What exactly was the point of the party? Edit, The identity of the masked couple is never explained. The only difference between that night and the previous one was Billsawareness of their existence. She was caught messing around with those two guys, and then the next day they were leaving like everything was okay? The wife set everything up? I actually think Eyes Wide Shut is his best picture (of the half . Eyes Wide Shut is indeed not simply about a relationship, it is about all of the outside forces and influences that define that relationship. He intended to sleep with Domino, and if not caught at the party, he might have indulged in the orgy too. The Christmas party is the ritual party. In the end, Alice reverts to her domestic persona; it all seems like a dream. Kubrick has updated the story to present-day New York City, with Cruise and Kidman playing Dr. William and Alice Harford, the two principals. User Ratings You can find other film explanations using the search option on top of the site. How do we know that Mandy overdosed and that Nick is back in Seattle with his family? This scene was filmed in an ac. Well never know, seeing as how, the road not taken forever remains a mystery. So, is ignorance bliss? Parties like this possibly happen all over the world, all the time; the same goes for all sorts of nefarious activities by secret societies. Edit. Because, membership in a satnic cult is often started with the elected member brought blindfolded into a room of initiation. 2. while they were on vacation. Hecate is a goddess of witchcraft and an ancient underworld deity. 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. One of the main themes of this movie is thatsome secrets are better left that way. Alices monologue encourages the use of ones imagination, which is often more powerful in manifesting the desired effect in Film. Eyes Wide Shut: What happened to Domino? On the evening of the following day, when Bill returns home, he discovers the rented Venetian mask on his pillow next to his sleeping wife. , to begin with. So, think carefully before letting the cat out of the bag since curiosity is a dangerous thing. FYI, unfortunately I could only find this version of the pool table scene on YouTube. Is it only cheating when someone is involved in physical adultery? Here, the night takes a turn for the strangest. Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. 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. The film is also, interestingly enough, un-edited in all international versions. The orgy is described in his wifes dream. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. While still traumatized from this cognition, the phone rings, and Bill discovers that one of his patients has just died. . . In the end, the abundance of choice creates temptation but also. Join Charles Roberts, his Pikachu and his travelling companions as he attempts to become the ultimate Pokemon Trainer. Perhaps she was murdered; maybe she just overdosed again and died. 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. Leon Vitali was a long-term personal assistant to Stanley Kubrick on several of his films, including 'Eyes Wide Shut'. It is brilliant! The mask represents the husband's hidden desire for the woman and the secrecy of their affair. Its possible that Alice was just frustrated that she refused the advances of a man she was attracted to while Bill was drooled over by two models just across the room. While secrets are always intriguing, the saying, curiosity killed the cat, exists for a reason. Also, the odd dialogue between bill and nightengale is a result of nightengale half playing a part, half making fun of bill to his face. Pingback: Eyes Wide Shut - mise en bouche | plotwhole. All about Eyes Wide Shut Ritual Scene. 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. But I personally prefer the dream theory, which is what the original book Traumnovelle, "Dream Story" in english, tend to expose. Pingback: ESOTERIC HOLLYWOOD: Eyes Wide Shut As Ritual WorkingAlternative News Network | Alternative News Network. It had never occurred to me before as I was always so engrossed in the conversation. Furthermore, a Rota Fortunae of women appears in the Masked Ball ritual, and the master of ceremonies spins a ceremonial wheel, so to speak, dispatching ladies of the night at random. 1 "Yes, of course, if it's fine tomorrow," said Mrs. Ramsay. simulation), both of which are part of the films motifs. This is a subtle line implying that she might have some awareness of the event that Bill is heading to. For example, the password for the orgy is "Fidelio," a word that points at the theme of marital fidelity, but does not indicate clearly that Bill's journey might be a dream. Edit, Somewhat loosely translated, it means:"We still pray for the mercy, the life, the peace, the health, the salvation, the scrutiny, neglection and forgiveness of the sins of God's servants, worshipers, almsgivers, benefactors of this holy site. The movie follows Harford as he agonizes over both what his wife had told him and his feelings of jealousy, rage, and revenge. Although