His wife admits that she almost cheated on him and that leads his character through an odyssey of sexual and moral discovery. Furthermore, the High Priest has an unmistakable English accent. [130], Jan Harlan, Kubrick's brother-in-law and executive producer, reported that Kubrick was "very happy" with the film and considered it to be his "greatest contribution to the art of cinema". What Is The Password In Eyes Wide Shut? So in the end, EYES WIDE SHUT is a disturbing, sometimes satirical, and thoughtful movie. 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. Stanley Kubrick's death: Stanley Kubrick died on March 7th 1999, the 'final cut' was pre-screened for the first time on March 2nd 1999, 5 days before Kubrick's death. [18], More significantly, in the film, Ziegler gives a commentary on the whole story to Bill, including an explanation that the party incident, where Bill is apprehended, threatened, and ultimately redeemed by the woman's sacrifice, was staged. Location: Brookings, Oregon. However, decisions regarding sound mixing, scoring and color-correction would have necessarily been made without Kubrick's input. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Eyes Wide Shut. Eyes Wide Shut tells the story of Bill and Alice Harford, a married couple living in New York City. Even The British Royal Family appears to enjoy the same type of masks and events. [14] The party in the novella consists mostly of nude ballroom dancing. When Bill learns that his wife has considered cheating on him, he embarks on a strange series of encounters (which I will analyze in the third and final part of this series), eventually ending up in a luxurious house in Long Island where he encounters a large gathering of masked individuals partaking in an occult ritual. The last scene of the movie takes place at a toy store a place full of highly symbolic items (more on it in the next article). Although nothing is explicitly spelled out to the viewers, the symbolism, the visual clues and even the music of Eyes Wide Shut tell reveals a side of the occult elite that is rarely shown to the masses. The film's depiction of sexual depravity and amorality could easily venture into the realm of camp in the hands of a lesser filmmaker, but Kubrick depicts primal evil in a way that somehow makes it seem both new and deeply terrifying. "[12], The novella is set during the Carnival, when people often wear masks to parties. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) Leon Vitali: Red Cloak Showing all 9 items Jump to: Photos (7) Quotes (2) Photos Quotes Red Cloak : [pleasantly] Please, come forward. 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. Since his talk with his wife, he appears to be looking for some kind of experience. Incidentally, the name of Bills connection to the elite, Victor Ziegler, is of German-Jewish origins, like Rothschild. Table of Contents What is the password for the house in Eyes Wide Shut? Kubrick is making clear that the richest, most powerful deciders of the real world meet in these types of rituals and that these rituals are off-limits to the profane. Though the precise origin of the mask-wearing tradition cant be known for certain, the prevailing theory goes something like this: beginning in the Italian Renaissance, Venice was an extremely wealthy and powerful merchant empire. In Eyes Wide Shut, which his collaborators describe him as claiming as his most significant contribution to the art of cinema, the legendary director's swan song forces a wedge between one of Tinseltown's biggest marriages - Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Dude, you are TOTALLY in the way! Here are rare pictures from a 1972 party given by Marie-Hlne de Rothschild. 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". At a Christmas party hosted by wealthy, unconventional Victor Ziegler (Sydney Pollack), provocative advances and innocent flirtations arouse suspicion as high-society . Let's move on with our lives." Cruise and Kidman were married, and Tom had left the church temporarily (from 1992-2000), because Nicole would . One recurring piece is the second movement of Gyrgy Ligeti's piano cycle "Musica ricercata". 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]. UNCENSORED! No one can answer this without talking about the Kubrick film, and yet I also read le Carre use the same phrase to talk about a spy walking into a "honey trap" seemingly aware but uncaring of the consequences. Geoffrey Stanton, Guide to Venetian Carnival Masks. Right after Bill leaves the morgue to confirm that Amanda died, Ziegler calls him and invites him over. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Eyes Wide Shut has been included in several lists of the greatest films of the 1990s. The couple's home is a typical suburban middle-class home. This hidden subplot is interesting as it reveals the true nature of the fashion and entertainment industry. Bill returns the costume, but realizes he has misplaced the mask, and learns that Milich has sold his teenage daughter into sex slavery. The website's critical consensus reads, "Kubrick's intense study of the human psyche yields an impressive cinematic work. Invitations were printed in reversed writing. A mask from the movie Eyes Wide Shut seen during the presentation of the exhibition on Stanley Kubrick that brings together more than 600 pieces-audiovisual material, props, models, scripts, costumes .