Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

Arthur Schnitzler (novel)
Stanley Kubrick (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 July 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Cruise. Kidman. Kubrick.

Plot:

A New York City doctor, who is married to an art curator, pushes himself on a harrowing and dangerous night-long odyssey of sexual and moral discovery after his wife admits that she once almost cheated on him.

Plot Keywords:

Party | Patient | Sex | Doctor | Sexual Fantasy

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Dr. William 'Bill' Harford
Nicole Kidman	...	Alice Harford
Madison Eginton	...	Helena Harford
Jackie Sawiris	...	Roz
Sydney Pollack	...	Victor Ziegler
Leslie Lowe	...	Illona Ziegler
Peter Benson	...	Bandleader
Todd Field	...	Nick Nightingale
Michael Doven	...	Ziegler's Secretary
Sky Dumont	...	Sandor Szavost
Louise J. Taylor	...	Gayle (as Louise Taylor)
Stewart Thorndike	...	Nuala
Randall Paul	...	Harris
Julienne Davis	...	Amanda 'Mandy' Curran
Lisa Leone	...	Lisa
Kevin Connealy	...	Lou Nathanson
Marie Richardson	...	Marion Nathanson
Thomas Gibson	...	Carl Thomas
Mariana Hewett	...	Rosa
Dan Rollman	...	Rowdy College Kid
Gavin Parry	...	Rowdy College Kid
Chris Pare	...	Rowdy College Kid
Adam Lias	...	Rowdy College Kid
Christian Clarke	...	Rowdy College Kid
Kyle Whitcombe	...	Rowdy College Kid
Gary Goba	...	Naval Officer
Vinessa Shaw	...	Domino
Florian Windorfer	...	Café Sonata Maître D'
Rade Serbedzija	...	Mr. Milich (as Rade Sherbedgia)
Togo Igawa	...	Japanese Man #1
Eiji Kusuhara	...	Japanese Man #2
Leelee Sobieski	...	Milich's Daughter
Sam Douglas	...	Cab Driver
Angus MacInnes	...	Gateman #1
Abigail Good	...	Masked Party Principal / Mysterious Woman
Brian W. Cook	...	Tall Butler
Leon Vitali	...	Red Cloak
Carmela Marner	...	Waitress at Gillespie's
Alan Cumming	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
Fay Masterson	...	Sally
Phil Davies	...	Stalker
Cindy Dolenc	...	Waitress at Sharky's
Clark Hayes	...	Hospital Receptionist
Treva Etienne	...	Morgue Orderly
Colin Angus	...	Masked Party Principal
Karla Ashley	...	Masked Party Principal
Kate Charman	...	Masked Party Principal (as Kathryn Charman)
James Demaria	...	Masked Party Principal
Anthony Desergio	...	Masked Party Principal
Janie Dickens	...	Masked Party Principal
Laura Fallace	...	Masked Party Principal
Vanessa Fenton	...	Masked Party Principal
Georgina Finch	...	Masked Party Principal
Peter Godwin	...	Masked Party Principal
Joanna Heath	...	Masked Party Principal
Lee Henshaw	...	Masked Party Principal
Ateeka Poole	...	Masked Party Principal
Adam Pudney	...	Masked Party Principal
Sharon Quinn	...	Masked Party Principal
Ben De Saumserez	...	Masked Party Principal (as Ben De Sausmarez)
Emma Lou Sharratt	...	Masked Party Principal
Paul Spelling	...	Masked Party Principal
Matthew Thompson	...	Masked Party Principal
Dan Travers	...	Masked Party Principal
Russell Trigg	...	Masked Party Principal
Kate Whalin	...	Masked Party Principal
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Emilio D'Alessandro	...	Man at Newsstand (uncredited)
Ellizzette Duvall	...	Masked Party Guest (uncredited)
Donna Ewin	...	Masked Buxom Girl (uncredited)
Tres Hanley	...	Coffee Shop Manager (uncredited)
Alex Hobbs	...	Boy in Examination Room (uncredited)
Christiane Kubrick	...	Woman Sitting Behind Dr. Harford at Café Sonata (uncredited)
Katharina Kubrick	...	Mother of Boy in Examination Room (uncredited)
Kurt Leitner	...	Masked Party Stud (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Kubrick