it is easy to miss upon a first viewing, note the parallels between Red Cloak's gestures with the incense ball and Ziegler's moves playing with the white cue ball at the billiards table, and later with the chalk how Zeigler hits the pool table twice while talking with Bill about the death of Mandy.Zeigler also points at Bill in a threatening manner when Bill questions him about the death of Mandy, which is very similar in camera angle to Red Cloak's threat to Bill at the mansion.Also, the scene with Bill and Zeigler ends with Bill stepping into a blue light emulating from outside a window. I believe it was her at the party, and I think that is the reason the mask is on his bed at the end. Victor allows Bill to believe this because it is convenient and would prevent Bill from investigating further i.e. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. This whole issue takes on a deeper meaning, since, in real life Cruise and Kidman were actually married (from 1990 until 2001).Some have stated they believe that Bill's sexual adventures (after the party) were part of a bizarre dream. The implication that they have this level of access to Bill and his family is quite terrifying. Second, his behavior was probably suspicious from a mile away. , theres a risk that he, too, would have been infected. 4. Wedding mother and sonny gut and ritual son-in-law bang mother. It seems that Bill always repeats any question asked of him and repeats back any information given to him. Citing contractual obligations to deliver an R rating during the theatrical release, Warner Bros. digitally altered the orgy scene for the American release of Eyes Wide Shut, blocking out images of extremely graphic sexuality by inserting additional figures into the scene to obscure the view, thus avoiding an adults-only NC-17 rating that might have limited distribution of the film, as some large American theaters and video store operators have a policy that disallows films with that rating. This scene puts Dr. Harford's social class in context. In the theatrical version and the original unrated trailer, when Cruise enters, the frame goes well below his navel. There were several clues. The same thing goes with the party at the mansion. In the first place, Bill is a daydreamer and easily sidetracked. He has written words for Den of Geek, Collider, The Irish Times and Screen Rant over the years, and can discuss anything from the MCU - where Hawkeye is clearly the best character - to the most obscure cult b-movie gem, and his hot takes often require heat resistant gloves to handle. As an illustration, when you conjoin the rainbow sisters with Alice, as well as the occult symbol that appears over her head in the background as she dances with the Mephistopheles-like character Sandor Szavost (Sky du Mont), you get a vaguely related conjuring of Hecate. Likewise, Amor is an anagram of Mora. The word trivia derives from the Latin trivium, which is divided into two parts. her volunteer to sacrifice herself so the orgy managers would let Doctor. Lastly, the poem is more than a phantasmal physical journey to the afterlife; it is also a dream about transcendence and a metaphor for the poets enlightenment. 100 Times. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. 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. Interestingly, The Masked Ball was shot at Mentmore Towers, a 19th-century English country estate built for the Rothschild family in the Buckinghamshire village of Mentmore between 1852 and 1854. We dont know. Warner Bros. cut this before release of the film due to protests from Hindu organizations due to a holy scripture's use during a lustful scene. 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. These questions are not resolved by the end of the movie. Zeigler's Christmas party is a tinsel wrapped illusion of sophistication disguising the presence of "models" (hookers), drugs, and people flirting with each others partners. The Latin term Mora means to linger, delay, which was also used to translate the metrical connotation of the Greek word chrnos (time). Privacy Policy. The Christmas party is a facade. If the woman in the mask had been the same woman as Mandy, you would. . The picture begins with the distinctive surroundings and vividness of a dream. We can certainly go on and on. Tom Cruise in the Masked Ball ritual scene from Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece Eyes Wide Shut with Jocelyn Pook's haunting score filling the temple. 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. But it meant a lot to Kubrick that his other films did not. Moreover, Fortunas Wheel is widely portrayed in medieval art, from manuscripts to the exquisite Rose Windows found in many medieval cathedrals. 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. For example, several female characters appear more intuitive and cognizant than their male counterparts, who hide behind personas (i.e. Now, had Billtaken advantage of this opportunity, theres a risk that he, too, would have been infected. Yes, 100 times. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Earlier in the film, the character of Mandy nearly dies from a drug overdose in Zeigler's bathroom. 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. That is, she contrived a methodical approach to reveal her occult persona. Catalogued as an erotic thriller or psychological drama by critics, the movie was followed by a series of unfortunate events . 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. Of course, when they acknowledge him from the balcony they wouldn't know that it is Bill. The plot in the book is more or less the same about a 35-year-old doctor, named Fridolin, who embarks on a night-long wandering through Vienna after his wife privately admits to almost being unfaithful. The attendees are in many ways wearing masks too. Throughout the movie, we see Bill getting approached by several beautiful women whose advances he refuses out of loyalty to his wife. Meanwhile, Bill is quietly summoned upstairs for what appears to be an emergency just as the two bewitching and haunting women are about to demonstrate where the rainbow ends.. We cant, not really. Also, the word recur comes from the Latin term recurrere, which means to run back. Just in the same way, Jocelyn Pooks music can be heard in the backdrop during the ritual, which is a sample of an Orthodox liturgy played backward with Romanian chanting. There are flirtations (Ziegler with Bill's wife) and innuendo, seduction (the man Alice is dancing with). mila maxi dress rue stiic 914 subaru swap cost. Also, pay close attention to the blue lighting near the end of the scene. The host is the same. Edit, Bill is under the impression that the woman who took an overdose in the bathroom at Victor Zeigler's party is the same woman who 'redeemed' him at the masked ball and is also the same woman whom he read about in the newspaper and whose corpse he visited at the morgue. She had to show restraint while (from her perspective) he was gone for an hour doing who knows what. The Window. Because Bill gets a call from Alice and leaves, he doesnt end up sleeping with Domino and doesnt get HIV. simulacrums), and rubrics (i.e. Who was the masked man? The second half of Eyes Wide Shut sees Bill being given ominous warnings from this secret society, and he can't seem to find his mask from the party. Note: when Bill is forced to take off his mask at the masked party/orgy he holds onto it for the rest of the scene. Loosely based on Arthur Schnitzler's novella Traumnovelle ( Dream Story ), Eyes Wide Shut is about an upper-middle class doctor (Cruise) who finds out his wife (Kidman) once fantasied about cheating on her husband. Others have conjured deeper meanings, such as that the orgy was a Satanic cult, out to overthrow Bill. 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. and our The movies message may be understood from quite feminist perspective even though it's not too evident. Disappearing summarily from The Haunting was surely a blessing in disguise, deliverance on the cutting room floor. If you look at it purely based on his actions, then yes, he did cheat. 11:00. He goes over there to express his condolences. Eyes Wide Shut is Stanley Kubrick's final movie starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, but what does the mask on the pillow near the end mean? At the party, Bill is discovered as an impostor. Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 film directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. I cannot believe it took me this long to realize the connection between the two parties. External Reviews I suggest you ignore his description and watch the scene. Padraig has been writing about film online since 2012, when a friend asked if he'd like to contribute the occasional review or feature to their site. So, if she just decided to stay discrete, theres no way he would have ever found out. On the other hand, reversing the Wheel of Fortune Tarot card reveals recurring life lessons, patterns, and cycles. amateur, milf. In 1994, Stanley Kubrick sent the screenwriter Frederic Raphael a novella about a doctor who embarks on a dark odyssey of the soul . *In the DVD/Video version, when Nicole Kidman gives her monologue about yearning for the Naval Officer, she mouths the words "We made love." Eyes Wide Shut. How many versions of Eyes Wide Shut are there? It's pronounced Paw-rick, not Pad-raig. 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. After Alice reveals to Bill that she had a dream about having an affair with another man, Bill . The focus of Eyes Wide Shut is the scary connection between the erotic and the anonymous. 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. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. It is about the eternal back-and-forth between the male and female principles in a confused and decadent modern world. She has a keen eye for detail and a natural talent for storytelling. 3. | Someone entered their home while his family was sleeping and placed it on the pillow next to his wife without waking her up. The inversion is also seen in the saving of both the prostitute and Bill: He saves the prostitute at the Christmas party and she saves him at the masked ball. 