- that propose to enter the director's brain and discover the keys to his work and that can be seen in the Crculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, Spain. Tina Minoru 's password was "password," right? [34] Real New York footage was also shot to be rear projected behind Cruise. This juicy piece of information intrigues Bill to the highest degree because. One wonders if this party degenerated into something resembling what is shown in Eyes Wide Shut. By the time Dr. Harford was driven to the house, the organizers knew that an intruder was about to enter and they also knew that the intruder was somehow linked to Nick Nightingale. The Priest then replies Are you sure you understand what youre taking upon yourself in doing this? This implies that she will be repeatedly abused and then sacrificed. 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. That's like uh using a MAN to celebrate a day dedicated to women. It's because there was no second password. The novella makes it clear that Fridolin at this point hates Albertina more than ever, thinking they are now lying together "like mortal enemies". According to a number of sources, their activities included mock religious ceremonies, devil worship, and occult rituals. "[65] Writing in general about the genre of 'erotic thriller' for CineAction in 2001, Douglas Keesey states that "whatever [Eyes Wide Shut's] actual type, [it] was at least marketed as an erotic thriller". Eyes Wide Shut (1999) , , , , . Right: A magic circle as pictured in an ancient grimoire. Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Dream Story is set around Vienna after the turn of the century. He finds out from his friend Nick Nightingale the password for entry is 'Fiddellio'. That is where the movie becomes a fantasy. After Alice reveals to Bill that she had a dream about having an affair with another man, Bill. Press J to jump to the feed. Bill goes to the mansion and gives the password, discovering a sexual ritual in progress. For me this is really annoying and totally unconvicing. Find the exact moment in a TV show, movie, or music video you want to share. The second part of this analysis focused exclusively on the unnamed secret society Bill stumbles upon and its ritual. The "haunting" effects of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut can be identified as creating curiosity, fear and anxiety in the viewer. The article states that she was last seen being escorted to her hotel room by two men and that she was giggling (drugged and dissociated?). In a city-state so prosperous, its a small wonder that Venetian society was class-obsessed and rigidly stratified. I wrote about this film in my book KUBRICK'S CODE but I want to crank up the analysis and re-examine this infamous film. Who are these aristocrats whose limos take them to secret masked orgies in Long Island mansions? [50][51] South African Hindu Mahasabha, a Hindu group, protested against the scripture being used,[52] Warner Bros. issued a public apology,[53] and hired the singer to record a similar track to replace the chant. The professional piano player reveals to Bill that he is sometimes hired by mysterious people to play, blindfolded, during mysterious parties that are full of beautiful women. Kubrick.. After an argument with his wife, Dr. Bill Harford finds himself in a surreal succession of sexually charged encounters and mysterious rituals among the rich and powerful, who will do anything to maintain their secrets. The password to enter the ritual is Fidelio, which means faithfulness, a main theme of the movie. The shoot went on for much longer than expected; the actress Vinessa Shaw was initially contracted for two weeks but ended up working for two months[30] whilst the actor Alan Cumming, who appears in one scene as a hotel clerk, auditioned six times before the filming process. What choice do you make and why? Eyes Wide Shut1999 1926. "[110] J. Hoberman wrote that the film "feels like a rough draft at best. While virtually every scene has a Christmas tree, there is "no Christmas music or cheery Christmas spirit. [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]. [32], Given Kubrick's fear of flying, the entire film was shot in England. At a Christmas party hosted by patient Victor Ziegler, Bill reunites with old medical school classmate Nick Nightingale, who now plays piano professionally. Those shadow men are pretty obvious. [46] In the morgue scene, Franz Liszt's late solo piano piece, "Nuages Gris" ("Grey Clouds") (1881), is heard. [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". Venetian masks were originally worn during the Italian Renaissance in Venice and were a way for the powerful elite of the time to indulge in debauchery without reprisal. Ignorance is strength. In his positive review of the film, he said it "should not have been done at all" and it is "symbolic of the moral hypocrisy of the rating system that it would force a great director to compromise his vision, while by the same process making his adult film more accessible to young viewers. "[73] Noting that Kubrick has shown viewers the dark side of Christmas consumerism, Louise Kaplan states that the film illustrates ways in which the "material reality of money" is shown replacing the spiritual values of Christmas, charity, and compassion. [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. [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". ), she had important friends in the fashion and entertainment worlds, and she had an affair with a powerful fashion designer who got wowed by her private, seductive solo performances (typical behavior of a Beta Kitten). DOLLY BACK . Kubrick's perfectionism went as far as sending workmen to Manhattan to measure street widths and note newspaper vending machine locations. [102] Writing for The New York Times, reviewer Janet Maslin commented, "This is a dead-serious film about sexual yearnings, one that flirts with ridicule yet sustains its fundamental eeriness and gravity throughout. Kubrick was interested in adapting the story, and with the help of journalist Jay Cocks, bought the filming rights to the novel. Bill discovers in the newspaper that Amanda was found dead in a hotel room due to an overdose. Eyes Wide Shut (8,115) 7.5 2 h 39 min 1999 X-Ray 18+ Tom Cruise plays a doctor who is married to an art curator. RSteven Forum Resident. Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 erotic thriller film loosely based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle (Dream Story).The film was directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick.It was his last film, as he died four days after showing his final cut to Warner Bros. studios. By freeze-framing and actually reading the above news article about Amanda, we learn important details about Amandas background (classic hidden sub-plot integration by Kubrick). 23.976. 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". Marilyn Monroe). After all it is based on "Die Traumnovelle" which means dream novel. 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. [24] Jennifer Jason Leigh and Harvey Keitel each were cast in supoprting roles and filmed by Kubrick. 21st Dec, 2021. Instead, he claimed that, paradoxical as it may sound the Tantrics are in reality the most advanced of the Hindus. 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. By lor4rt. the taxi comment could just be misdirection (still fitting in with OP's theory). Who do you think those people were? 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. [61], However, reviewing the film at AboutFilm.com, Carlo Cavagna regards this as a misleading classification,[62] as does Leo Goldsmith, writing at notcoming.com,[63] and the review on Blu-ray.com. 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. That particular Royal event featured masked women who were as NOT dressed as those in the Eyes Wide Shut ritual. Illuminati. When Bill mentions Amanda, Ziegler gets more defensive and replies: She was a hooker meaning that she was a Beta slave that could be easily disposed of. Bill comes home feeling guilty and confused, only to find Alice laughing in her sleep. Alice admits to fantasizing about a naval officer she met on vacation and considered leaving Bill and Helena. They can be understood as painting a mosaic of symbolism in the viewer's eye, and as depositing fragments of concepts inside his mind. This peculiar Indian atmosphere, combined with the lascivious scenes witnessed by Bill as he walks around the house, ultimately points towards the most important, yet most hidden part of the movie: Tantric Yoga and its Western occultism derivative, Sex Magick. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The 2023 Grammys, Host of the Sam Smith Satanic Ritual, Theres Something Terribly Wrong With Gorsad Kyiv and its Worse than Balenciaga, 2022 Review: When Conspiracy Theories Turned Into Obvious Realities, Symbolic Pics of the Month (December 2022), Rituals and Adrenochrome: The Dark Meaning of The Watcher, a Netflix Series Based on a True Story, The Occult Meaning of Guillermo del Toros Pinocchio. Find the exact Do you mind telling me what kind of f-cking charade ends with someone turning up dead?. 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. In the movies end credits (and sources such as IMDB), it is listed that the role of the High Priest was played by assistant director of the movie, Leon Vitali. Also, gigantic spoilers. This version was premiered on July 13, 1999, before being released on July 16, to moderately positive reactions from film critics. Ziegler, therefore, admits that people attending the ritual were high-level, well-known and powerful people. Club was also highly positive, arguing that "the film's primal, almost religious intensity and power is primarily derived from its multifaceted realization that disobeying the dictates of society and your conscience can be both terrifying and exhilarating. When Alice calls, he pays Domino for a non-sexual encounter and meets Nick at a jazz club. This alteration antagonized both film critics and cinephiles,[137] who argued that Kubrick had never been shy about ratings (A Clockwork Orange was originally given an X-rating). 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. Eyes Wide Shut Artwork 1 Poster. No, there was no cheating because there was no us. The next day, Bill goes to Nick's hotel, but the desk clerk tells him that Nick left with two dangerous-looking men. 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 party that both husband and wife attend at the opening of the story is a Carnival Masquerade ball, whereas the film's story begins at Christmas time.[13]. 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! And I thought about R. Lee Ermey for In the Bedroom. Was Stanley Kubrick trying to warn the world about the occult elite and its depraved ways? Not only does the movie depict the worlds richest and most powerful people partaking in occult rituals, it also shows how this circle has also the power to exploit slaves, to stalk people, and even to get away with sacrificial murders. But the truth is that let's put it this way, you've never seen two actors more completely subservient and prostrate themselves at the feet of a director. Find the exact How about the theory the two parties have the same guests? Easily If one carefully reads the news article mentioned above, Leon Vitali is the name of the London fashion designer Amanda had an affair with. Marion: I do, even if I'm never to see you again, I want at least to live near you. 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. (aka R-rated version). they were bluffing him. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman star as a married couple entangled in an intricate web of jealousy and sexual obsession in Stanley Kubrick's final cinematic offering.