SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB: WEEK 120: Eyes Wide Shut

[europe1]

NOTE to NON-MEMBERS: Interested in joining the SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB? Shoot me a PM for more info!

Here's a quick list of all movies watched by the SMC. Or if you prefer, here's a more detailed examination.

Isn't Eyes Wide Shut an oxymoron?

​

Our Director

Stanley Kubrick

​

Eyes Wide Shut is our fifth Stanley Kubrick movie on the SMC. After Barry Lyndon, Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, and his most famous film, Cockneys vs Zombies. Making him easily the most prolific director in this club.

Our Stars

Tommy Cruise

Nicole Kidman

​

Film Overview

Premise: A New York City doctor, who is married to an art curator, 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.


Budget: $65 million
Box Office: $162.1 million
​

Trivia
(courtesy of IMDB)​

* The password "fidelio" (from the Latin root "fidelis" meaning "faithful") is the title of Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera. In the opera, Fidelio is a woman who disguises herself as a man to save her lover.

* Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman signed open-ended contracts. They agreed to work on this project until Stanley Kubrick released them from it, however long that turned out to be.

* This movie spent almost a year in post-production.

* Appeared in the Guinness Book of Records with the record for "The Longest Constant Movie Shoot", at four hundred days.

* Stanley Kubrick reportedly watched movies like Showgirls (1995), Basic Instinct (1992), and Fatal Attraction (1987) during the editing phase, to get the idea of how explicit the sex scenes in the movie could be and still retain the R-rated movie he had contractually agreed to deliver.

* The Jocelyn Pook composition playing during the ceremony at the masked ball is a fragment of an Orthodox mass played backwards; the voices are singing in Romanian.

* In a few shots of Tom Cruise walking through the city, background plates of actual New York City streets were projected behind the actor walking on a treadmill.

* When Tom Cruise's character is interrogated before the attendants of the orgy, and when he returns to the mansion, the mysterious, sinister music that is heard was first used in the David Niven film, A Matter of Life and Death (1946) when Niven's character is being judged in Heaven.

​

Members: @europe1 @MusterX @Scott Parker 27 @the muntjac @Cubo de Sangre @sickc0d3r @FrontNakedChoke @AndersonsFoot @Tufts @Coolthulu @Yotsuya @jei @LHWBelt @Deus Ex Machina @ArtemV @Bullitt68

 

[europe1]

I haven't had the time to rewatch this movie yet (got to get in da zone for a picture like this). However, I would just like to be the first to point out.

How do you know that you're uncool?

When you arrive at your aristocratical mask-orgy in a NY cab.

 

[BisexualMMA]

Kubrick emulates Showgirls. It's a fact.

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

How do you know that you're uncool?

When you arrive at your aristocratical mask-orgy in a NY cab.

Lol!

I'm half way through, going to finish it tonight.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Saw this one in the theater and haven't watched it through since. First time was one of the more emotionally heavy films I'd experienced, but in this subtle way that only became apparent when I walked out afterwards. This time wasn't as intense and Kidman seemed to overact. Pollack didn't bring much to the screen so it's a real shame Keitel was replaced. Even after two viewings I still don't know that there's anything else I'd compare to this movie. For being all about sex it's hardly erotic.

First time through I characterized EWS as a relationship drama. This time it seemed like a man being confronted and confused by his own naivete, and in a way that shook his entire existence to the core. Great work by Cruise in this film. His character really comes out the worse for the wear. His image of his marriage is shattered, but still looks pretty good compared to the variety of options.

Kidman delivered the truth in brutal fashion. Pretty much laughed in his face and emasculated him.

I think it's a better movie without the mystery of the dead hooker from the orgy plotline. It really adds nothing to the basic tale and comes up short if it's supposed to symbolize something greater with Cruise's psyche.

 

[MusterX]

I apologize in advance for this post but Kubrick leaves me no choice.

Firstly, I want to say that the 2:38 run time seems justified, its a long movie but necessary to tell the story and it didn't seem overly long to me which is the sign of excellent film making. Secondly, Eyes Wide Shut is pound for pound the most orgy filled, titty filled movie in SMC history.

Eyes Wide Shut is a film about the Illuminati, its about black magic, sex magic, and the elite circles that engage in these things. The cover of the film is Nicole Kidman with one eye symbolism, Illuminati. It is also framed in a mirror which is an occult item used to contact other realms, demon possession, portals etc.

We need to establish that this is not just about perverted rich people that like sex. This film is about sex magic, there are rituals taking place. At the end of the film when Alice and Bill take their daughter Helana to the store to shop, they walk by a game called Magic Circle.

So we know that the film is about secret societies, namely the Illuminati, and its also about magic rituals, black mass, and sex magic. I want to back up some though. The film takes place during Christmas and that really had me thinking, why did Kubrick choose Christmas? As it turns out, Christmas is during a time of the year when Rome would have been celebrating both Christmas as well as pagan holidays. One such holiday was called Saturnalia.

Saturnalia is about the worship of Saturn and would take place between December 17th-23rd, the exact time period Eyes Wide Shut appears to take place during. It also involved a sacrifice.

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves.[1]

So the season specifically seems to be during a very particular time period. Let go back to the beginning of the film before it gets all twisted. The first party was thrown by Dr. Victor Ziegle, played by Sydney Pollack, who later warns Bill to stfu about what he saw. At Ziegler's party there are 8 pointed stars everywhere, also known as stars of Venus or stars of the Babylonian god Ishtar. Ishtar is the god of sex.

