A Kubrickian Dreamscape (Eyes Wide Shut (DVD))

Name: harlequin21

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Product:	Eyes Wide Shut (DVD)
Date:	14.04.08 (81 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All things Kubrick; vivid, surreal, stark, atmospheric, grand; strong lead from Cruise

Disadvantages: Odd performance by Kidman; occasional choppy editing; could've done with some expanding

In the eyes of some, Stanley Kubrick was the last of the classic directors, and Eyes Wide Shut marks his final effort. Possibly the last great film of the 20th century, yet oft overlooked, Eyes Wide Shut -- despite its distorted reputation and commercial failure -- shows Kubrick not only working at the height of his technical genius, but also introduces something quite rare for a Kubrick film; an emphasis on human emotion. Although the emotion isn't overdone (Kubrick was always a minimalist in that sense), it does make Eyes Wide Shut stand out from the rest of his films, which is a pity considering the reception it received.

Indeed, much like its star, Tom Cruise, its reputation precedes it; apparently a gratuitous art house porno; stories of endless takes over its two year production, Kubrick's attention to detail reaching new levels of perfectionism, whilst the stress of production apparently not only led to the divorce of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, but also to Kubrick's death just days after he had finally completed it. But, again, the reputation of the film tragically distorts the finished product; a meticulously crafted work of art, a vivid dreamscape that even exceeds the weirdness of its source material, "Dream Story", by Viennese secessionist, Arthur Schnitzler. Kubrick takes Schnitzler's work, simultaneously making it his own, but also staying incredibly loyal to the book, in addition to actually deepening the story. Its a basic premise; Doctor Bill Harford (Cruise), a charming and successful practitioner, embarks on a dreamlike sexual odyssey in the depths of New York after a fall out with his equally charming but not so successful wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), following her admission of past longings for other men. Harford's journey takes him to the darkest recesses of the city, whether it be seedy back alleys or extravagant apartments, the night itself bearing many life-changing revelations. This story is modern day New York, but Kubrick never forgets his source, imbuing it with the grandeur and eccentricity of early 20th century Imperial Vienna. There is a parallel between the two cities, the bourgeois classes distinctly reflecting each other.

The character of Harford epitomises such people, comfortable and wealthy, but not necessarily content, with repressed sexuality seeping out over the duration of his journey. Cruise anchors the film and plays Harford exactly in this way, but he realises that the secrets of he and his wife are nothing compared to what lurks just under the pristine surface of New York society, to which he has been completely (and naively) oblivious. The humanity of the story lies in Cruise, his Harford a man the audience can relate to, whilst Kidman's Alice is almost the opposite of this. Although like Harford in the sense that she is comfortable and wealthy, happily married, and blessed with a young child, she is frustrated and secretly selfish. However, these traits are actually rather overdone by Kidman, whose acting occasionally borders on parody throughout. Whilst she excellently conveys the enigma of Alice, playing her with a distant, distracted quality, she often goes too far. Sometimes Alice is distant and distracted to the point where she becomes quite irritating. Kidman tries to make her naturalistic, her dialogue long and drawn out, but her character almost becomes a parody. Her dialogue is spoken at the speed of a tortoise, her quality of distance exaggerated to the extent that she seems to be stoned the majority of the time (which in one scene she is), a flaw in her acting that comes close to ruining a vital scene. It's not always the case, and to Kidman's credit she does make Alice alluring and mysterious, only she indulges in excess rather too much at times.

But the key player to the film is Kubrick, though his presence is subdued because of the combined weight of Cruise and Kidman, as well as Sydney Pollack in a supporting role. The quality of his direction, however, is stunning in the dreamscape he creates. Effortless, fluid tracking shots; cinematography that is crafted with such care that every shot is like a framed painting; an atmosphere that brings the dream story to life through all of these qualities, as well as the sets and his brilliant use of music (the Shostakovich piece is a throwback to the classic 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack); all of this makes Eyes Wide Shut a feast for the senses, much akin to the rest of Kubrick's films, being both flamboyant and minimalist in style. One scene in particular stands out as possibly the greatest sequence Kubrick ever filmed, a scene which completely envelops the viewer in its atmosphere, surrealism, eeriness and downright excellence. It would be unfair to give it away, as Eyes Wide Shut is about revelation in every sense of the word; everything unravels slowly, leaving the audience to basque in Kubrick's world. If Eyes Wide Shut were to be categorised in a genre (which is difficult to do considering how many levels it works on), it would be as much a mystery film as it is a love story, but this simplification undermines the film. That said, Kubrick's direction is not without the occasional flaw. Although not necessarily a bad thing, Eyes Wide Shut is quite an old-fashioned film, and this is seen most prominently in Kubrick's editing. Between shots, the editing is fluid, but Kubrick does tend to struggle when moving from one event to the next. Because the film, like the novel, is a stream of consciousness, when there is an abrupt fade out to the next chapter as it were, it breaks up that stream of consciousness. The editing could have been more seamless, as it would have tied the film together more tightly, which would have been especially appropriate considering that dreams are not fragmented in the same way.

The story itself also suffers from not being taken to its fullest extent, although that flaw is to be attributed to the novel more than the film. Nonetheless, for all of the mystery surrounding the film, it is not fully explored. That doesn't mean that all the questions the film poses need answers, but one does not feel completely fulfilled by the conclusion to the mystery, as it could've done with some more exploration. Indeed, despite the fact that the film is long (150 minutes), it might've benefited from an extra half hour to add a bit more tension to the storyline. The very end, moreover, feels very much like a cop out (again, this fault is to be attributed to the novel), although it can be interpreted in numerous ways. And that's one of the reasons why Eyes Wide Shut stays with you long after the credits, because, like the very best films, the questions it poses and the general brilliance of it leaves you to interpret its meaning and ponder over it for days after. It's only a shame that Kubrick's erotic final masterpiece, despite having some flaws, is so drastically overlooked.

Summary: Kubrick's final (near) masterpiece is a tragic case of brilliance overlooked