There are many, many readings of the story available, with the movie itself embracing a sort of dream/nightmare logic. In the first place, Bill is a daydreamer and easily sidetracked. Masks - both literal and figurative - are a major motif, and one of the most important sequences is when Bill infiltrates a masked sex party at a remote mansion, which is being held by members of high society. Some viewers have also speculated that the gathering at the Somerton Mansion was symbolic rather than literal a dream sequence of sorts influenced by Bill smoking pot with Alice earlier in the evening.Red Cloak and Victor Zeigler are both hosts of their own party. Pingback: Eyes Wide Shut - mise en bouche | plotwhole. *The original theatrical version included a goof in an early scene (a boom operator was reflected on a steel shower stall post in Victor Ziegler's bathroom) this has been digitally removed on the home video releases. At the end Bill makes the choice to keep his eyes wide shut on these matters. By the end of the movie, Bill was more than happy to. In the end, while thinking outside the box can be good for you. Pingback: Hollywood and The CIA: A Dark Marriage Revealed | News For The Blind. Unlike in movies like Filth, here, secret societies are portrayed as far less trivial and far more sinister. Related: Every Stanley Kubrick Movie Ranked, Worst To Best. As many would have figured out, there is an infamous orgy Harford attends. However, their calling him gay may have encouraged him even more so to have an affair as being called gay was a likely blow to his manhood and to heighten his sense of self-deprecation and self-consciousness because Bill is heartbroken of his wife's adulterous feelings. Following this further, The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri in which the character Dante must travel through Hell and Purgatory with the help of the Roman poet Virgil before being transported to Heaven by his first love, Beatrice. . While its easy to judge them, who is to say that this will not work for the two. In the first scene with Alice, the doors obviously begin several inches from the ground above an encasement and are hinged so they open out. Eyes Wide Shut - Who is the Red Queen? - Crucible Media Therefore, it is likely that some kind of unfortunate ordeal awaited the woman from the masked ball.Remember, Bill is actually quite gullible and never questions anything that he is told throughout the movie; he believes his wife, Alice, when she tells him of a fantasy about having a sexual tryst a naval officer; he believes Sally when she tells him that Domino is HIV positive; and he believes Victor in the scene in the billiard room about Mandy's death and Nick Nightingale being sent back to Seattle. Someone entered their home while his family was sleeping and placed it on the pillow next to his wife without waking her up. It seems that Bill always repeats any question asked of him and repeats back any information given to him. Just in the same way, Bills drawn to Domino: a fascinating young woman who befriends him. All of them cross the mind, but there are compelling reasons to believe other possibilities, but enough loopholes in all those possibilities, to leave doubts about them all. Edit, The identity of the masked couple is never explained. The problem is that this infidelity didnt even occur in the physical world. Every night he lays his head down, there it will be.A third interpretation is that the masked orgy-goers had sent an agent to enter the apartment who left the mask there as a threat and a warning to Bill not to interfere with them again. Well, despite his curiosity, it seems that, by the end of the movie, Bill voluntarily chooses to, return to the state of blissful ignorance, How do we know that Alices infidelity never happened in the physical world? Therefore at the conclusion of the film, anima and animus, simulacrum and faade, simulation and reality are compartmentalized. Third, chances are that its a close-knit group, and every new face/mask evokes suspicion. *In the lengthy shot where Nicole Kidman dances naked in front of a mirror to Chris Isaak's "Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing," the second half of the shot, once Tom Cruise walks over, has been zoomed considerably for the DVD. Neither Bill nor Alice fit that definition, but its not a prerequisite for them to continue living their married life. To The Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf - Complete text online Did Bill get HIV? A Manhattan doctor embarks on a bizarre, night-long odyssey after his wife's admission of unfulfilled longing. And like a dream, this text from the ancient Sanskrit scripture The Upanishads describes the characters of Alice and Bill vaguely and dreamily: We are similar to the spider. "God says to his followers: A new commandment I give to you" In the modern world, theres the idea that partners are not indispensable and that there are always other options out there. What's the deal with the costume shop owner's daughter? Moreover, Fortunas Wheel is widely portrayed in medieval art, from manuscripts to the exquisite Rose Windows found in many medieval cathedrals. The character is portrayed by Leon Vitali, but his identity is never revealed in the movie. 