The nod here is toward the fact the elite are into ancient teachings and beliefs. Ishtar is the goddess of sex, war, and other things. Also known as the star of Venus, it is thought that prostitution was celebrated during their festivals. There was other symbolism at the initial party. This is where things go off the rails. Kubrick placed everything in this film carefully and deliberately. In the same way the element of debauchery in this film will not appeal to @europe1, everything I present from here forward will likely offend the sensibilities of @Bullitt68 and his film school training. Nevertheless, I cannot ignore what Kubrick is presenting. Lets address first, the character of Nick Nightingale, the old friend from medical school and pianist. His name is the symbol in this case. We see him playing the piano at Victor Ziegler's party, the club, as well as the occult secret party.

Nightingale's are birds that sing at night during breeding season.

night·in·gale
[ˈnītnˌɡāl, ˈnīdiNGˌɡāl]
NOUN

1. a small European thrush with drab brownish plumage, noted for the rich melodious song of the male, heard especially at night in breeding season.

The two girls at the first party asked Bill, "don't you want to go where the rainbow ends?" The girl named Nuala, played by Stewart Thorndike was particularly stunning.

The two girls are obviously part of the cult and when they ask Cruise if he wants to go where the rainbow ends its a specific reference to The Wizard of Oz. Later in the film, the costume shop was called Rainbow with a caption that says "under the rainbow" instead of over the rainbow like in the classic song.

Look at this shot of Cruise under the rainbow. He is getting his costume to go exactly where the girls asked him if he wanted to go.

The Wizard of Oz has been connected by various people to MKULTRA, mind control and sexual abuse. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz was a member of the Theosophical Society which is an occult religion/secret society. The Theosophical Society was founded by occultist H.P. Blavatsky who wrote a periodical called Lucifer. Later on Lucifer Publishing changed their name to Lucis Trust and became the publisher for the United Nations. You could not make this shit up, the publishing company for the U.N. is Lucifer Publishing. The connections between the Thesophical Society, Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz, and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut is evident. If that isn't enough to convince you, the owner of the Rainbow costume shop was selling his underage daughter.

There is more though and I think its worth mentioning. Aleister Crowley wrote a one page essay called Liber Oz, Chapter 77.

Think this is completely in left field? Crowley was well known for his writings concerning sex magic and sex rituals. Read what Liber Oz says, especially #4 and #5. So here is this connection again with Oz, sex, violence, and the occult. Why did Crowley call it Chapter 77? The meaning of 77 in numerology also sounds like Eyes Wide Shut.

The energy represented by the numerology number 77 is, foremost, an energy of expression of personal freedom. 77 is introspective, but also adventurous and sensual and spiritual so long as its expression of personal freedom isn't restrained. 77 is interested in pretty much everything. It especially appreciates sensual experiences...

Moving on, Bill arrives at the secret party, the sign outside simply says Somerton. It seems almost inconceivable to me that Kubrick is not referring specifically to the Rothschild family and their famous 1972 party at Mentmore Towers. Mentmore was built in the 1800's for the Rothschilds and when they held their party in 1972 they lit the outside of it in red.

The grand hall looks very similar to the Eyes Wide Shut location with a balcony above for people to look down from.

Some pics from the party.

After Cruise goes to the party Kidman tells him of her nightmare where they were in an unknown location naked and she was terrified and she was angry because it was Cruise's fault. She somehow dreamed that she was naked and surrounded by people watching her have sex with many men but how did this happen? How did she dream what Cruise saw? She tells Cruise she wanted to laugh in his face so she laughed as loud as she could.

This is the Kubrick universe and one thing that might explain it is The Shining, which is knowing things, she also knew where his wallet was. She also interrupts him with a phone call just as he is about to sleep with the prostitute Domino. It may be a stretch but it explains how she dreamed what Cruise saw.

When the bald man follows Bill after he goes to see Domino, he passes by a restaurant with the address 237, a reference to The Shining's room 237. Bill stops at a newsstand and the paper he picks up has the headline of "Lucky to be alive." He proceeds into a coffee shop to elude the bald man and he opens the paper. We can clearly see the front says Lucky to be alive and inside on the page he opened to you can see one word in bold block letters, Party. He reads an article about a beauty queen rushed to the hospital with an overdose named Amanda Curran, Mandy.

In the final scene when Alice and Bill take Helena to the toy store, Helena walks off with two men who were also seen at Zeigler's party. This is perhaps the most disturbing and missed part of the film. The pic is not very clear but its them. Helena walks away with them as her parents continue to talk. One final weird statement by Cruise concerning Kidman's dream of the party, he tells her, "sometimes a dream isn't just a dream." Possibly meaning she is somehow psychic, or has "the shining."

There is more stuff but I've used all the pics a single post will allow me to use.

 

[MusterX]

Kidman delivered the truth in brutal fashion. Pretty much laughed in his face and emasculated him.

That scene was intense because as you watch it, you know what Alice is getting at as she slowly unveils the story and the look on Bill's face is one of horror. Very notable scene.

 

[europe1]

By the Great Gods of Cinema, this is a packed movie to talk about! I'm going to break this down into thematic chunks. The whole of Eyes Wide Shut is just to multi-layered and deep to fit into one mega-post. First off, I would like to talk about the theme of sexual self-image and marriage. Obviously, sex and sexual allure play a big part in this movie. I would argue, that for the protagonists of this film, the narrative charts a vouge of sexual maturation.

And no, I haven't actually rewatched this movie yet. But dammit I've seen this movie so many times I should be able to do so from memory! I feel compelled to write these bloody pieces!


How much of our sexuality is just self-pleasuring narcissism, and how much of it is a genuine love for the other person?

Observe the opening scene:

"Honey how do I look?"

