Since I intr theme of dysfunctional relationships, this is a perfect place to introduce Stanley Kubrick’s final film, the erotic, psychological-mystery Eyes Wide Shut.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick & Frederic Raphael
Starring: Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman
During Christmastime, a successful New York City doctor has his idyllic relationship shattered when his wife confesses her sexual fantasies to him. Seeking payback of sorts, he attempts to stoke the fires of his own sexual exploration which leads him to a world of underground sex parties. Cursed by his own curiosity, he’s enamored by a dark and lustful existence he knows nothing about. However, sinister elements of the secret society use threats and intimidation to ensure his silence as he tries to put his experience in the rearview and reconnect with his wife and daughter.
I know a lot of people weren’t fans of this movie but, if you’re a fan of Stanley Kubrick, this is arguably the most Kubrickian of his films. It’s about as atypical of a Xmas movie as you can find but there’s a Christmas tree and lights in almost every scene, and the themes of the Yuletide season are woven in the narrative as a commentary about the erosion of the traditional values associated with the holiday season. In true Kubrick fashion, the film is elegantly shot and the dreamy ethereal elements make for a beautiful setting framed against the dark and cult-like representation of the clandestine hidden world.
Adapted from the 1926 novella, Traumnovelle (Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzler, Kubrick acquired the rights in the 1960s but didn’t begin any serious development until the 90s when he brought Frederic Raphael in to help adapt it. The shockingly candid dialogue between the main characters stands in opposition to the highly secretive nature of the nefarious sex parties which provides the central mystery of the story. It’s all very strangely captivating as you follow along with the characters’ parallel journeys.
Much of the criticism stemmed from the chemistry between Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise in the lead roles. Married at the time, their intimacy just didn’t quite click as a couple which led many to speculate about their marriage off camera. Both of them are accomplished actors, as evidenced by their continued A-list status twenty years later, and they are both compelling to watch in this film. There’s just something off about their physical intimacy, but it kinda works in the context of this story. Oddly enough, they would divorce two years after the film’s release. Don’t let that dissuade you from enjoying this film, but if something seems a little awkward that’s because it is.
Eyes Wide Shut has a strange and compelling magnetism to it regardless of the season. You can stream it right now on Hulu and rent it through on-demand streaming services (it’s cheapest on iTunes).