'Eyes Wide Shut' Decoded: Part 1 - Media Monarchy It is about the eternal back-and-forth between the male and female principles in a confused and decadent modern world. Both being cheated on and being gay are not one's own fault, yet are two things that people feel as if is their own fault.It is also possible that the guys weren't really there, but were a symbol of Bill's own self-doubt and fear. There is another theory that it may be Sandor Szavost with a mistress.However, it essentially doesn't really matter who the couple are; what is important is that they have spotted Bill. There is certainly a kind of uncanny suggestion of that through the dream and other things. This alteration of Kubrick's vision antagonized many cinephiles, as they argued that Kubrick had never been shy about ratings; A Clockwork Orange had an X-rating.A complete, uncut version has been released by Warner Bros. Pictures, and is avaiaible on DVD. Eyes Wide Shut: Hidden in Plain Sight - An In-Depth Analysis of Stanley So far, Domino has shown him kindness and concern. . With the images of his wifes infidelity in his mind, Bill learns that his patients engaged daughter is madly in love with him. The Latin term Mora means to linger, delay, which was also used to translate the metrical connotation of the Greek word chrnos (time). . Dr. Harford becomes shocked and almost ruined when he learns that Alice had an erotic fantasy about a man that she had seen during a family holiday in Cape Cod; as he wanders the street late at night, he grapples with his desire for revenge by sleeping with another woman. Released in 1999, "Eyes Wide Shut" centers around Dr. William "Bill" Harford (Cruise) and his wife Alice (Kidman), a Manhattan-based married couple who have gotten so used to the routines. Also, everything at the orgy is a stage show for Bill and it really wont begin properly until he leaves. It is almost ritualistic. She tries enticing him, urging him to accompany her home, and out of the cold, much like a moth to a flame, Bill is mesmerized by her luster. . After the opening ceremony is over, the masked man would probably then check on who this newcomer is which leads to Bill being tracked down and ultimately being led before the cult leader. With the images of his wifes infidelity in his mind, Bill learns that his patients engaged daughter is madly in love with him. Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 film directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. He's eventually discovered and forced to remove his mask but is saved from a bleak fate by another masked woman who tried to warn him to leave earlier. The movie is based on the 1920's novella Dream Storyand Kubrick developed the project for decades, and once considered a slightly more comedic take with Steve Martin in the lead role. Interesting theory..Not sure I agree, but its refreshing to hear this opposed that it's about Kubrick exposing this an that an its the cause of his death yaddya yaya. The second, and more terrifying suggestion, is the mask is a final warning from the secret society for Bill to drop any further investigation or the fate that befell the woman who saved him could be visited upon Alice. Here, the doors appear to be longer and give the appearance of being set directly on the ground or about an inch above. Throughout the movie, we see Bill getting approached by several beautiful women whose advances he refuses out of loyalty to his wife. Also, pay close attention to the blue lighting near the end of the scene. SOMERTON She may have discovered it lying around after it was accidentally misplaced by Bill. The incident with him being shoved aside and then mocked and taunted could simply illustrate that a guy like Bill shouldn't be out roaming the streets at that time of night and that he is out of his depth, so to speak.Alternate Answer: For more information, please see our Humans are programmed to have impulses, and relationships and marriages are human-created constructs. There are echos too in the Christmas party that the same people attended both. Watching Eyes Wide Shut again, it seems that everything that befell Doctor "BILL" was the result of his wife being a member of the satanic organization. The movie went through post-production following Stanley Kubrick's death, though some have argued about how much it represents his intended vision. Does Alices desire to elope with another man not count as cheating? Was this a damning criticism of religious rituals? "But you'll have to be up with the lark," she added. A trivium was a crossroads where three highways