"Perfect"

Tom Cruise replies... without even looking at his spouse.

This summarizes their relationship. They look perfect -- both utter heartthrobs of their respective sex -- but genuine, deep intimacy is lacking. There is a superficial assumptiveness to their relationship. They're together because both of them are hot.

Take Cruises character, William Harford. He has it all. Wealth, splendid good-looks, a stunning wife, a high-status profession. How fitting that he is played by Tommy Cruise, the very idol of those things in Western culture. And he displays a playful self-consciousness early on about all of this. Cruise knows that he's a 10/10. It's something he loves. He loves that he is desired.

So Cruise and Kidman go to their party. There they both encounter (but ultimately do not engage in, sexual temptation). William is not-so-subtly goaded into having a threesome with two dazzlingly nubile models, all while a suave Hungarian puts the charm on Kidman. Kidman shows him the wedding ring in reply -- but we never see William actually reject the two girls, as he's whisked away by an overdose case... he might actually have taken them up on it.

Despite no hanky-panky actually happening, the events spark doubt in both the spouses' minds. They smoke some of the devil's lettuce and have a heart-to-heart. Alice asks him if he had sex with the two girls, clearly uncertain and wounded by the possibility. William replies that he didn't. In the following conversation, Bill reveals that he thinks that women are more faithful than men. As a response, Alice tells about a sexual fantasy she had about a sailor. Cruise is devastated.

Think about this... it says a lot about Cruise's character... he is devastated that his woman has had sexual fantasies about other men. The notion is shocking to him. It ruins his entire self-image.

But this is absurd! All women have sexual fantasies, just as men do, don't they? (wait, they do right, I'm not just jostling here? Umm... help me out people!) It's also very hypocritical, as he himself probably fantasizes about getting in the haystack with those two coquettish models. But Cruise can't accept what he has learned. The revelation wounds him profusely.

Fundamentally, he is sexually immature. He has thought about sexuality only in terms of himself. He saw himself as a beacon of sexuality. Why would his wife need to fantasize? She has him, right? His virility will take care of all her needs! He never conceived of the fact that there is another person on the other end as well. Despite being so fit, handsome and successful -- he isn't the end-all, be-all of sex -- which is excactly what his self-image has been telling him.

So he goes on a quest of self-discovery. He wants to regain his self-confidence, his sense of masculinity.

What's the first thing that happens? Some frat boys call him a f*g. They insinuate that he's a friend of Dorothy! This once again symbolizes his feeling of emasculation. He's self-pitying now, not at all the suave tuxedo who ensnared two girls at once.

Importantly, all these encounters he's having, are basically related to sex somehow. Getting called a f*g. Soliciting a hooker. Encountering an underage prostitute and her dad. Foreign sexpots. Discovering a world of nefarious upper-class mask-orgies. And so on.

The basic joke of this movie is that the biggest male movie star of his era is on a quest to restore his sexual confidence -- but can't get laid.

Through his journey, Bill encounters temptation. He systematically gets frustrated or embarrassed. Ultimately, he has an ultimate humiliation, forced to unmask himself at the orgy. The power that the cult harbors also indicate that his life is in danger. He's put himself in a dangerous situation.

When he comes home, he finds out that his wife has had a dream that is startlingly similar to his own experiences at the cult. (this is the film's use of dream-logic, more on that in another theme).

So William is basically a person who has had his sexual self-image torn down. The voyages is a failed attempt to restore his narcissistic bravado. But in Bill's experiences, he learns something else, something more prescient and valuable.

The sex he has been encountering is... dysfunctional. Perverted, somehow. Whatever it be a child pimped out by her dad, the illicitness of a prostitute, AIDS, or most malevolent of all... the upper-class orgy where a call-girl gets herself killed trying to save him. The party, in particular, shows an absolutely vile socio-economical angle on sexual desires, a girl dying so that the rich can play their perverted games in secret. This is not the sex of intimacy, of love, the sort of sex marriage is supposed to contain. If he wants that, he has to return to Alice.

The dangers and perversions that he (and she in her dreams) have encountered, has allowed them to grow as people. They are more open about their inner-most selves to each other. They realize that in their marriage, there can be intimacy, not just the exploitative and self-gratifying aspects that the journey has shown them. Cruise goes home, and has a breakdown, telling the truth about what has been going on.

Take the last scene:

First of all, notice that they're staring into each other's eyes. There is intimacy now. This is not the first scene, where when Alice asks him to look at her, he instead looks into a mirror. Now they are connected. She tells him straight to his face that she loves him.

So what does Alice mean in this closing line? Obviously, they've fucked before. Why would it be so important just now? It's important because they've sexually matured (especially William). They're more open with each other emotionally now, and can connect on a whole other plane than just the gratuitous one. They care about each others desires.

In a way, they will be fucking for the first time.
...
...
...
Ah crap I knew I should have rewatched the film before typing this!

 

[Otto!]

I’ve only seen it once and enjoyed it. I should watch it again to gain a better appreciation.

Interesting anecdote- they’ve been holding Eyes Wide Shut parties in Montreal for over 16 years now I believe.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

The basic joke of this movie is that the biggest male movie star of his era is on a quest to restore his sexual confidence -- but can't get laid.

Dude could certainly get laid. His journey was one of exploration, not conquest.

So what does Alice mean in this closing line? Obviously, they've fucked before. Why would it be so important just now? It's important because they've sexually matured (especially William). They're more open with each other emotionally now, and can connect on a whole other plane than just the gratuitous one. They care about each others desires.

In a way, they will be fucking for the first time.

You might be right. Although this synopsis doesn't capture the resignation bestowed upon Cruise's character. This wasn't welcomed enlightenment. But yeah, time to forge a new path with the old in-out.