Writing credits
Arthur Schnitzler		(novel "Traumnovelle")
Stanley Kubrick		(screenplay) and
Frederic Raphael		(screenplay)

Produced by
Brian W. Cook	....	co-producer
Jan Harlan	....	executive producer
Stanley Kubrick	....	producer

Original Music by
Jocelyn Pook

Cinematography by
Larry Smith		(lighting cameraman)

Film Editing by
Nigel Galt

Casting by
Denise Chamian
Leon Vitali

Production Design by
Leslie Tomkins		(as Les Tomkins)
Roy Walker

Art Direction by
John Fenner
Kevin Phipps		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Lisa Leone
Terry Wells		(as Terry Wells Sr.)

Costume Design by
Marit Allen

Makeup Department
Robert McCann	....	makeup artist
Kerry Warn	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Margaret Adams	....	production manager
Lisa Leone	....	production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian W. Cook	....	first assistant director
Rhun Francis	....	third assistant director
Becky Hunt	....	third assistant director
Adrian Toynton	....	second assistant director
Michael Neumann	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Ian Stone	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ken Bacon	....	property storeman
Sophie Batsford	....	production buyer
Jon Billington	....	draughtsperson
Steve Clarke	....	stand-by painter (as Steve Clark)
Stephen Dobric	....	draughtsperson
Roy Hansford	....	stand-by carpenter
Samantha Jones	....	art department assistant
Michael King	....	production buyer
Christiane Kubrick	....	original paintings
Katharina Kubrick	....	original paintings (as Katharina Hobbs)
John Maher	....	construction manager
Desmond O'Boy	....	stand-by stagehand
John O'Connell	....	stand-by propman
Gerald O'Connor	....	dressing propman
Kira-Anne Pelican	....	art department assistant
Todd Quattromini	....	dressing propman
Pippa Rawlinson	....	assistant draughtsperson
Jeanne Vertigan	....	production buyer
Jake Wells	....	chargehand stand-by props
Terry Wells Jr.	....	property master
Graham Caulfield	....	drapesmaster (uncredited)
Robin Heinson	....	painter (uncredited)
James Hunt	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Tony Marks	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Tom Still	....	set designer (uncredited)
Thomas R. Wagner	....	property assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Tony Bell	....	sound maintenance
Michael A. Carter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anthony Cleal	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Conway	....	supervising sound editor
Iain Eyre	....	assistant sound editor
Nigel Galt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound re-recording mixer
Becki Ponting	....	foley editor
Edward Tise	....	sound recordist
Sandy Buchanan	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Mark Sheffield	....	mix recordist (uncredited)
Ruth Sullivan	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	back projection supervisor

