MovieChat Forums > Eyes Wide Shut (1999) Discussion > For all the conspiracy theorists....

For all the conspiracy theorists....

posted 9 years ago by little_priest
42 replies | jump to latest

..here is some info:

"Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 erotic thriller film loosely based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle (Dream Story). The book deals with the thoughts and psychological transformations of Doctor Fridolin over a two-day period after his wife confesses having had sexual fantasies involving another man. In this short time, he meets many people who give clues to the world Schnitzler creates. This culminates in the masquerade ball, a wondrous event of masked individualism, sex, and danger for Fridolin as the outsider."

There is an Austrian movie from 1969 (the Moon ladning!!!!?!?) which is quite identical to EWS. You can watch it here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inJp4rPyLrU (skip to 39:00 for the good stuff).

I think Kubrick liked the story and simply remade it with bigger budget. And the movie is not about exposing secret society and their rituals. It's about the inner journey of the main character.

[–] npagano05 8 years ago

this movie is about the illuminati and nothing else you brainless puppet.

[–] rascal67 8 years ago

... the movie is not about exposing secret society and their rituals. It's about the inner journey of the main character.
__________________

The thing is, while Tom Cruise is as good as always, I couldn't really have cared less about his "inner journey" and I think to claim this is just as pretentious as Kubrick. His jealousy over his wife's mystique surrounding her alleged affair allows him to explore a darker, shadier and insidious underbelly of privileged society. Kubrick gives us as usual, a controlled, heightened and even artificial presentation that appears not so real; but the truth is, it was a dangerous reality.

The film is really not all that deep and to suggest the supposed Illuminati are into rituals and orgies is also quite laughable. There is no genuine chemistry between Kidman and Cruise and their on-screen coupling is a phony and sham as their marriage was. Kidman also gives a self-conscious and self-important performance that amounts to nothing much, and I'd say any over-indulgence of takes on Kubrick's part was to get her to act better.

Don't eat the whole ones! Those are for the guests. 🍪