 

[sh1tehawke]

I apologize in advance for this post but Kubrick leaves me no choice.

Firstly, I want to say that the 2:38 run time seems justified, its a long movie but necessary to tell the story and it didn't seem overly long to me which is the sign of excellent film making. Secondly, Eyes Wide Shut is pound for pound the most orgy filled, titty filled movie in SMC history.

Eyes Wide Shut is a film about the Illuminati, its about black magic, sex magic, and the elite circles that engage in these things. The cover of the film is Nicole Kidman with one eye symbolism, Illuminati. It is also framed in a mirror which is an occult item used to contact other realms, demon possession, portals etc.

We need to establish that this is not just about perverted rich people that like sex. This film is about sex magic, there are rituals taking place. At the end of the film when Alice and Bill take their daughter Helana to the store to shop, they walk by a game called Magic Circle.

So we know that the film is about secret societies, namely the Illuminati, and its also about magic rituals, black mass, and sex magic. I want to back up some though. The film takes place during Christmas and that really had me thinking, why did Kubrick choose Christmas? As it turns out, Christmas is during a time of the year when Rome would have been celebrating both Christmas as well as pagan holidays. One such holiday was called Saturnalia.

Saturnalia is about the worship of Saturn and would take place between December 17th-23rd, the exact time period Eyes Wide Shut appears to take place during. It also involved a sacrifice.

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves.[1]

So the season specifically seems to be during a very particular time period. Let go back to the beginning of the film before it gets all twisted. The first party was thrown by Dr. Victor Ziegle, played by Sydney Pollack, who later warns Bill to stfu about what he saw. At Ziegler's party there are 8 pointed stars everywhere, also known as stars of Venus or stars of the Babylonian god Ishtar. Ishtar is the god of sex.

The nod here is toward the fact the elite are into ancient teachings and beliefs. Ishtar is the goddess of sex, war, and other things. Also known as the star of Venus, it is thought that prostitution was celebrated during their festivals. There was other symbolism at the initial party. This is where things go off the rails. Kubrick placed everything in this film carefully and deliberately. In the same way the element of debauchery in this film will not appeal to @europe1, everything I present from here forward will likely offend the sensibilities of @Bullitt68 and his film school training. Nevertheless, I cannot ignore what Kubrick is presenting. Lets address first, the character of Nick Nightingale, the old friend from medical school and pianist. His name is the symbol in this case. We see him playing the piano at Victor Ziegler's party, the club, as well as the occult secret party.

Nightingale's are birds that sing at night during breeding season.

night·in·gale
[ˈnītnˌɡāl, ˈnīdiNGˌɡāl]
NOUN

1. a small European thrush with drab brownish plumage, noted for the rich melodious song of the male, heard especially at night in breeding season.

The two girls at the first party asked Bill, "don't you want to go where the rainbow ends?" The girl named Nuala, played by Stewart Thorndike was particularly stunning.

The two girls are obviously part of the cult and when they ask Cruise if he wants to go where the rainbow ends its a specific reference to The Wizard of Oz. Later in the film, the costume shop was called Rainbow with a caption that says "under the rainbow" instead of over the rainbow like in the classic song.

Look at this shot of Cruise under the rainbow. He is getting his costume to go exactly where the girls asked him if he wanted to go.

The Wizard of Oz has been connected by various people to MKULTRA, mind control and sexual abuse. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz was a member of the Theosophical Society which is an occult religion/secret society. The Theosophical Society was founded by occultist H.P. Blavatsky who wrote a periodical called Lucifer. Later on Lucifer Publishing changed their name to Lucis Trust and became the publisher for the United Nations. You could not make this shit up, the publishing company for the U.N. is Lucifer Publishing. The connections between the Thesophical Society, Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz, and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut is evident. If that isn't enough to convince you, the owner of the Rainbow costume shop was selling his underage daughter.

There is more though and I think its worth mentioning. Aleister Crowley wrote a one page essay called Liber Oz, Chapter 77.

Think this is completely in left field? Crowley was well known for his writings concerning sex magic and sex rituals. Read what Liber Oz says, especially #4 and #5. So here is this connection again with Oz, sex, violence, and the occult. Why did Crowley call it Chapter 77? The meaning of 77 in numerology also sounds like Eyes Wide Shut.

The energy represented by the numerology number 77 is, foremost, an energy of expression of personal freedom. 77 is introspective, but also adventurous and sensual and spiritual so long as its expression of personal freedom isn't restrained. 77 is interested in pretty much everything. It especially appreciates sensual experiences...

Moving on, Bill arrives at the secret party, the sign outside simply says Somerton. It seems almost inconceivable to me that Kubrick is not referring specifically to the Rothschild family and their famous 1972 party at Mentmore Towers. Mentmore was built in the 1800's for the Rothschilds and when they held their party in 1972 they lit the outside of it in red.

The grand hall looks very similar to the Eyes Wide Shut location with a balcony above for people to look down from.

Some pics from the party.

After Cruise goes to the party Kidman tells him of her nightmare where they were in an unknown location naked and she was terrified and she was angry because it was Cruise's fault. She somehow dreamed that she was naked and surrounded by people watching her have sex with many men but how did this happen? How did she dream what Cruise saw? She tells Cruise she wanted to laugh in his face so she laughed as loud as she could.

This is the Kubrick universe and one thing that might explain it is The Shining, which is knowing things, she also knew where his wallet was. She also interrupts him with a phone call just as he is about to sleep with the prostitute Domino. It may be a stretch but it explains how she dreamed what Cruise saw.

