes the scenes at the mansion all the more memorable. Personally I think there is more to the film than 'just sex'; for instance, fear, mortality, paranoia, curiosity, insecurity and professional ambition are all confronted by Cruise's character. I think a lot of people have taken the film at face value and thought 'there's an orgy, there's a prostitute, it must only be about sex'. Perhaps the film does require a bit more effort from the viewer in order to get the most out of it, but I still think it merits a solid 8/10.

Maybe i missed something vital here... but what a load of sh*t, this was 2 & half hours i will never get back in my life!

The music made me want to punch someone, and really iriated me....

The storyline was disjointed and just randomly weird!

STANLEY KUBRICK was a director who didn’t like to be rushed. He took his time. He had wanted to make EYES WIDE SHUT in the 1970’s – but, for whatever reason, he did not.

EYES WIDE SHUT began production in 1996 and would not wrap post-production until 1999. That’s 3 years! On board where two of Hollywood’ s hottest superstars: Cruise and Kidman. This would be Kubrick’s first film in something like 14 years - since FULL METAL JACKET (1987), and anticipation was high.

Based on an Arthur Schnitzler story: “Traumnovelle” , Eyes Wide Shut is the story of a well-to-do young couple who explore infidelity, jealousy and sexual obsession in their marriage.

Why people in general are down on Eyes Wide Shut, I genuinely don’t know. The trailer featured Cruise and Kidman - both naked, kissing and fondling in front of a mirror, to the sound of Chris Isaak. Kubrick was rumoured to be making a Hollywood porn film with A-list stars, so people and critics were probably expecting a bonkfest and were surprised when this didn’t happen. In fact, I seem to recall that Total Film magazine said in it’s review of Eyes Wide Shut that the film is: “As erotically charged as watching paint dry”.

As a result Eyes Wide Shut didn’t do well at the box office. It’s a great shame really. I saw it in the cinema when it came out in 1999 and I loved it. All the time I was very aware that I was watching the Last Great Film made by one of The Last Great Film-makers. This is a Great Film – the story is totally captivating, Cruise and Kidman are excellent, the film is deeply atmospheric and disturbing, there is superb use of lighting and cinematography, music, sound…

The supporting cast is great too: SYDNEY POLLACK as Dr. Bill’s rich patient, Victor Ziegler, RADE SHERBEDGIA as Milich, the man who owns the Rainbow Fashions shop, and ALAN CUMMING as the gay hotel desk clerk – all of them give very memorable performances.

My two favourite sequences in the film are: First: the long orgy scene at Luton Hoo: “Password, sir?” with LEON VITALI as Red Cloak, who says to Cruise: “Very well. You are free. But I warn you – if you make any further enquiries, or if you say a single word to ANYONE about what you have seen. There will be the most DIRE CONSEQUENCES for you AND your family. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”. The whole scene has creepy music by Jocelyn Pook - and a really scary piece of piano music which is just made up of two chords.

Second: the long drawn-out scene in Zeigler’s library with the red baize snooker table: “Please Bill. No games. I was there. At the house” – POLLACK is brilliant here.

Much has been made of the repetition in Eyes Wide Shut. I am OK with it. The viewer has to assume that Cruise’s character has been awake for 24 hrs – maybe 48 hrs straight. He’s tired – and when you are tired you do repeat things and stutter a lot. The repetition in the film adds to the realism.

Kubrick has been criticised for not being an emotional director – that his films are cold and cynical. But Eyes Wide Shut has a wonderful, redemptive ending which is incredibly optimistic.

Stanley Kubrick died on March 7, 1999, a few days after having shown Warner Bros. his finished final cut of the film. This was the film that was released several months later. Kubrick had total control over final cut and pretty much everything else to do with the films he made. He didn’t really make enough films (he should’ve made A. I.: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE and he should’ve made his NAPOLEON biopic). Many of the crew who worked with him had done so for years: JAN HARLAN (brother-in-law and Executive Producer on most of his films), ANTHONY FREWIN (his Personal Assistant), LEON VITALI (Actor/Personal Assistant/Casting for Eyes Wide Shut) and that’s what made his films so good because he surrounded himself with the right people.

EYES WIDE SHUT closes the door on the long and brilliant career of Stanley Kubrick. It is the Last Great Film made by one of the Last Great Film-makers.

As Victor Ziegler says: “Life goes on. It always does. Until it doesn’t”.