Deciphering Stanley Kubrick's last masterpiece, Eyes Wide Shut, is almost as hard as trying to understand all of the satirical meanings A Clockwork Orange delivered. Definitely not one of Kubrick's strangest of masterpieces, Eyes Wide Shut, was strange enought at times. The film leaves open what actually takes place or took place in the past. This movie is a fitting end to a legendary director's career.

Eyes Wide Shut, is filled with metaphors for present-day life as was A Clockwork Orange and Dr. Strangelove (reviews of those two coming soon). The ideas of reality vs. dreamlike state and the metaphorical adulterous relationships presented in this movie blend with today's outlook on adultery. It is suggested throughout the movie that adultery is not tolerated, but when Alice (Kidman) reveals to Bill (Cruise) reveals that she would have left everything behind, her husband, her child, her life just for one night with a random man she didn't even know, Bill's life seems to fall apart. To him, this is as bad as cheating and he now wants to get back at her.

The film, shrouded in secrecy throughout, presents to us the secret lives of Bill and Alice. Their marriage seems to be falling apart - as noticed while dancing and arguing - and they are desperately in need of something new. For Bill, experimentation outside of marriage is his release. But is Bill afraid of cheating on his wife, losing her trust and everything he holds sacred? Alice needs an escape from her daily chores and she finds it in her fantasies. Although not real by a long shot, they are real enough to Bill to lead him astray. But how far is Bill willing to go? This movie seems to attack infidelity, exposing all of the downsides and risks. Kubrick is also able to play off sex as meaningless in this film. At the masquerade party, all of the guests are masked and never kiss. By portraying sex as meaningless, unimportant, and insignificant, Kubrick is able to make a strong statement and expose the decivilization of society. Not once in this movie is sex portrayed as an act of love, but rather as acts of gratification. There is no shame, no humility. Society is breaking down, is nothing sacred?

The music of this film is decidedly Kubrick - haunting, somewhat gothic, and it fits the movie perfectly. The music behind this film leaves an eerie feeling within you. As the music changes from classical to the ritualistic gothic "masked ball" music, the simplicity is evident and it complicates the film that much more. From the singular plucks of piano chords to the ominous chants, Kubrick and composer Jocelyn Pook are able to set the mood and accomplish so much with so little.

I am not going to downgrade this film for the editing done by Warner Brothers after Stanley Kubrick's passing. However, I think that it was a grave mistake to alter the film in this way. I look forward to the DVD which will most likely contain an un-edited version and maybe a subsequent re-release with an "unrated" rather than "R" or "NC-17."

Genres: Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Runtime: 159 minutes
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