When the bald man follows Bill after he goes to see Domino, he passes by a restaurant with the address 237, a reference to The Shining's room 237. Bill stops at a newsstand and the paper he picks up has the headline of "Lucky to be alive." He proceeds into a coffee shop to elude the bald man and he opens the paper. We can clearly see the front says Lucky to be alive and inside on the page he opened to you can see one word in bold block letters, Party. He reads an article about a beauty queen rushed to the hospital with an overdose named Amanda Curran, Mandy.

In the final scene when Alice and Bill take Helena to the toy store, Helena walks off with two men who were also seen at Zeigler's party. This is perhaps the most disturbing and missed part of the film. The pic is not very clear but its them. Helena walks away with them as her parents continue to talk. One final weird statement by Cruise concerning Kidman's dream of the party, he tells her, "sometimes a dream isn't just a dream." Possibly meaning she is somehow psychic, or has "the shining."

There is more stuff but I've used all the pics a single post will allow me to use.

You are one interesting dude. Weird, but interesting

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

Eyes Wide Shut:

***Disclaimer***
Holy F*** this is a long post.
I did not intend for it to be this long
I don't think It even has that much substance.
I would try editing it down but I have to get to bed lol.

Don't bother reading if you don't want to

Off the top;
I loved the way it was filmed. Beautiful transitions. Great shots on the street. Acting was very good. Quite convincing at times. This movie is raw to the point of being uncomfortable. Love the eerie piano and overall creepy vibe.

Opening song is good, but with a stressful edge.
Dr Harford start the movie out stressed, lost, running late, and looking for his wallet.
Completely discombobulated.

When Alice asks Bill what he thinks of her hair, he tells her she looks beautiful.
She points out how he's not even looking.
Already showing signs of needing more attention.

Bill didn't even know the baby-sitters name.
I s'pose it's okay to leave your child with just anyone?!


When Alice and Bill get to the party, Victor tells her she's absolutely stunning and eyes her up and down right in front of Bill. I saw this as a subtle introduction to what is to come.

Bill thinks he doesn't know anyone there but he does, the pianist.
Alice CHUGS her drink as soon as Bill walks away from her.
As Alice continues to drink she begins to look more seductive.
As she's being seduced by the older man, she's already drunk and clearly drifting from faithfulness.
Alice couldn't answer why she wants to be married to Bill.
Red flag much?


At this point in the film they are being separately seduced in what appears to be a deliberate manner.
( Already feelin' some type of way, this movie deserves its rating )

Alice seemed fully down for the older gentleman until he went to kiss her and then she pulled away. "Maybe not just now" was her response to his proposition. AKA, probably l8r.
Alice seems to be a sensitive, hyper sexual attention seeker with deeply rooted emotional issues (I would know).

The elite sexy orgy cult has already driven a wedge between Bill and Alice.
Seeds of jealousy tearing them apart quickly right from the start.
I'm fairly certain Alice has Borderline Personality Disorder, Bi-Polar, PTSD, or all of the above.
She reminds me wayyyy too much of my ex, making this movie even more strange
She straight up tells him she was going to cheat on him.
Much cuck shame.

The Elites always use sex and shame to control people
Or so I've been told...



Bill is already Haunted by the visions of Alice and the Naval Officer.

The greiving daughter who comes onto Dr. Harford is a convincing actress


Strange scene of Bill being harassed by a gang of homosexual bullies.
Not sure of the significance of this scene.
Shortly after he's solicited. Decent looking hooker imo.
He was tempted, but pulled away (like alice with the older man)
They're both slipping into infidelity in different ways.

Rainbow costume guy is quite the character lol
"You should have a cloak lined with ermine"
No idea what that meant.
I really liked this movie but I feel it's probably a little over my head


Rothschild estates looking creepy and occult as ever (or maybe not...)
Didn't he have to go home to his wife?

Girls take off robes*
Me: F*** it, I'm down to join the illuminati

Sexualized and shared, as each girl leans over to pass on a kiss to the next one.
Masks on; Your identity isn't you value, your sexuality is.
That is the mindset of an abuser ^ / the abused

TFW the naked masked girl chooses you


Masked orgies seem less awkward, no?
The Elites got that right. Masks just make the whole thing seem a little classy and less, you know, like you're having sex around dozens of other people having sex / watching. Looks like a pretty fun party tbh. Illuminaughty know how to get down.

The masks in this movie are creeeeeeeeeeepy

May or may not be having nightmares of this later ^

The girl at the party said "Get out before it's too late" I think it was too late for her. Why else would she have tried to save him? He didn't even know her. Maybe after making this movie, it was too late for Kubrick.. I'll leave that up to the more qualified posters..

Lots of gay sex. Girls with girls guys with guys.
notthattheresanythingwrongwiththat.gif

elite sex orgy gang to Dr. Harford
"Take off your mask"
Ok fair
"Take off your clothes"
Wait WTF?!

Crazy laugh during dream is crazy.
Alice says some very crazy off-putting things.
She really is like my ex


Costume guy selling his daughter?
That is no longer my boy!


Long driveway at the estate. Reminds me I used to work at a private members club. It was owned and operated by all the richest people in the area. Wonder if anything like this ever went on behind closed doors.

Pretty nice of the orgy sex cult to give Dr. Harford a second chance after he deliberately disobeyed their orders to not inquire any further.
Who underestimates the rich sex orgy cult ? ! ? ! ? !

They want him to know he's being followed.
"LUCKY TO BE ALIVE" is the headline on his paper.
Kubrick is very deliberate about where he places things in the scene.