met. Tom Cruise, 60 Dr. William "Bill" Harford. Based on the 1926 novella Traumnovelle (Dream Story) by Arthur Schnitzler, the story is transferred from early 20th-century Vienna to 1990s New York City. Either way, it's a very sexually-charged environment. It deals with sexual obsession between two couples in Vienna, Austria. Page updates daily! Jusqu'au jour o sa femme, Alice, lui avoue avoir eut le dsir de le tromper quelques mois auparavant. It appears Nick may have either been killed or he actually left town and went back to Seattle. Meanwhile, Marion tries unsuccessfully to seduce Bill, but it appears like she is clinging to him, to protect him; or warn him of something before her boyfriend Carl walks in and intrudes on them. Perhaps the conspiracies surrounding Eyes Wide Shut began when the maker of the film, Stanley Kubrick, died only days after the first viewing of it. Cookie Notice Fidelio is also the name of the only opera by Beethoven, which tells how Leonore, disguised as a prison guard named "Fidelio," rescues her husband Florestan from death in a political prison.In addition, there are comprehensive websites that provide deep analysis on the film's hidden meaning. The masked woman in the secret party appears to be Mandy (Amanda Curran), who overdosed on speedball in the movies opening, and Bill revived her. "you look beautiful" "you're not even looking". Home; Videos; Categories; Webcams; Eyes Wide Shut Ritual Scene. simulation), both of which are part of the films motifs. Yes, 100 times. He intended to sleep with Domino, and if not caught at the party, he might have indulged in the orgy too. Eyes Wide Shut Explained: What did it all mean? | This is Barry | Eyes Wide Shut - Ritual Scene - Tom Cruise - Stanley Kubrick.The classic ritual scene from Eyes Wide Shut staring Tom Cruise. No, it was not a dream, or rather there is not a lot of evidence that points to the fact that it was all a dream. Similarly, Victor, like Virgil, is wise and protective of Bill. In the last few scenes, the couple seems to be traumatized but strongly determined totry and fix their situationby keeping theireyes tightly shut. In the modern world, theres the idea that partners are not indispensable and that there are always other options out there. As a result, the groundwork for his Pinnochian adventure has been laid. You see, the fact that we have no idea how the mask ended on the pillow just increases the overall threat level. Everyone walking around in masks only to stand and watch others have sex? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The very first scene she drops her dress in the exact way the ritual participants drop their robes. Eyes Wide Shut Cast. Similarly, the phantasmagoria of masks in Eyes Wide Shut is consistent: persona (psychology) is the films primary constituent. So, think carefully before letting the cat out of the bag since curiosity is a dangerous thing. So, if she just decided to stay discrete, theres no way he would have ever found out. In the end, Bill cries his eyes out and confesses everything about the two previous days to his wife. , theres a risk that he, too, would have been infected. Edit, They were just random strangers. But there are quite a few hints that the Red Cloak leader of the cult is Victor Zeigler himself.One interesting clue is the torn newspaper article that Bill gives to Zeigler which details about Mandy's death (which mirrors the story that the desk clerk told Bill earlier about two men returning Nick Nightingale to his hotel), the end of the article describes that the dead woman, who's body that Bill Harfort saw in the morgue, had an affair with a London fashion design editor named Leon Vitali. LOUISE BROOKS & NAKED ON MY GOAT / 2023 Vintage Brooks, Inc. LOUISE BROOKS & NAKED ON MY GOAT : Official Site, Alices monologue encourages the use of ones imagination, Major Arcana Tarot card Wheel of Fortune, Louise Brooks vs. the World: A Cosmic Tale of Horror and Beauty, Lulu and Schopenhauer: Charting the Infinite Realms of the Unseen Mind, The Diner Diaries: The Muses Muse and the Muse of Muses. Some viewers have speculated that he invited Bill and Alice to his party because Zeigler desired Alice.There are several hints that Zeigler himself is Red Cloak, however, Red Cloak speaks with an English accent. When Bill arrives uninvited to the Jacobethan mansion for the special ceremony, he witnesses the master of ceremonies (Red Cloak) perform the occult rite at Mentmores Grand Hall. While its easy to judge them, who is to say that this will not work for the two. A part-time hobby soon blossomed into a career when he discovered he really loved writing about movies, TV and video games; he even (arguably) had a little bit of talent for it. The Greatest Pokemon Trainer By: Victor Soul. Given how upset she appeared following his confession, it's very unlikely she knew exactly what he was out doing, however. While still