Visual Effects by
Paddy Eason	....	supervising digital compositor: CFC (uncredited)
Sally Goldberg	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Matt Kasmir	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Chris Monks	....	digital modeller (uncredited)
Steve Tizzard	....	digital film scanning (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joe Allen	....	electrician
Craig Bloor	....	clapper loader
Pete Cavaciuti	....	Steadicam operator (as Peter Cavaciuti)
Joe Dunton	....	camera technical advisor
Ron Emery	....	electrician
Bill Geddes	....	camera grip (as William Geddes)
Carlos Omar Guerra	....	assistant camera: second unit
Manuel Harlan	....	still photographer
Rawdon Hayne	....	focus puller
Andy Hopkins	....	camera grip
Martin Hume	....	camera operator
Arthur Jafa	....	cinematographer: second unit (as Arthur Jaffa)
Donavan Lambert	....	grip: second unit (as Donavan C. Lambert)
Gerard Maguire	....	translite photographer
Jim McConkey	....	Steadicam operator: second unit (as Jim C. McConkey)
Nick Penn	....	focus puller
Ronnie Phillips	....	gaffer
Anthony Richards	....	stand-by rigger
Keith Roberts	....	clapper loader
Malik Hassan Sayeed	....	cinematographer: second unit (as Malik Sayeed)
Jonas Steadman	....	assistant camera: second unit
Paul Toomey	....	gaffer
Patrick Turley	....	cinematographer: second unit
Martin Ward	....	video assistant
Michael White	....	best boy electric
Shawn White	....	electrician
Dean Wilkinson	....	electrician
Jason Wrenn	....	focus puller
Elizabeth Ziegler	....	Steadicam operator
Stanley Kubrick	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Dan Lowe	....	moving light operator (uncredited)
Rod Marley	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Gary Nolan	....	practical electrician (uncredited)
Howard Smith	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jacqueline Durran	....	wardrobe mistress
Nancy Thompson	....	costume supervisor
Melissa Layton	....	additional costume assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Trevor Collins	....	negative cutter
Claire Ferguson	....	assistant editor
Melanie Viner-Cuneo	....	first assistant editor (as Melanie Viner Cuneo)
Claus Wehlisch	....	assistant editor: avid

Music Department
Riccardo Chailly	....	conductor: "Jazz Suite, No 2"
Didier de Cottigniers	....	music consultant
Roy Gerson	....	musician: "If I Had You"
Uwe Gronostay	....	conductor: "Requiem K626, Rex Tremendae"
Dominic Harlan	....	musician: piano, "Musica Ricercata II: Mesto, Rigido e Cerimonale"
Peter Hughes	....	music contractor
Peter Hughes	....	musician: "Strangers in the Night"
Brad Mehldau	....	musician: "Blame It on My Youth"
Jocelyn Pook	....	musician: "Naval Officer", "Masked Ball", "Migrations" and "The Dream"
Tommy Sanderson	....	musician: "It Had to Be You"
The Sandman	....	musician: "It Had to Be You"
Manickam Yogeswaran	....	musician: "Migrations"

Transportation Department
Martin Ward	....	action vehicle coordinator
Tom Watson	....	mechanic: action vehicle

Other crew
Larry Celona	....	journalistic advisor
Tracey Crawley	....	production assistant
Emilio D'Alessandro	....	assistant: Mr. Kubrick
Matt Dalton	....	accounting assistant (as Matthew Dalton)
Kerry David	....	assistant: Ms. Kidman
Barbara Del Greco	....	researcher: Venetian masks
Andrea Doven	....	assistant: Ms. Kidman
Michael Doven	....	production associate
Chester Eyre	....	laboratory consultant
Anthony Frewin	....	assistant: Stanley Kubrick
Nick Frewin	....	computer assistant
Kate Garbett	....	production coordinator
Andrew Haddock	....	video coordinator
Manuel Harlan	....	location researcher
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach: Ms. Kidman
Tobin Hughes	....	location assistant
Rachel Hunt	....	secretary
David Jones	....	facilities supervisor
Claire Litchfield	....	unit nurse
Simon McNair Scott	....	location manager
Angus More Gordon	....	location manager
Nelson Peña	....	production assistant: second unit
Alan Reid	....	security officer
Ian Robinson	....	laboratory contact
Lara Sargent	....	assistant accountant
C.J. Scheiner	....	medical advisor (as Dr. C.J. Scheiner MD PhD)
Ann Simpson	....	script supervisor
Yolande Snaith	....	choreographer
John Trehy	....	production accountant
Leon Vitali	....	assistant to director
Stella Wycherley	....	accounting assistant
Matthew Alexander	....	computer playback supervisor (uncredited)
Sue Field	....	additional script supervisor (uncredited)
Richard Gold	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Stephen L'Heureux	....	assistant to director (uncredited)
Douglas Milsome	....	focus advisor (uncredited)
Rebecca Peters	....	video coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hobby Films
• Pole Star
• Stanley Kubrick Productions
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical) (a Time Warner Entertainment Company)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1999) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (2000) (USA) (TV) (as Warner Bros. Domestic Pay TV Cable & Network Features)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (????) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (????) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (????) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Roadshow (????) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Warner Sogefilms S.A. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (????) (Greece) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2003) (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2001) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• SubTV (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Computer Film Company, The (CFC) (digital visual effects and animation) (as The Computer Film Co. London - CFC)
• Effects Associates (uncredited)
• General Screen Enterprises (title opticals)

