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Eyes Wide Shut [Blu-ray] [1999] [US Import]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Visually beautiful, Stanley Kubrick's last completed film Eyes Wide Shut blends the sinister, the sensual and the clinical in a combination that is rather too personal and idiosyncratic to be entirely successful as the final statement about gender and sexuality he intended it to be. Adapted by Frederick Raphael from the Dream Story of Freud's friend Schnitzler, it shows a young successful couple confront the dangers that lurk beyond monogamy; Nicole Kidman's Alice does little more than fantasise, flirt and dream, but even this causes guilt and pain. Doctor Bill (Tom Cruise) does rather more--he visits a whore, crashes an orgy and continues to ask questions when warned off; if no disaster ensues, and it is possible that two people die as a result, it is only luck that averts it.

Much of the best of what is here is to be found in occasional moments of stillness--Cruise walking through a morgue--or wild comedy--Cruise's attempt to hire a costume in the middle of the night interrupts major shenanigans at the fancy-dress shop. Cruise and Kidman do what they can with material that never means as much as it aspires to, and the standout performance is Sydney Pollack's, as a worldly wise client.

On the DVD: Eyes Wide Shut on DVD is presented in lavish Dolby Sound that makes the most of the obsessive Ligeti piano piece and Shostakovich waltz that dominate the score, and in the 1.33:1 ratio that was Kubrick's considered choice. It has subtitles in English, Arabic, Bulgarian and Rumanian, two TV spots and informative interviews with Kidman and Cruise, as well as with Steven Spielberg, to whom Kubrick had talked at length about his artistic intentions. --Roz Kaveney


Not completed
Review date: 2008-09-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

What other reviewers seem to be forgetting is that Stanley Kubrick died during the making of this film, and therefore it is not complete. Having viewed this film several times, i admit that it is certainly his worst film - but that is only because Kubrick never had the chance to perfect it. I would only reccomend this film to a proper Kubrick fan, no-one else would be able to appreciate it.

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Reviews


Prefer the US censored version
Review date: 2008-01-31 Rating: 8 out of 10

I own both versions of eyes wide shut and prefer the us version with the weird cloaked people blocking the eurosoftcore scenes which to me play silly. It gives it a more dreamlike nightmare atmosphere. Anyways , this would be a 5 star film but I don't think Kubrick actually finished it. It plays like a rough cut, it has very unkubrickian (is that a word) scenes. EX: Kubrick would never have had the static mask reveal at the end before the Cruise Entrance and swish pan on the mask. I also believe the film would have been tighter, even for Mr. Barry Lyndon (which is my favorite film of all time). Just disappointed that both versions aren't on the dvd. The Shining super edition should also include both the long US version and the under 2 hour european version.

Where Sex Belongs
Review date: 2008-01-22 Rating: 10 out of 10

A film brilliant in its drama and humour, but most of all in its treatment of an eternal theme; it gets to the heart of this, focussing

(a) on the impersonal power and seductiveness of sex
and (b) on its place in a marriage where it truly belongs, though both partners are vulnerable to (a). Indeed it is not only love but also luck that keeps them where they belong.








why!!!
Review date: 2007-11-05 Rating: 2 out of 10

why was this film made!the characters are ridiculous, the plot really upsets me and just reassures me that no person can stay faithful to anyone else!!!i couldn't even stay watching til the end, i had to turn it off, i suggest people do the same!!!

Eyes Wide Closed
Review date: 2007-09-28 Rating: 2 out of 10

I have to say this is the poorest film that Nicole and Tom Cruise have been in. Before you all give me a bad rating due to saying that... come on.. you have to agree.

In the cinema they advertised the movie showing the scene of Nicole dancing in front of a mirror naked. I couldn't believe it was her at first and then Tom walks up. They advertised the names up as CRUISE, KIDMAN, KRUBRICK. I didn't know the last one. Then heard he did Full Metal Jacket which I liked and a few others that were also pretty good. But I wouldn't go OTT over him. 2001 was a space idiot-sy. 2010 - which he had nothing to do with - was excellent!

I have to say I agree with a review I just read. If you want to see nice clear shots of Nicole's brests then this movie is for you. They advertised it that way in the cinema and I bet that drew people into watch it. They were suckered. Yea there are lots of other women naked too but WOW!

For me I want a story. If the cast like running around naked then okay. Because we know how essential all that is to a story now don't we. It never is! That is why successful shows like Dallas oor BH 90210 could do relationships without nudity. So films don't need it either. But the directors think it will sell, they love to be able to say i worked with nicole kidman and got her filmed in nude (who wouldn't) and Kidman - well she never turns down a nude role. I think she finds it a turn on running around naked in front of all the cast. Nicole walking around in a part see through top with hard nipples! Oh come on!

As I'm sure you can imagine I was disappointed in the movie. A good stroy is what I want but this was just made for nudity appeal and that is wrong in my opinion.

In summary:

If you want a good story - watch something else and not this
If you want nudity - watch this
If you want nudity and a good story - watch the first 20 mins. After that it dies slowly.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Alan Cumming
Michael Doven
Sky Dumont
Peter Benson
Todd Field

Creators:
Peter Benson (Primary Contributor)
Alan Cumming (Primary Contributor)
Larry Smith (Cinematographer)
Jocelyn Pook (Composer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 0883929012053
Binding: Blu-ray
Number of items: 1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Colour, Dolby, Dubbed, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen,
Release date: 2008-01-22
Universal product code (UPC): 883929012053
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Running time: 159 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1999
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: French (Dubbed)

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