Mandy's Secret EYES WIDE SHUT film analysis / theory / meaning
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2022
- Exploring promiscuity risk themes in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut.
Written, edited & narrated by Rob Ager
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IMPORTANT UPDATE: A few people have mentioned here the pearl ring Mandy is wearing and prominently over her stomach, intercut with Zeigler and the pregnancy painting. I noticed the ring, but didn't know the significance. Thanks to those pointing this out. Pearl rings and necklaces are often given as pregnancy gifts - sometimes known as a Pregnancy Bola. www.etsy.com/listing/1093947464/pregnancy-bola-smooth-silver-pearl-star
Thank you for that amazing insight!
Excuse me, this things ...say a lot to me. I have many theory...the beautiful part of that Is that...i'm bot dire if this are dream or reality. Maybe only Kubrick knows
And at the End thats a present. Their daughter.
@@paolobogli458 what does it mean? She was preganant? And ziegler was the father?
@@juliannfloress3490 no. They sell their actual daughter.
I just realized that a hallmark of Rob's videos is the lack of intro music, logo, and other usual fancy stuff. No frills, but lots of food for thought, and straight to the point. Just like in those good ol' UA-cam days, when people weren't making content for money, they were just sharing their thoughts and opinions for free on a free-speech platform.
No BS, no filler. I agree and I love it. He gives us a break to promote his Patreon Account and Collative Learning but that's it, and it's not unreasonable. His videos are jam packed and always seem to address new ideas/themes etc or new takes on one's discussed before. Even when he does "10 Subliminals in(Insert Film), it's not done like those hokey pokey YT channels full of junk, common knowledge and outrageous theories.
fr33 sp33ch is h4t3 sp33ch according to )))experts(((
Agreed. Somehow Rob's polite and silent disclaimer card at the start never bothers me while the increasingly ostentatious opening graphics of most creators just get longer and longer
Cheers. Glad you folks appreciate it because I really cannot be bothered with all that stuff anyway. It bores me to death when I see it on other channels. My website still looks like a 1990's piece but IU love it because it does the job anyway. Good concepts don't need frills ... that's my brand lol :)
@@robag555 you're work always speaks for itself. Rob. Remarkable insights fruits of the tireless dedication of an inquisitive mind
It's funny how Bill's attempts to commit adultery keep getting thwarted throughout the film.
I've said this on other EWS threads, but Kubrick wasn't all 'serious business'. There's much humour in his films. Bill, basically, can't get laid, even at an orgy and I don't think that joke was lost on Stanley!
All my dreams are like this. Unfinished business, scenarios that go nowhere, unhappy/too-sudden/flat endings.
@David Lean Kubrick had a lot of comedy in his movies. More absurdist but its there
@@stephenwalker2924 same
@@stephenwalker2924 I forget exactly which psychoanalytic terms describe the balance between fulfillment and tension, but apparently a necessary component of the body's willingness to stay in a dream is its attempts at self-actualization. Every convention of dreaming, like punches thrown as if underwater, escapes thwarted by changing landscapes/ running in slow motion, falls interrupted by waking, and women who vanish right when you've grasped them -metaphorically speaking- are explained by the brain needing drama to stimulate fantasy. It's my theory (probably already well established) that the storytelling tradition is rooted in dreaming, with increasing stakes brought to a climax representative of dream logic. We wake up from falls because the brain can't handle a greater disparity between the terror of landing and the wish-fulfillment of whatever brought us to the tall building. Similarly, it's a common phenomenon to wake up just before you "get the girl" as the disparity is reversed. Total Recall does the dream logic thing perhaps the most literally of any Hollywood film I can recall as the premise relies on the protagonist being in an induced dream.
I know Tom Cruise does a lot of Blockbuster films but I have to give him his props for really committing to this role
He's too stupid and self-absorbed to realize that he basically played himself in this movie. Dude got played by Kubrick.
I absolutely agree!! He must have been a bit put off when he read that Stanley had all of those lines where he consistently echoes others, especially with Domino and Sally; that made him appear so juvenile interacting with them.The consistent theme of mirrors and mirroring being a strong common thread throughout. I didn't like this film at all the first time I watched it.I love it now.
@@chriskarley384 You noted you didn't like it at first and then gave it a rewatch and so on... Same here 💯
@@iAmiSaid Granted, the first time I was much younger and the pacing of the film was underwhelming to say the least. 😞
@@chriskarley384 yes, same as me! It was when I discovered cinephile and film analysis videos on UA-cam, That is when I gained more insight into films, And when I began to explore all of Kubrick's films.
the now defunct IMDb forums, were a gem.
