eyes wide open?

Rating: 9/10 (9 October 2002)

There's already enough praise for this near-perfect film on here so i won't waste time saying things others have said more eloquently. I just happened to watch both rear window and eyes wide shut recently, and wondered if anyone else had noticed the numerous similarities between the two films? The theme of voyeurism, and the way the two great (greatest?) directors lure into replicating the star's observations and mentality is the most obvious link.
However, the first connection i noticed was the use of colour in the films- both are consistently placing orange and blue together throughout, especially in rear window. Are these the colours of voyeurism? or paranoia??? Kubrick also used oranges and blues alot in the shining, another film which explores the themes of observation, (self-created) illusions, reality and paranoia (the 'overlook hotel' anyone?). I'd really like someone to discuss the colours used in these films and their effects with me, as i basically have little knowledge of what these are supposed to represent.

Beyond the colour scheme, there is also the remarkable similarities between Grace Kelly and Nicole Kidman in appearance and manner- knowing how meticulous kubrick was i can't help but think he perhaps cast Kidman with this in mind.
Which brings us to Tom cruise, and where my argument either fails, or is perhaps inhanced, depending on your view of the films. James Stewart gives perhaps the most charismatic performance of his brilliant ouevre- while Tom Cruise is almost unbearably shallow, egotistical and repulsive. However, i think it could be argued that the two protagonist's have many connections- both are vain (Stewart's character has his own photos all over his house and seems a touch conceited when discussing his career), stubborn, and perhaps, and this only implicit in eyes wide shut, impotent- Stewart's physically unable to move, and the film cuts with the implication that he and kelly will have sex one night, but then in the morning it doesn't appear that they did. Could be argued that both films centre around the imaginations and intellectual compensations of frustrated men, who attempted to reassure their masculinity by by looking for adventure? The crucial difference is that in eyes wide shut nothing is resolved, and no one is satisfied, and that in rear window Stewart is vindicated, everyone (including the audience) is satisfied, and all is resolved- hence we feel enjoyment and are not left feeling uneasy for complying with his voyeurism, while at the end of eyes wide shut most people are left feeling manipulated and dissatisfied. hmmmmm....