Kubrick's Misunderstood Masterpiece, Constructed On A Daring and Visionary Scope Of Allegory

Rating: 10/10 (24 July 2007)

Eyes Wide Shut has become infamous for a variety of reasons, since it is the last film Stanley Kubrick ever completed, and even then some still argue that Eyes Wide Shut never got the final cut which was intended by Kubrick before he deceased. I know many people who have seen the film for the individual reason of expecting numerous levels of erotically-charged sex. Fortunately, those viewers found something which was entirely unforeseen. Many critics "flamed" the film upon release, yet as each year goes by Eyes Wide Shut receives increasing critical acclaim. Another controversy was the fact that the film avoided its NC-17 by censoring the notorious orgy scene, which infuriated American audiences. Much mystery and speculation surrounds the film, making everything all the more fascinating. All of this and more comes down to one thing, the fact that Kubrick was a director who changed the face of cinema, revolutionising the way a film could be composed through even its most intricate of features.
It was during the production of Eyes Wide Shut -which lasted a considerable amount of time- that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were in the middle stage of their marriage. Two years after the release of the film the couple filed for divorce. In the film, they perform as a married couple who suddenly befall a dysfunctional relationship after the experience of one party. This leads the couple to become wary of one-an-other and a state of surreal desire washes over Dr. William Harford (played by Tom Cruise) who suspects his wife of adultery after she admits some dark secrets through drug-induced paranoia. After viewing Eyes Wide Shut, dissect the film's features carefully, given that you will gain much more hindsight.
Ironically, it was two years subsequent to Eyes Wide Shut that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman ended their 11-year relationship. I find this interesting, since the film details topics such as martial fidelity. The narrative is composed through a somewhat fractured, distant and cold environment, epitomised by the "vigilante quest" that Tom Cruise's character embraces. You quickly realise that you have become a fellow protagonist in the experiences of Eyes Wide Shut, never quite knowing what is around the most ambiguous of corners. The human psyche is a difficult emotion to convey through acting, let alone directing. When released, Eyes Wide Shut was considered out-of-touch with the film-making of its time, yet I would say the film was a long way ahead of the cinema being released during the '90s. For example, the film studies many social trends buried inside the infrastructure of modernised society. A book of sociology can be seen during one scene, perfectly placed to echo Kubrick's own motifs.
Arguably, Kubrick offers his fans a surreal take on a desire which affects every man and woman at some point in their life. Something that is important to be acknowledged when comprehending Eyes Wide Shut is that the majority of it was filmed on a soundstage at Pinewood Studios, London. At the time of release, critics argued that this made the film feel "unlike New York", yet this was an intention of the film. It echoes the surreal, dream-like state of the film, conveying the nature of a wide environment, which opens the viewer to personally analyse the features included within the gapingly open landscape. Eyes Wide Shut is a film whereby every aspect is open, such as the characters being exposed to let their own emotions walk free through an indistinct style of script-writing. The film is one which is open to viewer elucidation; even the title of the work has been debated as being the key to supporting the often cited "dream theory".
Built on an ambiance resembling that of a period-drama, the film actually has many elements of tension, some might even go so far as to say horror. When you look at a scene, like that of the infamous masked-orgy sequence there is a real dread that starts to build up within the viewer, since the environment is superficially unnerving, bizarre and ultimately quite terrifying. The danger presented within the scene is that of an authoritative nature, which does not manipulate the audience, but instead makes them think about the people behind the masks. Yet, it is notably apparent that the sequence is not only a study of lust, covetousness suspicion and the craving for psychological stability, but it is also metaphorically speaking- a look at high-class society members at a substantial advantage in power.
The copious use of the "Kubrickian" steadicam is that of significant poise, resonated by the trademark tracking-shots of Kubrick, which subtly scrutinise environments to a profoundly postured degree. The use of Italian architecture and sceptically shadowed lighting igniting the film's scenery and character's emotions plays an important role for much of the subtext. The abrasive, menacing score polarises the personality of the key players within the narrative, helping make everything all the more analytical in its refined style. A fundamental aspect of the feature is the allegory and allusions created by the use of paintings, sculptures, architectures and the dream-states which are personified through the screenplay. Another crucial basis of Eyes Wide Shut is the fact it is depicting barren, upper-class individuals who need to find a connotation to their lives, primarily due to the frustration that has been gained through boredom. This is all shown through the faultless acting from Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, who both offer the finest performances of their careers, bursting with unquestionable flavour and chemistry. The expressionistic technicalities should be contrasted against the complex hypothesis of the film.
Eyes Wide Shut deserves to be watched multiple times for the viewer to fully digest and appreciate the experience of what is an unprecedented, flawless and misjudged masterpiece which delves inside the darkest realms of human psyche. Even if you are one of the haters, I know for a fact that it is impossible for you to forget a film like Eyes Wide Shut.