Thanks for sharing btw 🙂
Interestingly, the name Mandy Curran translates to Lovable (Spanish) Hero (Irish), quite fitting as she saves Bill multiple times. Her overdose saves him from banging those two models, her dreamy manifestation at the orgy sacrifices herself so Bill can leave safely, and her death freaks Bill to the core so badly that he stops f*cking around altogether.
right on
I'm Spanish and I have no idea as to how that name means "loveable" in a sort of way.
Jake Dee, good observation about the name. Amanda and its meaning (beloved, worthy of love) stem from Latin; "beloved" in Spanish is amada, in Italian amate, etc.
@@Mrhostil95 same
@@vincijuju Amanda is not beloved, that is "Amada"
Mandy’s ring is a pearl; very egg shaped. Lots of egg shaped imagery throughout the film. The lights on the table of the jazz club, with Kubrick himself attending; to the bubbles at end of the film in the toy store.
mandy was pregnant?
"O Oysters”, said the Carpenter,
“You’ve had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?”
But answer came there none-
And this was scarcely odd, because
They’d eaten every one.
I love that Rob pointed out the painting because it does hit upon a lot of reoccurring themes. Ziegler's head is aligned right in front of womb in the painting literally covering the womb. This represents his anxieties around an unwanted pregnancy. When Bill speaks with Mandy, she is "swaddled" with a teal towel , her right arm coming over the towel which gives the impression of a baby being under the towel -- not literally of course-- but subliminally. The fact that Ziegler calls her Mandy when her name is Amanda, is just another way women are infantilized which is a theme that Rob has visited in other videos. In this bathroom scene not only does Ziegler call her "kiddo" but she wrapped up in a towel like like a swaddled baby. The ripped up newspaper article also references the fact that Mandy was put to bed by two men who probably work for Ziegler. I also noted that Ziegler is barefoot while Mandy still has her heels on. This could be practical, because heels are harder to take on or off, but its a tiny detail that shows Ziegler's level of comfort and the fact that Mandy is a working girl. One more detail is what I think is Mandy's pearl ring, possibly given to her by Ziegler. The pearl carries a lot of symbolic meaning, one being of fertility.
Dude, it's called a nickname. Bill isn't being infantilized by being called Bill instead of William.
Never noticed the ring, but I think you're right here. It's an egg. To me, this all feels like Stanley pointing over and over again to the common failure of society viewing women in these situations as daughters and potential mothers. This predatory motif continues with Domino and her plush tiger, circling all the way back to Bill's daughter in the last scene of the film. It's very hard not to connect these girls to Stanley's estranged daughter, Vivian Kubrick, who has been seduced by the church of Scientology.
@@BrianMcInnis87 actually, I don't agree with you here! Bill is also likened to a child throughout the movie, his views and morals are very naive and shallow, like a child's. Kubrick also played with Cruise's short height - when he's wearing the cloak he looks like a child guided by his mom, which also kind of reflect on Bill and Alice's relationship; Bill is naive and childlike, Alice is jaded and motherlike.
@@suppe3267I think it’s just a nickname too.
@@suppe3267 In the newspaper, she's also referred to as Mandy. By her sister i think. Sometime, the curtains are blue for no reason.
Mandy was not in a state of overdose. It was all a show. I see no drug paraphernalia, I see her face; it is quite pristine, I see no horror or fear in her face. It was quite good acting. It was all a ruse, a trick. To feel for Mandy. You have to remember what Mandy is in. She did not sacrifice her self, she was done with that Life and wanted a way out, and they gave it to her, willingly. You want to go away from us, you have to pass away. Really blows your mind if you really think about it…
So she actually decided to become a sacrifice to the demons and she willingly saw the mean less drivel. It happens.
i just assumed she used substances to deal with the pressure of her being part of that world, and that her "sacrifice" was giving up her body to the whole party.... for you know what... and then she overdoses while self medicating to be numb to the trauma
43 yo, just learned:
Pram is short for perambulator, "one who walks or perambulates," which gained the meaning "baby carriage" in the 1850s. Definitions of pram. a small vehicle with four wheels in which a baby or child is pushed around. synonyms: baby buggy, baby carriage, carriage, go-cart, perambulator, pushchair, pusher, stroller.
I'm 5 yrs older and didn't know it !
Helena pleads for a pram at the end of the movie in the toy store, too.
Once again and sadly, finally, Kubrick gives us an amazing onion of a film that has so many layers it fits in with 2001 and The Shining as far as the countless interpretations. It also has so much red meat for conspiracy buffs. I remember not being that impressed with the film when I first watched it, but by my third viewing, I was hooked. Very textbook for most of Kubrick's work in that you can't possibly take it all in in a single viewing. The man was a genius...literally.
I worked with someone who acted in EWS. She confirmed that it's Mandy who accepts the punishment meant for Tom Cruise. Red Cloak is Lord Bullingdon (Leon Vitali) ... Zig and his wife are the couple on the balcony
Ask them about the missing 25 mins please
Is not Mandy.
