Kubrick Collection: 'Eyes Wide Shut'

One of his best and most underrated films

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Friday, November 9th 2007 at 8:12 AM

We come to the final film in the Stanley Kubrick Collection of DVDs and before this collection hit my hands I didn't really look at Eyes Wide Shut one way or another. I had only seen it once and simply remember all the controversy surrounding the film's sexuality and the fact Warner Bros. went in and digitally added people to the orgy scenes to ensure an R-rating, something Kubrick was contractually obligated to deliver.

Of course, as I assume most of you know, Kubrick died just after making what was reported to be his final cut of Eyes Wide Shut. The one piece of the Kubrick story that really amazes me was that after he made Spartacus, a film widely documented that Kubrick was not entirely satisfied with because he felt star Kirk Douglas took over the production, Kubrick said he would demand final cut on the rest of his films. This was never a problem, but then, immediately after he dies his final film is edited from his final cut. I am not quite sure how to look at it, but it goes to show how powerful Kubrick really was as it took him dying for a studio to finally touch his work.

No matter, a film releasing in 1999 starring Tom Cruise and wife Nicole Kidman, filled with sexually explicit scenes, a naked Nicole and was the final film from a legendary filmmaker, Eyes Wide Shut was going to be seen regardless of edits and CGI additions. The film grossed $55 million at the box-office, and I can guarantee you there were most likely several upset patrons as this is not a mainstream film, but it is much better than I remember it being.

Not even Yoda and Anakin could hide all the action. Mouse over for Unrated version

I had only seen Eyes Wide Shut once before this new DVD arrived boasting the unrated version of the film. Yup, there were no digital characters to block the sex-filled action, but in all honesty I didn't see anything that would have earned this film an NC-17 rating, but then again I am not a prude.

The interesting thing about standing back and looking at the five Stanley Kubrick films in this collection you can tell he was examining genres and wanted to make the best sci-fi film (2001), the best war film (Full Metal Jacket), the best horror film (The Shining), the best psychological thriller/drama/comedy (Clockwork Orange) and with Eyes Wide Shut I would say it is his attempt at the best relationship drama… at least that is how I look at it.

The mystery and thrilling intrigue in Eyes Wide Shut is all simply a means to an end; Kubrick's way of using certain storylines to show just how fucked up Bill and Alice's marriage really is. From the very beginning you are instantly questioning their relationship as Alice plays cutesy with Sandor Szavost ("I'm Hungarian") and Bill is getting quite close with a couple of models before attending to a drug overdose upstairs. This all quickly moves from the party to a quick "sex" scene (if you can call it that) accompanied by Chris Isaac’s "Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing" and one of the greatest scenes ever, and not because of Kidman's nudity.

Just out of curiosity, which side of the image above are you looking at? The innocent right side, or the more revealing left side? Just stop and look at that screen capture, examine it. It is almost as if there are two different films playing at once. It is light vs. dark, and it plays on the idea of looking at the same situation differently… Eyes wide open? No, Eyes Wide Shut… The title says it all.

Following this scene is where our story really begins and hidden desires begin to surface. Alice and Bill discuss the party and the two models Bill was with and the man Alice was with, and the temptations, or lack thereof, to stray from their marriage. Bill insists he would always remain faithful and Alice tells Bill a story that sticks with him throughout the rest of the film. It is a story that plays inside his mind that you as a viewer are never sure whether it was simply a fantasy of Alice's or if it was real. This all plays back to looking at the same situation differently.

I am not going to go over the entire movie, but you will soon see dreams become reality and reality become dreams. People wear masks because they are afraid of who they really are. The best example of this would be Domino, the prostitute. Our preconceived idea of prostitutes is that they are dirty and disgusting, but Domino has something of a welcoming and warm quality to her. As if the name Domino doesn't say enough about this character there is something especially interesting about this scene that I only recently noticed thanks to my research of the film around the Net for this article.

The image above is of Domino as she lies on the bed waiting for Bill as he talks to Alice on the phone. Notice the stuffed animal behind her. Normally I don't read this deep into a movie, but this little revelation I found quite interesting. Now for the next picture.

This is a screen capture from the final scene of the film, take notice of the stuffed animal behind Alice, it can't be a mistake or a happy coincidence considering it is the exact same kind of stuffed tiger. Just before Alice ends the movie with the immortal word, "Fuck," Kubrick is painting her as a whore and nothing else. No better than Domino the prostitute that also lured in Bill with the promise of sex as s domineering woman. I hate the fact that we never got to see more films from Kubrick, but I can't imagine a more powerful and equally memorable way of going out.

As far as special features go on this new DVD and the HD DVD, both promise that they include not only the Unrated cut of the film, but also the rated version. This is not true, it is only the unrated version that is on each disc. My biggest disappointment however is not having a commentary track by a Kubrick historian or even bringing in Cruise and Pollack to chat away over the film. I think it plays back to also not including Barry Lyndon, Lolita or Paths of Glory; as impressive as this collection is, it still feels a bit rushed.

The featurettes and documentaries on the second disc, however, are interesting as one is an impressive 3-part documentary on the making of the film and another takes a peek at the films Kubrick never got to make such as his Napoleon film and the work he never finished on Steven Spielberg's A.I.

While Eyes Wide Shut is probably my second or third favorite film, it is unfortunate it is the one film in this collection without an audio commentary. But if you were to start buying this collection piece meal style I would certainly recommending starting with A Clockwork Orange and Eyes Wide Shut, along with Dr. Strangelove they are my favorite films from a legendary director.

• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• A Clockwork Orange
• The Shining
• Full Metal Jacket

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