Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia. But may I ask, what is the password for the house? Where did you get it?" [5] Kubrick considered casting both Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger as Bill Harford and Alice Harford. "[73] Furthermore, he argues that "Eyes Wide Shut, though it was released in summer, was the Christmas movie of 1999. There are no more colorful Christmas lights and no tacky decorations. 1.1K. [37] Larry Smith, who had first served as a gaffer on both Barry Lyndon and The Shining, was chosen by Kubrick to be the film's cinematographer. Here we see Nick Nightingale playing the song Backwards Priest, meaning that people in the ritual actually hear that music and that the whole thing is choreographed to it. "[71] Harper's film critic, Lee Siegel, believes that the film's recurring motif is the Christmas tree, because it symbolizes the way that "Compared with the everyday reality of sex and emotion, our fantasies of gratification are pompous and solemn in the extreme For desire is like Christmas: it always promises more than it delivers. Masks gained so much popularity that themascherari(mask makers) became a venerated guild in Venetian society. AMA", "seluropnek comments on Stanley Kubrick's daughter Katharina Kubrick, and grandson Joe. Note that the multi-faced mask on the left which is similar to the one worn at the Royal party above. After leaving the apartment, Bill is followed by a mysterious figure. Citing contractual obligations to deliver an R rating, Warner Bros. digitally altered the orgy for the film's American release by blocking out graphic sexuality using additional figures to obscure the view in order to avoid an adults-only NC-17 rating that would have limited distribution, as some large American theaters and video store operators banned films with that rating. Nightingale is blindfolded because the profane cannot witness the occult rituals of the elite. . Whether this is to be believed or not, it is an exposition of Ziegler's view of the ways of the world as a member of the power elite. Red Cloak : That's right, sir! The Carnival celebrations became increasingly chaotic and debaucherous as the years progressed until their decline in the 18th Century. The official cause of death was from a heart attack. [83] The first footage was shown to theater owners attending the 1999 ShoWest convention in Las Vegas. [14] The party in the novella consists mostly of nude ballroom dancing. Eyes Wide Shut [Blu-ray] by Warner Home Video 4.2 (12) Unknown Binding $1999 FREE delivery Fri, Jan 6 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon Only 3 left in stock - order soon. Wherever possible, Smith made use of available light sources visible in the shots such as lamps and Christmas tree lights, but when this was insufficient he used Chinese paper ball lamps to softly brighten the scene and/or other types of film lighting. In a city-state so prosperous, its a small wonder that Venetian society was class-obsessed and rigidly stratified. Later, when Bill is unmasked, another magic circle is formed. The main characters are a couple named Fridolin and Albertina. His wife admits that she almost cheated on him and that leads his character through an odyssey of sexual and moral discovery. For a normal person who wasn't given a second password, confusion along with not trying to double bluff or making a second guess would be a totally legitmate response even if you were a guest who had been personally invited to the mansion. It is classified as such in the book The Erotic Thriller in Contemporary Cinema, by Linda Ruth Williams,[57] and was described as such in news articles about Cruise and Kidman's lawsuit over assertions that they saw a sex therapist during filming. The next day, they go Christmas shopping with their daughter, and Bill apologizes to Alice. The next night, while smoking marijuana, Alice and Bill discuss their unfulfilled temptations. Location: Brookings, Oregon. Those shadow men are pretty obvious. The previous DVD release used a 1.33:1 (4:3) aspect ratio. - The Kubrick Series", "Nicole Kidman on Life with Tom Cruise Through Stanley Kubrick's Lens", "On Kubrick A Talk With Kubrick Documentarian Jan Harlan", "Jan Harlan Keeps His Eyes Wide Open On New Ideas | Times Square New York City", "littleroom comments on Stanley Kubrick's daughter Katharina Kubrick, and grandson Joe. Eyes Wide Shut was first released in VHS, laserdisc, and DVD on March 7, 2000. [131][132], R. Lee Ermey, an actor in Kubrick's film Full Metal Jacket, stated that Kubrick phoned him two weeks before his death to express his despondency over Eyes Wide Shut. As such, Nelson argues that the sex ritual is a symbolic mirror of the darker truth behind the faade of Victor Ziegler's earlier Christmas party. The director died six days later. Easily move forward or backward to get to the perfect clip. In celebration of what the famed director means both to the medium and to the pod as well, this episode goes even further into an auteurist discussion than past episodes, as they disentangle its focused cinematography, layered performances, and to what degree this film acts a skeleton key to the rest of the man's oeuvre!Adam Nayman and Manuela Lazic'sRingerConversation - Make the Case: Eyes Wide Shut Is Actually a Comedy, and the Best Film of 1999, The Second