traumatized from this cognition, the phone rings, and Bill discovers that one of his patients has just died. The Hidden (And Not So Hidden) Messages in Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide He also learns of asecret society sex partyhe tries to infiltrate. So, think carefully before letting the cat out of the bag since curiosity is a dangerous thing. Brunette Indian Dancing The Ritual Dance On Their Place. User Ratings The ritual is all that remains, but it too is inverted. Can you explain the end of the movie "Eyes Wide Shut"? - Quora He also learns of a, the situation turns from strange to outright dangerous, . You can find other film explanations using the search option on top of the site. This is why this is such a great "conspiracy movie". Some notable ones include:2001: A Space Odyssey: A sign on a building prominently displays the name "Bowman", a reference to David Bowman, a major character in the film. The sole sex scene. Watch his stick and as he hits it against the red floor: At the end of that scene (not in this clip), the two men are enveloped in blue light, just like they are later in the film. This was done to clear up the confusion about whom she actually made love to. Eyes Wide Shut (released in Romania on DVD) can be considered the real movie testament of the famous American director Stanley Kubrick. Earlier in the film, the character of Mandy nearly dies from a drug overdose in Zeigler's bathroom. Of course, when surrealist Salvador Dali, fait la fte, anything goes. It is a purely symbolic way to show Bill's realization that he can never forget or leave behind his near-infidelity. Crossroads, entrances, night, light, magic, and witchcraft are just a few of the things Hecate is linked to. Who was the masked woman? What did Leelee Sobieski whisper into Tom Cruise's ear at the costume shop. In the end, the abundance of choice creates temptation but alsomakes it harder for people to settleand make up their minds. Throughout his career, Stanley Kubrick notoriously disliked shooting. What if thats exactly how it played out, and she just told him that she never acted upon it? and our The wife set everything up? Marion, the patients enigmatic daughter, who appears distraught, decides to have a high old time with Bill and declares her love for him abruptly and ambiguously in the middle of the room where her late father lies. Eyes Wide Shut. The wife set everything up? : r/StanleyKubrick Is it only cheating when someone is involved in physical adultery? Well, despite his curiosity, it seems that, by the end of the movie, Bill voluntarily chooses toreturn to the state of blissful ignorance. The (unnamed) woman in the mask who warns. while they were on vacation. But in the next scene when he arrives home, the mask is nowhere to be seen, and no explanation is ever given as to whether Bill took the mask home with him, or dropped it on his way out of the mansion. Perhaps she was murdered; maybe she just overdosed again and died. . He considers it a sign of luck and is thankful for the life he already has. That is, she contrived a methodical approach to reveal her occult persona. While these are the questions that not a lot of people consider while choosing awedding venue, the reality strikes sooner or later. Both Bill and Alice areattractive young peopleat the peakof their value on the sexual market. Edit, Yes. Some questions are better left unasked, some doors are better left unanswered, and some secret sex parties are better left unattended. One of the main themes of this movie is thatsome secrets are better left that way. Pingback: 9/11 Was The Worst Day in America and Now 11/9 Is the Second Worst Day | TIME IS ART and taking her word for it is a comforting thing to do. This scene was filmed in an ac. Significantly the characters Alice Harford and Victor Ziegler serve as Virgilian guides throughout the films plot. That double-hitting is something I saw earlier in the film. This may be stupid post and it is likely that others have long ago figured out what I just now realized. We dont know. Eyes Wide Shut is not Stanley Kubrick's best film. But the answer is quite simple really.Schnitzler who wrote the original story of eyes wide shut was known to write about the Austrian middle class and its identity and sexual proclivity. Who are the masked couple in the orgy party, and why does the masked man with the three-cornered hat nod his head at Bill? Catalogued as an erotic thriller or psychological drama by critics, the movie was followed by a series of unfortunate events . Because Bill gets a call from Alice and leaves, he doesnt end up sleeping with Domino and doesnt get HIV. Like when he says he likes walking away and does it a lot, right on cue someone approaches and bids nick to walk away. Street Teaching in the Tenderloin - SRI ANAH - Academia.edu Eyes Wide Shut tells the story of Bill and Alice Harford, a married couple living in New York City.