SUICIDED!!!! ex beauty queen. All powerful sex cult controlling the cops and or the media. Or covering their tracks very well. Or all of the above.
"I'm not going to tell you their names, but if I did, you wouldn't sleep so well"
I feel like this could be a quote from Kubrick himself.
It's a grand conspiracy I tell you!!!!

-Just an overdose
-Nothing suspicious
-Door locked from inside
-Police are happy
-C'mon!

Sound familiar?


Mask on the Pillow!

Spoiler

But can he get his $25 back?

Ok I think Dr. Harford is FINALLY realizing he's f****'n with the wrong people.
At the toy store now. I FORGOT HE EVEN HAD A KID!
Background noise much?

K'nex at toy store. 90's Nostalgia!

Daughter just walks off.
No attention paid to her.

"Let's not use forever" Alice said...
Uhhhh, You're Married?!


They need to f*** ASAP.
Who cares about the kid.

This movie seems to me to be about using sex shame and jealousy to mind control the parents, leaving the kids un-cared for and left unattended. It almost seems unfinished. As if there is 21 minutes missing which would explain all this.

The movie was pretty long though (like this post)
I'm sure they just need to save on time, not protect their occult phile ring.


TLDR:
Cliffs:
I loved the movie
I'm a crazy person
Kubrick was murdered

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

I apologize in advance for this post but Kubrick leaves me no choice.

Firstly, I want to say that the 2:38 run time seems justified, its a long movie but necessary to tell the story and it didn't seem overly long to me which is the sign of excellent film making. Secondly, Eyes Wide Shut is pound for pound the most orgy filled, titty filled movie in SMC history.

Eyes Wide Shut is a film about the Illuminati, its about black magic, sex magic, and the elite circles that engage in these things. The cover of the film is Nicole Kidman with one eye symbolism, Illuminati. It is also framed in a mirror which is an occult item used to contact other realms, demon possession, portals etc.

We need to establish that this is not just about perverted rich people that like sex. This film is about sex magic, there are rituals taking place. At the end of the film when Alice and Bill take their daughter Helana to the store to shop, they walk by a game called Magic Circle.

So we know that the film is about secret societies, namely the Illuminati, and its also about magic rituals, black mass, and sex magic. I want to back up some though. The film takes place during Christmas and that really had me thinking, why did Kubrick choose Christmas? As it turns out, Christmas is during a time of the year when Rome would have been celebrating both Christmas as well as pagan holidays. One such holiday was called Saturnalia.

Saturnalia is about the worship of Saturn and would take place between December 17th-23rd, the exact time period Eyes Wide Shut appears to take place during. It also involved a sacrifice.

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves.[1]

So the season specifically seems to be during a very particular time period. Let go back to the beginning of the film before it gets all twisted. The first party was thrown by Dr. Victor Ziegle, played by Sydney Pollack, who later warns Bill to stfu about what he saw. At Ziegler's party there are 8 pointed stars everywhere, also known as stars of Venus or stars of the Babylonian god Ishtar. Ishtar is the god of sex.

The nod here is toward the fact the elite are into ancient teachings and beliefs. Ishtar is the goddess of sex, war, and other things. Also known as the star of Venus, it is thought that prostitution was celebrated during their festivals. There was other symbolism at the initial party. This is where things go off the rails. Kubrick placed everything in this film carefully and deliberately. In the same way the element of debauchery in this film will not appeal to @europe1, everything I present from here forward will likely offend the sensibilities of @Bullitt68 and his film school training. Nevertheless, I cannot ignore what Kubrick is presenting. Lets address first, the character of Nick Nightingale, the old friend from medical school and pianist. His name is the symbol in this case. We see him playing the piano at Victor Ziegler's party, the club, as well as the occult secret party.

Nightingale's are birds that sing at night during breeding season.

night·in·gale
[ˈnītnˌɡāl, ˈnīdiNGˌɡāl]
NOUN

1. a small European thrush with drab brownish plumage, noted for the rich melodious song of the male, heard especially at night in breeding season.

The two girls at the first party asked Bill, "don't you want to go where the rainbow ends?" The girl named Nuala, played by Stewart Thorndike was particularly stunning.

The two girls are obviously part of the cult and when they ask Cruise if he wants to go where the rainbow ends its a specific reference to The Wizard of Oz. Later in the film, the costume shop was called Rainbow with a caption that says "under the rainbow" instead of over the rainbow like in the classic song.

Look at this shot of Cruise under the rainbow. He is getting his costume to go exactly where the girls asked him if he wanted to go.

The Wizard of Oz has been connected by various people to MKULTRA, mind control and sexual abuse. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz was a member of the Theosophical Society which is an occult religion/secret society. The Theosophical Society was founded by occultist H.P. Blavatsky who wrote a periodical called Lucifer. Later on Lucifer Publishing changed their name to Lucis Trust and became the publisher for the United Nations. You could not make this shit up, the publishing company for the U.N. is Lucifer Publishing. The connections between the Thesophical Society, Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz, and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut is evident. If that isn't enough to convince you, the owner of the Rainbow costume shop was selling his underage daughter.

There is more though and I think its worth mentioning. Aleister Crowley wrote a one page essay called Liber Oz, Chapter 77.


Think this is completely in left field? Crowley was well known for his writings concerning sex magic and sex rituals. Read what Liber Oz says, especially #4 and #5. So here is this connection again with Oz, sex, violence, and the occult. Why did Crowley call it Chapter 77? The meaning of 77 in numerology also sounds like Eyes Wide Shut.

The energy represented by the numerology number 77 is, foremost, an energy of expression of personal freedom. 77 is introspective, but also adventurous and sensual and spiritual so long as its expression of personal freedom isn't restrained. 77 is interested in pretty much everything. It especially appreciates sensual experiences...