Other Companies

• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• 2020 Casting  extras casting (as 20-20 Productions Ltd.)
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Bang & Olufsen  special thanks
• Cerruti  evening wear: Tom Cruise
• Chapman Beauvais  titles
• Compaq  special thanks (as Compaq Computers)
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Dream Cars  action vehicles
• First Unit Fire & Safety  fire cover (as First Unit Fire & Safety Ltd.)
• Hand Held Films  camera equipment provided by
• Hewlett Packard  special thanks
• Hi-Liting Ltd.  lighting equipment
• Jocelyn Pook Ensemble  score performers
• Joe Dunton & Company  technical advisor
• John Frieda Inc.  special thanks
• Jonathan Boreham & Associates  special thanks
• Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest  orchestra: Shostakovitch's Jazz Suite (as Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra)
• Lays International  equipment vehicles
• Lee Lighting  lighting equipment (as Lee Lighting)
• Leec Ltd.  special thanks
• Location Caterers  catering (as Location Caterers Ltd.)
• Location Facilities  facility vehicles
• Metropolitan Police, The  special thanks
• Orange  mobile phones
• Panavision Grips  cranes and dollies
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recording at (as Deluxe Pinewood Studios)
• Propaganda Global Entertainment Marketing  special thanks
• RIAS Kammerchor  chorus: Mozart's Requiem (as RIAS Chamber Chorus)
• Reprise Records  soundtrack released by
• Rover Group  special thanks (as Rover Group)
• Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (RSB)  orchestra: Mozart's Requiem (as Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra)
• S. Fischer Verlag  publisher: Arthur Schnitzler's "Traumnovelle"
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sound Design Company, The  post-production sound services
• Stilled Movie Ltd.  translights
• Thames Valley Police HQ, Oxford  special thanks (as The Thames Valley Police)
• The Borough of Kensington and Chelsea  special thanks (as The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea)
• The Chelsea and Westminster Hospital  special thanks
• The City of Westminster  special thanks
• The Gower Street Surgery  special thanks
• The Hatton Garden Association  special thanks
• The London Borough of Camden  special thanks
• The London Borough of Hackney  special thanks
• The London Borough of Islington  special thanks
• The London Film Commission  special thanks
• The Luton Hoo Foundation  special thanks
• The Nightingale Surgery  special thanks
• The Transport Research Laboratory  special thanks
• The Victor Silvester Orchestra  orchestra
• Warner Sunset Records  soundtrack released by

Also Known As:

EWS (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Rhapsody (UK) (working title)
Traumnovelle (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug-related material.

Runtime:

159 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Iceland:18 (video rating) | Brazil:18 | Australia:R (TV rating) | Singapore:R21 (re-rating) (cut) | Argentina:18 | Australia:X (original rating) | Belgium:KNT | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:18 | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-16 | France:Unrated (original rating) | Germany:16 (bw) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Israel:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-18 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) (cut) | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (edited version) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Taiwan:R-18 | UK:18 | USA:R (cut version) | USA:NC-17 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Berners Street, Fitzrovia, London, England, UK

Company:

Hobby Films

Trivia:

Cameo: [Emilio D'Alessandro]Kubrick's assistant appears as the book vendor.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the poolroom scene with Bill and Victor, you can see the boom reflected in the green light when Victor says "OK, he had a bruise on his face."