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. However, I don't think you can try to rationalize it out and say it was flesh and blood really her or a scheme by her. All of them could be lying to him. It is the same party, but inverted. She had to show restraint while (from her perspective) he was gone for an hour doing who knows what. With the images of his wifes infidelity in his mind, Bill learns that his patients engaged daughter is madly in love with him. This remains a bit unclear, but it wouldnt be a stretch to say that Bill was simply sticking out at a party. As a result, various elements, including Alices dreams, the cryptic cult, and Bills part in it all, motivate and explain Bills adventure. Kubrick's autumnal work, a tale of jealousy and sexual obsession, Eyes Wide Shut follows the erotically charged misadventures of Dr. Bill Harford (fun fact! The film stars Tom Cruise as a restless doctor, Bill Harford, whose curiosity takes him on a nightlong sexual odyssey . Throughout his adventures, like any dreamer, he is occasionally saved by the bell. Bill then expresses gratitude for Dominos time and departs for the night after compensating her. Had one of the masked girls (a prostitute whose life he saved in one of the opening scenes) not intervened, who knows what the consequences would have been? In Eyes Wide Shut, the couple perfectly follows that instinctive scriptPlayed by Nicole Kidman, Alice lost her job in the art world and is now fully supported by her husband's salary. Next: The Shining: Why Stanley Kubrick Changed Stephen King's Story. Answer (1 of 4): The End Of the movie is the key to understand the whole movie. Who knows, he might have spent the rest of his days remorseful about this missed opportunity, never really knowing that it was, This creates another question, what would be the consequences of Alices elopement with the naval officer? Nick being taken through the party with a blindfold on to me is proof that he helped set everything up. More importantly, is the infidelity in thought any less devastating than one in the flesh? Therefore at the conclusion of the film, anima and animus, simulacrum and faade, simulation and reality are compartmentalized. Of course, when surrealist Salvador Dali, fait la fte, anything goes. There is obviously a lot of other shit going on in this movie, so while I think you are right picking up on that idea, I wouldn't say that you can take that and try to rationalize any kind of infer from it on Alice's part. Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut celebrated its 15th anniversary this week. Eyes Wide Shut is a calling card for secret societies, referring to 'my eyes are shut to your misdeeds, brother.' This anonymity is required of participants in their ritual orgies, rape, gay sex, and pedophilia, in order to cloak society's moneyed elite from public shame. Bill realizes how close he got to possibly contracting the disease. Kubrick here employs dialogue to describe dreams and desires. Flash back to the time that Eyes Wide Shut was being filmed (circa 1998-1999). 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. | It's not really there. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site. No, Alice was not at the party with the ritual. Cruise and Kidman were married, and Tom had left the church temporarily (from 1992-2000), because Nicole would . In Eyes Wide Shut, Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) and his wife Alice (Nicole Kidman), explore the possibilities of infidelity, newly possible with their entrance into high society, which. However,a choice is never free of consequences. 13 Amazing Movies Filmed In A Single Location, 10 Best Sci-fi Horror Movies (A Must-Watch List), Mind Bending Movies Explained: Browse In Alphabetic Order, The Empty Man Explained (Plot And Ending), The Menu Movie Explained (Every Question Answered), The Black Phone Explained (Every Question Answered), Jung_E Plot And Ending Explained (Korean Film), You Should Have Left Explained (Plot And Ending), Being John Malkovich Explained (Plot And Ending), Gods Crooked Lines: Explained (Ending: Was Alice Insane? The most obvious answer is Alice found the mask and left it out as a way to let Bill know she knew something was going on. Realizing something was up, she left it on his pillow so that he'd find it. Ghost Sonata: Eyes Wide Shut. Edit, Yes. While its easy to judge them, who is to say that this will not work for the two. 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. The Roman equivalent of the Greek god Eros, is known as Amor in Latin. The second half of Eyes Wide Shut sees Bill being given ominous warnings from this secret society, and he can't seem to find his mask from the party. In this film, director Stanley Kubrick gives clues that are mostly visual rather than in straight dialogue. In the film, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman play Bill and Alice Harford, a couple who have been married for nine years. In Eyes Wide Shut, Alice is often shown staring at the looking glass - grooming herself or maybe looking for something more to life.