Password - EYES WIDE SHUT (1999). Cate Blanchett Is Wary of 'Reductive' Comparisons Between 'TR' and 'Carol' Santa Barbara Launches with Oscar Tributes, from Cate Blanchett and Colin Farrell to Angela Bassett She insists on redeeming him, at a personal cost. I don't want to go away with Carl. [28], In 2019, it was revealed that Cate Blanchett had provided the voice of the mysterious masked woman at the orgy party. Table of Contents What is the password for the house in Eyes Wide Shut? Why is the password Fidelio? Join. This aspect of the movie, along with other hidden details, will be analyzed in the third and final part of this series of articles on Eyes Wide Shut. It is also the Italian word for fidelity, which is both fitting and ironic given the circumstances. By lor4rt. As it is the case for Beta Kittens whove gone rogue, she was eliminated by the people who controlled her life. Note: It is recommended that you read the first part of this series first. Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla at Clarence House with bauta masks. Mentmore Towers was built in the 19th century as a country house for a member of the most prominent and powerful elite family in the world: The Rothschilds. Bill isn't jealous of other men's attraction to Alice, believing women to be naturally faithful. This saying is actually a translation of Fais ce que tu voudras the motto of an 18th-century secret society, the infamous Hellfire Club. Kubrick was interested in adapting the story, and with the help of journalist Jay Cocks, bought the filming rights to the novel. [8] Kubrick invited his friend Michael Herr, who helped write Full Metal Jacket, to make revisions, but Herr declined for fear he would be underpaid and have to commit to a long production.[7]. It's also very funny at times, something some audiences perhaps haven't always fully appreciated . That evening, Bill tries to call Marion, but hangs up when her fianc answers. Eyes Wide Shut Script - Dialogue Transcript Voila! Eyes Wide Shut Artwork 1 Poster. Derived from a Beethoven opera, it was a unique password just for him. Kubrick's perfectionism led to script pages being rewritten on the set with most scenes requiring numerous takes. [42], After shooting had been completed, Kubrick entered a prolonged post-production process and on March 1, 1999, Kubrick showed a cut to Cruise, Kidman and the Warner Bros. executives. The interior scenes of the party were shot at Elveden Hall, a private house in the UK designed to look like an Indian palace. The music in the movie also changes drastically. The regular guests had a very different password and the girls and the rest of the staff probably had a different set of passwords as well. The occult ritual takes place at Somerton, in Long Island. [108] Paul Tatara of CNN described the film as a "slow-motion morality tale full of hot female bodies and thoroughly uneventful 'mystery'", while Andrew Sarris writing for The New York Observer criticised the film's "feeble attempts at melodramatic tension and suspense". AKA: I , Rhapsody, De Olhos Bem Fechados, Traumnovelle, EWS. This applies to Bill. moment in a TV show, movie, or music video you want to share. The couple's home is a typical suburban middle-class home. Don't they mention how Harford arrived in a cab and that is what drew suspicion? The headline of this newspaper is Lucky to be alive. . To those in the know, the article perfectly describes the life of an entertainment industry Beta Programming slave (i.e. More importantly, as Nightingale points out, Fidelio is the name of an opera written by Beethoven about a wife who sacrifices herself to free her husband from death as a political prisoner. But something which really annoys me about the film is something which happens when Bill (Tom Cruise) goes to the Mansion. A UFO appears in front of you, and an alien walks out, they tell you that you can either choose to stay on earth, or take the opportunity to travel the universe and learn it's secrets. Let's move on with our lives." Pook ended up composing and recording four pieces of music, many times based on her previous work, totaling 24 minutes. The location selected to film the elite scenes is quite interesting. Ziegler assures Bill that the secret society only aims to intimidate him into silence but implies that they are capable of taking action if necessary. This is how Dr. William Harford managed to enter the orgy house in the amazing Stanley Kubrick's thriller "Eyes Wide Shut" (1999-Warner Bros, Stanley Kubrick. The party's password was Fidelio, the name of Beethoven's opera. The Hidden Messages in Eyes Wide Shut (pt. (aka . Of course, 'Eyes Wide Shut', the phrase itself, is a calling card among secret societies, meaning 'my eyes are shut to your misdeeds, brother.' This anonymity is required of participants, in order to cloak society's moneyed elite. It is based on the 1926 novella Traumnovelle (Dream Story) by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's setting from early twentieth-century Vienna to 1990s New York City. This is a great Fan Theory, and it makes perfect sense. [25] Outdoor locations included Hatton Garden for a Greenwich Village street,[35] Hamleys for the toy store from the film's ending,[36] and Mentmore Towers and Elveden Hall in Elveden, Suffolk, England for the mansion. This is why it seems so