@@DavidGuardo Because, of course you know better than someone who was actually there.
@@jhutch888 are different actress, different bodies and also, Victor Ziegler mention both in the last meeting with Bill. The Mysterious Woman is not Mandy.
@@DavidGuardo because you know better than someone who was actually there
Eyes Wide Shut is one of my favorite movies of all time. There’s just so much to uncover after several rewatches
Mandy is the most common nickname for Amanda. Not a name change, it's a nickname.
I never really cared for Eyes Wide Shut until I read and watched your work on it about ten years ago. Who would have thought it had so many interesting Easter eggs.
It took a few watches for me. Now I think it's my favourite Kubrick film. Well. I mean. 2001 almost stands apart. But it's between those two I think. It's certainly become a bigger part of my consciouness
I think we all did.
I dont think Kubrick would like them to be called "easter eggs"
"Conceptual foreplay" and "Penetrating twist" - Rob you're a funny guy 😂
Complete with a revealing climax!
"What do you mean, funny like I'm a clown? I make you laugh. I'm here to f****** amuse you!!!"
@@robag555😐😬🤣Rob's probably a wiseguy
After Kubrick's untimely death, the movie was recut by the studio. Some say 30 minutes were cut out. This makes it impossible to interpret the film because we can only guess what Kubrick's intentions were. One assumption, which may not be true, is Kubrick was using Arthur Schnitzler's novella 'Dream Story' (a pornographic fantasy) to portray the plutocracy's social control through its use of secret societies, prostitutes, drugs, murder and pedophilia.
Ziegler was clearly the sailor mask on the balcony.
He knows Bill, he saw him and straight up recognised him, nodding at him. His wife was at his side.
Now, here's something that many people probably missed: Victor didn't want Bill killed, he knew Bill was in terrible danger and tried to save him.
Remember the scene when Bill stands watching the orgy, and Victor along a masked hooker appear at this back? I have the theory that Ziegler basically told the hooker to take Bill with her to another room, to hide him from everyone else, but then Mandy arrives and snatches him away.
My point is that Victor knew Bill was walking towards the wolf mouth and he tried to save him, but failed.
Agreed. Never questioned that it was Ziegler on the balcony myself. That specific mask is part of a costume called La Bauta which consisted of white mask with a real tricorn hat worn in Venice by both men and women (with a shroud/veil called a zendal) and a cloak. It dates back hundreds of years (some say as early as the Medieval period). It was at one point used for about 6 months a year to allow wearers to partake in Venetian casinos, love affairs, political meetings, and daily life with anonymity. The shape of the mask allows one to eat, drink, and smoke freely. It also slightly echoes and alters the wearers voice. Personality wise it always seemed like it would be Ziegler's choice as it's the most classical of Venetian society masks. The version he's wearing with the hat attached in papier-mâché is called a "Bautino" and to my knowledge a more modern version. Another thing is that this mask wasn't social class specific. Nobles and commoners alike wore the Bauta mask and it stripped one of their hierarchical position while worn. Casanova also wore one. I collect these masks for what it's worth - but don't have a Ziegler style Bautino yet.
Interesting that Ziegler recognised Bill even though the other was in disguise.
How do you explain that?
@@vova47Bill stuck out like a sore thumb in that depraved elite murderous orgy.
Zeigler tells him later that when he handed over his coat on entry they found the receipt for the costume hire in his pocket with his name on it.
Ziegler recognized Bill immediately and made the connection with Nightingale. He didn’t want Bill to know his secret that he is present at the party and if he himself goes to talk to Bill, he will be recognized by his voice.
Ziegler sends Mandy after Bill to warn him.
The truth of a thing is the feel of it, and not the think of it.
- Stanley Kubrick
But then he puts all this stuff in his movies that make you think, "Why? What? How? Who?"
I'm a millennial. My first film as a kid was Raimi's Spiderman. If not for you I wouldn't have watched any film before the 1994. It is incredible that some of these films put to shame some of the big budget films of today. And still hold up despite lacking slick production and realistic CGI.
That's good to know :)
U guide your life with that approach.?
If it happened before 94, it didn't happen?
That's funny. That u admit that.
Much less mention multiple times a day
@@reececarr2784 yes 😆
Im gen z and i constantly watch older films lol. Cgi takes the soul out of films
@@lsmrkqj Yeah, I don't really know what he meant with the millenials crap. I'm a millennial and I always consumed older media.
Excuse my immaturity but hearing Rob say "He wants it RAW DOG, of course!" made me chuckle a bit
Fully intended. Heard the term from a friend several times and it stuck. Cheers Darren if you're reading :)
Considering how menacing Zeigler is at the end of the movie, isn't it more likely that the bathroom scene with Mandy and Zeigler was performative on Zeigler's part
I watched this with my first love and serious girlfriend when it came out. I was like 20, and was so insecure watching it thinking my girlfriend was doing things like this. It hits a chord even now
I think that was part of the point Kubrick was trying to imbue.