Moving on, Bill arrives at the secret party, the sign outside simply says Somerton. It seems almost inconceivable to me that Kubrick is not referring specifically to the Rothschild family and their famous 1972 party at Mentmore Towers. Mentmore was built in the 1800's for the Rothschilds and when they held their party in 1972 they lit the outside of it in red.

The grand hall looks very similar to the Eyes Wide Shut location with a balcony above for people to look down from.


Some pics from the party.

After Cruise goes to the party Kidman tells him of her nightmare where they were in an unknown location naked and she was terrified and she was angry because it was Cruise's fault. She somehow dreamed that she was naked and surrounded by people watching her have sex with many men but how did this happen? How did she dream what Cruise saw? She tells Cruise she wanted to laugh in his face so she laughed as loud as she could.

This is the Kubrick universe and one thing that might explain it is The Shining, which is knowing things, she also knew where his wallet was. She also interrupts him with a phone call just as he is about to sleep with the prostitute Domino. It may be a stretch but it explains how she dreamed what Cruise saw.

When the bald man follows Bill after he goes to see Domino, he passes by a restaurant with the address 237, a reference to The Shining's room 237. Bill stops at a newsstand and the paper he picks up has the headline of "Lucky to be alive." He proceeds into a coffee shop to elude the bald man and he opens the paper. We can clearly see the front says Lucky to be alive and inside on the page he opened to you can see one word in bold block letters, Party. He reads an article about a beauty queen rushed to the hospital with an overdose named Amanda Curran, Mandy.

In the final scene when Alice and Bill take Helena to the toy store, Helena walks off with two men who were also seen at Zeigler's party. This is perhaps the most disturbing and missed part of the film. The pic is not very clear but its them. Helena walks away with them as her parents continue to talk. One final weird statement by Cruise concerning Kidman's dream of the party, he tells her, "sometimes a dream isn't just a dream." Possibly meaning she is somehow psychic, or has "the shining."

There is more stuff but I've used all the pics a single post will allow me to use.

To you point about Alice and shinning, she also seemed to know that Dr. Harford was about to cheat on her with the prostitute since she called him as it was about to happen.

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

How much of our sexuality is just self-pleasuring narcissism, and how much of it is a genuine love for the other person?

Overall great write up as always @europe1

 

[Nathan LaMontagne]

Possibly my favourite movie of all time.

Such a mindfuck that takes so much thought and energy. I love it.

And thanks guys for all the insightful posts by the way.

 

[Yotsuya]

At second viewing Eyes Wide Shut reminds me of another movie made 1999: Ninth Gate. In both the protagonists get sucked into a mystery, that seems orchestrated for them. In Ninth Gate book dealer Dean Carso

Spoiler

unknowingly goes through initiation rites for some unknown, Satanic purpose and in the end when given the choice takes the step to the other side.

In Eyes Wide Shut doctor William Harford chooses his borgeous existence over pursuing the pagan elite society. Unlike Carso, he’s eventually deterred by danger and vice, not drawn to it, so he shies away from the mystery instead of pursuing it. As an initiate he fails and the society needs to look elsewhere for another recruit. From Harford’s point of view the story goes as described by europe1 in an earlier message: He matures up and becomes a good husband.

 

[Yotsuya]

Eyes Wide Shut is based on a book by Arthur Schnitzler. I own the first Finnish edition from 1928. I think I I bought it around 2003. I had not seen Eyes Wide Shut yet and had no idea about the connection. I bought the book solely based on the title of the Finnish edition Tohtori eksyy erotiikkaan, which transletes roughly as The Doctor Get’s Lost in Erotica. It’s a very nice read and a good basis for Kubrick to build on.

 

[Yotsuya]

I apologize in advance for this post but Kubrick leaves me no choice.

Firstly, I want to say that the 2:38 run time seems justified, its a long movie but necessary to tell the story and it didn't seem overly long to me which is the sign of excellent film making. Secondly, Eyes Wide Shut is pound for pound the most orgy filled, titty filled movie in SMC history.

Eyes Wide Shut is a film about the Illuminati, its about black magic, sex magic, and the elite circles that engage in these things. The cover of the film is Nicole Kidman with one eye symbolism, Illuminati. It is also framed in a mirror which is an occult item used to contact other realms, demon possession, portals etc.

We need to establish that this is not just about perverted rich people that like sex. This film is about sex magic, there are rituals taking place. At the end of the film when Alice and Bill take their daughter Helana to the store to shop, they walk by a game called Magic Circle.

So we know that the film is about secret societies, namely the Illuminati, and its also about magic rituals, black mass, and sex magic. I want to back up some though. The film takes place during Christmas and that really had me thinking, why did Kubrick choose Christmas? As it turns out, Christmas is during a time of the year when Rome would have been celebrating both Christmas as well as pagan holidays. One such holiday was called Saturnalia.

Saturnalia is about the worship of Saturn and would take place between December 17th-23rd, the exact time period Eyes Wide Shut appears to take place during. It also involved a sacrifice.

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves.[1]

So the season specifically seems to be during a very particular time period. Let go back to the beginning of the film before it gets all twisted. The first party was thrown by Dr. Victor Ziegle, played by Sydney Pollack, who later warns Bill to stfu about what he saw. At Ziegler's party there are 8 pointed stars everywhere, also known as stars of Venus or stars of the Babylonian god Ishtar. Ishtar is the god of sex.