illogical at times and all these convenient things happen. Addeddate 2020-05-24 23:07:51 Identifier eyes-wide-shut-1 Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.4. plus-circle Add Review. He was still working on the film when he died. At the end, he confesses all of his attempts to his wife, and she says "Well, good thing you didn't follow through on any of them! Eyes Wide Shut (1999) clip with quote It's because there was no second password. Find the exact Which may be the whole point. When Kidman brought a Chris Isaak CD, Kubrick approved it, and incorporated Isaak's song "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" to both an early romantic embrace of Bill and Alice and the film's trailer. Was Stanley Kubrick trying to warn the world about the occult elite and its depraved ways? The uncut version has since been released in DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats. He gains entry but he gets found out later he's an intruder. Here are rare pictures from a 1972 party given by Marie-Hlne de Rothschild. A masked woman warns him he's in danger. Not trying to condescend - I just always thought this was the case. Bill leaves. Staring right at the camera (and at the movie viewers), the creepy masks are silent yet disturbing reminders showing the true faces of the elite. The master of ceremonies unmasks him, but the woman who warned him intervenes. Taking place in Zieglers pool room, the back and forth between the two men is more intense than any game of pool. Who are these aristocrats whose limos take them to secret masked orgies in Long Island mansions? [24] Filming finally wrapped in June 1998. "[100], Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film a score of three and a half stars out of four, writing, "Kubrick's great achievement in the film is to find and hold an odd, unsettling, sometimes erotic tone for the doctor's strange encounters." I own the 2 discs director's cut, and have viewed it many times. DOLLY BACK . No, there was no cheating because there was no us. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. We find out the answer was that there was no second password. Right: A magic circle as pictured in an ancient grimoire. But I know that from people around him personally, my partner who was his assistant for thirty years. Kubrick likes to keep things mysterious. In the first part of this series on Eyes Wide Shut, we looked at main characters of the film and the symbolic world Kubrick created around them. Although details are vague regarding that elite club, they were known for performing elementary Satanic rites as a prelude to their nights of fornication. Geoffrey Stanton, Guide to Venetian Carnival Masks. Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick.It is based on the 1926 novella Traumnovelle (Dream Story) by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's setting from early twentieth-century Vienna to 1990s New York City.The plot centers on a doctor who is shocked when his wife (Nicole Kidman) reveals that she had . She fusses with it, but languorously, as might be expected amid her gilded surroundings. He wakes her up and she tearfully tells him about a dream where she was having sex with a naval officer and many other men, and laughing at the idea of Bill watching. Bill returns home to find the rented mask on his pillow and confides in his wife, Alice, about the past two days. Easily move forward or backward to get to the perfect clip. "He told me it was a piece of shit", Ermey said in Radar magazine, "and that he was disgusted with it and that the critics were going to 'have him for lunch'. [93], Eyes Wide Shut received generally positive reviews from critics. the taxi comment could just be misdirection (still fitting in with OP's theory). [56], The film was described by some reviewers, and partially marketed, as an erotic thriller, a categorization disputed by others. The way in which this ritualistic murder is disguised as an overdose is highly similar to the many celebrity ritual deaths disguised as overdoses that occur in real life. He tells Bill: I dont think you realize what kind of trouble you were in last night. Incidentally, the name of Bills connection to the elite, Victor Ziegler, is of German-Jewish origins, like Rothschild. One complaint was that the movie's pacing was too slow; while this may have been intended to convey a dream state, critics objected that it made actions and decisions seem laboured. UNCENSORED! [31] Due to the relentless nature of the production, the crew became exhausted and were reported to have been impacted by low morale. Reportedly due to scheduling conflicts, both had to drop out[25] first Keitel with Finding Graceland,[26] then Leigh with eXistenZ[27] and they were replaced by Sydney Pollack and Marie Richardson in the final cut. http://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/eyes-wide-shut-no-8/, http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/11/no-dream-is-ever-just-a-dream-eyes-wide-shut. These acts were however not just for fun or to shock people as some sources might claim, the members were initiates of occult mysteries and their rituals were based in ancient rites involving invocations and other forms of black magick. However, the film's length on this UK DVD is only 153 minutes, as opposed to the 159 minutes of other available DVD and Blu-Ray versions. With jingle bells ringing and snowflakes falling, Stanley Kubrick gleefully frames the most wonderful time of the year as its most impotent. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) clip with quote Was it the second password? We indeed learn that Amanda was emotionally troubled as a teen and underwent treatments (a code word for MK Programming perhaps? [68], In addition to relocating the story from Vienna in the 1900s to New York City in the 1990s, Kubrick changed the time-frame of Schnitzler's story from Mardi Gras to Christmas. [138], Debate over the film's state of completion, Lowenberg, Peter. A nightingale is the type of bird that is known for singing at night, just like Nick Nightingale sings secret information at the start of Bills fateful night. It's available on Eyes Wide Shut subtitles. At a Christmas party hosted by wealthy, unconventional Victor Ziegler (Sydney Pollack), provocative advances and innocent flirtations arouse suspicion as high-society . On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 76% based on 160 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The unrated version of Eyes Wide Shut was released in the United States on October 23, 2007, on DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray formats. Oh, possible, but Half of the movie is surreal and only a dream. The double-headed eagle is one of the most ancient and prominent symbols of Freemasonry. The placement of the people in this scene recalls magic circles. [39] The paintings of Kubrick's wife Christiane and his daughter Katherina are featured as decorations. [104] Another complaint was that it did not live up to the expectation of it being a "sexy film" which is what it had been marketed as, thus defying audiences' expectations. Hunter elaborates on his criticism, and states that "Kubrick is annoyingly offhand while at the same time grindingly pedantic; plot points are made over and over again, things are explained till the dawn threatens to break in the east, and the movie stumbles along at a glacial pace". [87][88] Eyes Wide Shut ended up grossing a total of $55,691,208 in the US. Although the earliest American DVD of the uncut version states on the cover that it includes both the R-rated and unrated editions, in actuality only the unrated edition is on the DVD. Bill goes to the mansion and gives the password, discovering a sexual ritual in progress. Nelson notes that the sex ritual combines elements of Venetian Carnival and Catholic rites, in particular, the character of "Red Cloak" who simultaneously serves as Grand Inquisitor and King of Carnival. Kubrick then called the composer and asked if she had anything else "weird" like that song, which was reworked for the final cut of the scene, with the title "Masked Ball". Along with considering Kidman "consistently excellent", he wrote that Kubrick "has something to say about the causes and effects of depersonalized sex", and praised the work as "thought-provoking and unsettling". However, as word of the famed Venetian Carnival spread, more and more outsiders flocked to the city every year to take part in the festivities. [125] The original DVD release corrects technical gaffes, including a reflected crew member, and altering a piece of Alice Harford's dialogue. Although Bill is a rich doctor, he is not part of the elite. We'll complete the second half of the film where we'll discuss that infamous orgy Gnostic . This is the first post I've seen here in a while that I think is definitely true, adds to the story, and that isn't just generic and obvious ("The characters in XXXXX represent these universal archetypes " Of course they do, the roles are called archetypes for a reason). Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, That '70s Show (1998) - S07E10 Surprise, Surprise, Superstore (2015) - S03E09 Golden Globes Party, Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) - S03E09 Mary, Joseph and Larry. [45] Kubrick originally intended to feature "Im Treibhaus" from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder, but the director eventually replaced it with Ligeti's tune feeling Wagner's song was "too beautiful". Guy's wife has dreams of other men, so Guy goes out and tries to solicit as many opportunities for adultery as possible, but can't follow through on any of them. "[74] Critic Alonso Duralde, in his book Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, categorized the film as a "Christmas movie for grownups", arguing that "Christmas weaves its way through the film from start to finish". How about the theory the two parties have the same guests? It all depends on maturity, not age. "[12], The novella is set during the Carnival, when people often wear masks to parties. Cloaked in red, the High Priest sits on a throne which features a very important symbol: A double-headed eagle topped by a crown. They can be understood as painting a mosaic of symbolism in the viewer's eye, and as depositing fragments of concepts inside his mind. It's because there was no second password. [58][59] The positive review in Combustible Celluloid describes it as an erotic thriller upon first viewing, but actually a "complex story about marriage and sexuality". "[115] In 2012, Slant Magazine ranked the film as the second greatest of the 1990s. Forgot Password. Instinct that obviously kept changing, impacting the fate of the film. [13] Mario Falsetto, on the other hand, notes that Christmas lights allow Kubrick to employ some of his distinct methods of shooting including using source location lighting, as he also did in Barry Lyndon. [38] One such element were the masks used in the orgy which were inspired by the masked carnival balls visited by the protagonists in the novel. $29.32. He decides to go to Domino's apartment to consummate their affair, but is met by her roommate, Sally. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Field's response appeared in an October 18, 2006 interview with Grouch Reviews:[134]. Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 film about a New York City doctor who pushes himself on a harrowing and dangerous night-long odyssey of sexual and moral discovery after his wife admits that she once almost cheated on him.. Kubrick frequently removed references to the Jewishness of characters in the novels he adapted. The Second Password - EYES WIDE SHUT (1999) December 14, 2022 Episode 40. In Italy, it was a huge hit. It's a great shame because you know it's out there, but it doesn't feel to me as it's really his film.[129]. "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities"; in, p. 397 Book published by Indiana University Press, 2005, (Type "Eyes Wide Shut" in the search box), sfn error: no target: CITEREFCiment2003p._viii (, Excellence in Costume Design for Film Contemporary, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, "Stanley Kubrick wanted Woody Allen or Bill Murray for Eyes Wide Shut role instead of Tom Cruise, new book reveals", "This is confidential material. And for Stanley to have died [on March 7, 1999, at age 70] before the film opened Well, it all felt so dark and strange. Roger Ebert heavily criticized the technique of using digital images to mask the action. The ritual begins with the High Priest, dressed in red, performing a ceremonial routine. In the movie, when Bill enters the mansion, he mixes with a crowd of masked people silently watching the ritual. Most home videos remove the verse that was claimed to be cited from the sacred Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita (although it was Pook's reworking of "Backwards Priests" as stated above.) [75], Historians, travel guide authors, novelists, and merchants of Venetian masks have noted that these have a long history of being worn during promiscuous activities. The film topped the week-end box office, with $21.7million from 2,411 screens. Crowleys influence in bringing Eastern, primarily Indian, esoteric traditions to the West extends also to his incorporation of the elements of Yoga and Tantra into the structure and program of two influential magical orders, the A.:A.: and the OTO. Martin P. Starr, Aleister Crowley and Western Esotericism. Kubrick obtained the filming rights for Dream Story in the 1960s, considering it a perfect text for a film adaptation about sexual relations. Right after Bill leaves the morgue to confirm that Amanda died, Ziegler calls him and invites him over. [80] Carolin Ruwe, in her book Symbols in Stanley Kubrick's Movie 'Eyes Wide Shut', argues that the mask is the prime symbol of the film. Reviews Although there is sexual tension between them, Sally informs Bill that Domino has just received news that she is HIV-positive. Frederic Raphael looks back at Eyes Wide Shut, Depth of field: Stanley Kubrick, film, and the uses of history, "20 Eye-Opening Facts About Eyes Wide Shut", "Eyes Wide Shut: 20 years on, Stanley Kubrick's most notorious film is still shrouded in mystery", "Debunking the Myths Around Eyes Wide Shut, Stanley Kubrick's Final Film", "Cate Blanchett Lent Her 'Warm and Sensual Voice' to Eyes Wide Shut", "Eyes Wide Shut at 15: Inside the Epic, Secretive Film Shoot that Pushed Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to Their Limits", "Alan Cumming on "Standing Up" to Stanley Kubrick", "13 Facts You May Not Know about Stanley Kubrick's 'Eyes Wide Shut', "Stanley Kubrick's swan song: Eyes wide shut", "Kubrick's Approval Sets Seal on Classical Crossover Success: Pook's Unique Musical Mix", "AHAD Gives Voice to Hindu Sentiments Against Eyes Wide Shut", "15 Years Later, New Details from Kubrick's Secretive Eyes Wide Shut Set", "Erotic thriller Hollywood couple sue over sex claims", "Combustible Celluloid Review Eyes Wide Shut (1999)", "Blu-ray Review: Eyes Wide Shut | High-Def Digest", "Eyes Wide Shut (Blu-ray): DVD Talk Review of the Blu-ray", "What the critics failed to see in Kubrick's last film", Depth of Field: Stanley Kubrick, Film, and the Uses of History, "When you hold a mirror to society it rebels": Katharina Kubrick on Eyes Wide Shut, "ShoWest to Get Quick Glimpse of Kubrick's 'Eyes Wide Shut', "Weekend Box Office: July 1618, 1999 Weekend", "Cahiers du Cinema: Top Ten Lists 19512009", "The Sexy, Scary, Stylish 'Eyes Wide Shut' Is Stanley Kubrick's Final Masterpiece", "Eyes Don't Have It: Kubrick Turgid Finale", "EYES WIDE SHUT What the critics failed to see in Kubrick's last film", "For Movie Folks Who Considered Burning Down The Ratings Board When The Adjustment Was Enuf", "Grotesque Caricature: Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut as the Allegory Of Its Own Reception", "Eyes Wide Shut is French critics' best foreign pic", "Movie Geeks United!