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. Bill Harford: Honey, have you seen my wallet?
Alice Harford: Isn't it on the bedside table?
Dr. Bill Harford: Now listen, you know we're running a little late.
Alice Harford: I know. How do I look?
Dr. Bill Harford: Perfect.
Alice Harford: Is my hair okay?
Dr. Bill Harford: It's great
Alice Harford: You're not even looking at it.
Dr. Bill Harford: It's beautiful. You always look beautiful.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Gossip Girl: Carnal Knowledge (#2.17)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Musica Ricercata II: Mesto, Rigido e Cerimonale

Remarkable finale to a long, glorious career

The thing a lot of folks haven't liked about Stanley Kubrick's films is the fact that he always seemed to think the audience needed some points driven home a little harder than others. Very little is left for debate; most everything is spelled out, pressed hard, and dwelled upon. His critics have compared the long waits between his films to the long periods of waiting that occur while watching his films.

Personally, I like the long, slow scenes in his films. When they're filled with something: music, movement, thought, memory of a previous scene, dread, or any other emotion, they can never really be said to be empty. I like them because, with Kubrick, I can be sure that they're absolutely essential to his ultimate vision. He could have put out a six-hour documentary on tissue manufacturing; at least I'll know that not one minute of screen time is wasted.

"Eyes Wide Shut" isn't as vacuous as, say, "Barry Lyndon" or "The Shining." Compared to those two, this one scoots along like a person trying to get to his car in the rain. It'll try a lot of folks' patience, I'm sure -- even his most loyal fans will be bothered by the incessant piano "bell tolls" in the soundtrack of some scenes, or the constant reminders (in imaginary flashbacks) that Cruise's character is bothered by his wife's near-infidelity. I know I was.

Despite that, it's an apt final film for the long, glorious career of a man who has done more for the cinema, with less movies, than can ever be catalogued. To try and cite influences for this particular work is futile. Though one might draw parallels to Lindsay Anderson's "O Lucky Man!" or Martin Scorsese's "After Hours," "Eyes Wide Shut" is no less than a complete work from the cold heart and brilliant mind of Stanley Kubrick alone. It's also a furiously ingenious piece of filmmaking, one that works less on the emotions than on the senses and on the mind. Unlike most of Kubrick's earlier work, however, it does have an emotional subtext, which is used to devastating effect.

Cruise, by the way, does an outstanding job, not as a trained, camera-conscious film actor, but as a mature, seasoned performer. Here he uses his "Top Gun"/"Jerry Maguire" suavity to malicious effect; like Ryan O'Neal's Barry Lyndon before him, he's an egotistical cad. Unlike Lyndon, he gains our sympathy -- that's key to keeping us from disowning his character and thus negating the entire film.

Kidman is given less screen time, but it matters little. She's mostly seen in the beginning, and she has brief (but crucial) scenes throughout, and a masterful one at the end. It is safe to say that this is her best performance to date, and those of us who have been ignoring her treasured abilities up until now (the Academy, critics, myself) will be astounded to see how far she's come since "Dead Calm." Her high points: the argument with her husband that ends by setting the film's plot in motion perfectly captures the way women lure men into arguments when the cause for one is nonexistent (and on Cruise's part, how men can't think fast enough to do anything about it), and her dream confession scene, in which she wakes laughing but becomes tearful during recollection.

On a technical level, "Eyes Wide Shut" displays Kubrick's trademark perfectionism. Recreating Vietnam in rural England for "Full Metal Jacket" must have been nearly impossible, but the unrelenting accuracy in recreating uptown and downtown New York City is absolutely stunning. Right down to the diners and the newspaper stands; I shake my head in awe when I remind myself that Kubrick (a native Brooklynite) hasn't been to NYC in decades. The lighting and photography is impeccable, also, as it is in every one of his films.

This is the sort of film one sees more than once. Once is good to cleanse the palate, to clear out all the residual toxins left from other recent films. See it again, perhaps a third time, and get to appreciate the graceful, nearly unblemished finale of a man who took the art of cinema seriously. It's a sobering experience.