The nod here is toward the fact the elite are into ancient teachings and beliefs. Ishtar is the goddess of sex, war, and other things. Also known as the star of Venus, it is thought that prostitution was celebrated during their festivals. There was other symbolism at the initial party. This is where things go off the rails. Kubrick placed everything in this film carefully and deliberately. In the same way the element of debauchery in this film will not appeal to @europe1, everything I present from here forward will likely offend the sensibilities of @Bullitt68 and his film school training. Nevertheless, I cannot ignore what Kubrick is presenting. Lets address first, the character of Nick Nightingale, the old friend from medical school and pianist. His name is the symbol in this case. We see him playing the piano at Victor Ziegler's party, the club, as well as the occult secret party.

Nightingale's are birds that sing at night during breeding season.

night·in·gale
[ˈnītnˌɡāl, ˈnīdiNGˌɡāl]
NOUN

1. a small European thrush with drab brownish plumage, noted for the rich melodious song of the male, heard especially at night in breeding season.

The two girls at the first party asked Bill, "don't you want to go where the rainbow ends?" The girl named Nuala, played by Stewart Thorndike was particularly stunning.

The two girls are obviously part of the cult and when they ask Cruise if he wants to go where the rainbow ends its a specific reference to The Wizard of Oz. Later in the film, the costume shop was called Rainbow with a caption that says "under the rainbow" instead of over the rainbow like in the classic song.

Look at this shot of Cruise under the rainbow. He is getting his costume to go exactly where the girls asked him if he wanted to go.

The Wizard of Oz has been connected by various people to MKULTRA, mind control and sexual abuse. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz was a member of the Theosophical Society which is an occult religion/secret society. The Theosophical Society was founded by occultist H.P. Blavatsky who wrote a periodical called Lucifer. Later on Lucifer Publishing changed their name to Lucis Trust and became the publisher for the United Nations. You could not make this shit up, the publishing company for the U.N. is Lucifer Publishing. The connections between the Thesophical Society, Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz, and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut is evident. If that isn't enough to convince you, the owner of the Rainbow costume shop was selling his underage daughter.

There is more though and I think its worth mentioning. Aleister Crowley wrote a one page essay called Liber Oz, Chapter 77.

Think this is completely in left field? Crowley was well known for his writings concerning sex magic and sex rituals. Read what Liber Oz says, especially #4 and #5. So here is this connection again with Oz, sex, violence, and the occult. Why did Crowley call it Chapter 77? The meaning of 77 in numerology also sounds like Eyes Wide Shut.

The energy represented by the numerology number 77 is, foremost, an energy of expression of personal freedom. 77 is introspective, but also adventurous and sensual and spiritual so long as its expression of personal freedom isn't restrained. 77 is interested in pretty much everything. It especially appreciates sensual experiences...

Moving on, Bill arrives at the secret party, the sign outside simply says Somerton. It seems almost inconceivable to me that Kubrick is not referring specifically to the Rothschild family and their famous 1972 party at Mentmore Towers. Mentmore was built in the 1800's for the Rothschilds and when they held their party in 1972 they lit the outside of it in red.

The grand hall looks very similar to the Eyes Wide Shut location with a balcony above for people to look down from.

Some pics from the party.

After Cruise goes to the party Kidman tells him of her nightmare where they were in an unknown location naked and she was terrified and she was angry because it was Cruise's fault. She somehow dreamed that she was naked and surrounded by people watching her have sex with many men but how did this happen? How did she dream what Cruise saw? She tells Cruise she wanted to laugh in his face so she laughed as loud as she could.

This is the Kubrick universe and one thing that might explain it is The Shining, which is knowing things, she also knew where his wallet was. She also interrupts him with a phone call just as he is about to sleep with the prostitute Domino. It may be a stretch but it explains how she dreamed what Cruise saw.

When the bald man follows Bill after he goes to see Domino, he passes by a restaurant with the address 237, a reference to The Shining's room 237. Bill stops at a newsstand and the paper he picks up has the headline of "Lucky to be alive." He proceeds into a coffee shop to elude the bald man and he opens the paper. We can clearly see the front says Lucky to be alive and inside on the page he opened to you can see one word in bold block letters, Party. He reads an article about a beauty queen rushed to the hospital with an overdose named Amanda Curran, Mandy.

In the final scene when Alice and Bill take Helena to the toy store, Helena walks off with two men who were also seen at Zeigler's party. This is perhaps the most disturbing and missed part of the film. The pic is not very clear but its them. Helena walks away with them as her parents continue to talk. One final weird statement by Cruise concerning Kidman's dream of the party, he tells her, "sometimes a dream isn't just a dream." Possibly meaning she is somehow psychic, or has "the shining."

There is more stuff but I've used all the pics a single post will allow me to use.

Nice finds! Rotchchild 1972 costume party and the spirit of early 20th century occult/secret society scene were on my mind too when watching EWS.

 

[MusterX]

Eyes Wide Shut is based on a book by Arthur Schnitzler. I own the first Finnish edition from 1928. I think I I bought it around 2003. I had not seen Eyes Wide Shut yet and had no idea about the connection. I bought the book solely based on the title of the Finnish edition Tohtori eksyy erotiikkaan, which transletes roughly as The Doctor Get’s Lost in Erotica. It’s a very nice read and a good basis for Kubrick to build on.
View attachment 425433

In all my research for this film I never came across this information and I'm dumbfounded you actually own that.

 

[MusterX]

You are one interesting dude. Weird, but interesting

I can't help what Kubrick has done with his films. Some of the stuff I post is for fun but a lot of it is undeniable. The piano player being named Nightingale is no accident, same with the stars of Ishtar at the first party. Kubrick presents us, in a subtle way, with mysteries that many viewers don't ever pick up on, like how did Alice dream what Bill saw?