I'm sure she was, occasionally. So were you. Just be honest with yourself.
@@mr.frandy7692😂
The title eyes wide shut is referring to seeing something but not speaking about it
Rob's insights are always fascinating.
Amazing analysis of one of the best movies ever. I've seen this movie too many times to keep count and so many different video analysis on this movie. Your videos are some of the best I've watched!
I think they wanted to sacrifice Mandy from the beginning, with her permission. If true all events leading to her asking for it were pre-planned.
So she willingly gave herself to a sacrifice and it was done as she willed it!? Wow.
1. Rather than Bill being exclusively a "bad dad" when it comes to his daughter (certainly a possibility), I wonder if Alice doesn't shut him out from certain aspects of her daughter's life. Specifically, her education. We see several scenes of her "educating" her daughter, or her daughter being attracted to this Alice may consider "essential" (i.e. Barbie). Alice may consider Bill someone she settled for, and wants more for her daughter (from Alice's perspective). This idea may be supported by the disapproving woman (semi-scowl, arms crossed) in the background of the scene where Bill asks the boy if he's looking forward to Christmas. [i.e. male contact with her child]
2. If there is a pregnancy connection between Mandy and Zeigler, it's possible there's a counterpart in the orgy scene, yes? Or more specifically, the scene where Mandy warns Bill during the orgy and the 'unseen scene' between Ziegler and Mandy prior to him calling Bill up to the bathroom. Imagine Mandy's words coming from Ziegler, "You can't fool them for much longer. You've got to get away before it's too late" "You must go, now" And Bill's words from Mandy, "Will you come with me?" Response: "That's impossible" "Why?" "Because it could cost me my life, and possibly yours" If these words were said by Ziegler/Mandy, the "and possibly yours" part may be where he gets the impulse to kill her.
3. There's a real "Flowers of Algenon/Charlie" things happening with Bill, though its evolution rather than simply intelligence. Bill's being given the opportunity to evolve as a person, to see behind the curtain of the world he knows. Bill, via his curiosity (and possibly horniness) seeks out the dark-side, and finds it. There's too much to go into with this here, but it seems like his final choice between understanding (red pill, if you will) and rejection is the mask on the pillow. Rather than simply a warning, it may be offer. Keep our secrets, and here's our world. When he apologizes to Alice, and tells her everything, he's effectively taking the blue pill (I choose the fantasy; I cannot keep secrets) His choice of stagnancy is punctuated by Alice's "something we need to do, fuck" line at the end. We need to revel in our baseness. Evolution is certainly on Kubrick's radar from that number movie he made
Bravo!!!!!!!
Alice is part of the sect and grooming the daughter. If you see carefully, there are some scenes where the daughter doesn’t have underwear. In the end the daughter is given to 2 men (who were at zeigler’s party too), in the toy store. Then they say we have to f…, because they need a child to replace the daughter.
Oh yeeeessss!!! More Eyes Wide Shut stuff. Great work as always Mr. Ager.
Very interesting! It could be that Ziegler wasn't lying about Amanda's name, maybe she just calls herself Mandy?
I suppose it's a common abbreviation for Amanda, and hookers often don't use their real name (a friend told me 😄).
I'm using a fake name and I'm a hooker so you're correct.
Agreed that she goes by Mandy for her working name
A 'mandy' is a type of drug, too--quaalude.
Just like how domino isn’t actually a name
Bruh whut? He is smashin of course he would call her Mandy if thats how she goes by…its more personal. And of course in a newspaper it would be the actual name especially if its a fact stating her death.
I find the themes of pride and mistrust are extremely well handled in "real world" ways, exacerbated by the honesty of Alice's revelations. Very powerful stuff
Cruel revelations...
I’ve always thought that the football game on TV in the living room and in the bar was significant. The most I’ve been able to find on it was the fact the two teams are the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders from the Canadian Football League.
Fugget About It!!!! -AY CANADIAN MOBSTER SHOW THINGY -JACK
@@ZACHANDJACKSZACHSMAFIA ummm okay
Roughrider's is obvious. Stallions make sense in it being slang for a sexual man, additionally in his office he has the head of a horse (a stallion) over his shoulder.
3:45 The question of 4:3 framing that is then cropped into widescreen was a common technique that Kubrick used on a number of his movies. Simply put, this was done because when movies were shown on TV, the frame was 4:3. A technique called "pan and scan" was common in those days, and resulted in the screen image being zoomed in, cropped or moved around to fit onto that television screen. Kubrick shot his movies in "open matte" for the home while cropping the top and bottom of the frame for widescreen theaters.
I belive also, that Kubrick knew the aspect ratio of theaters AND intended it to be that.
So, even wikipedia says wrong about ”intended” AR, when 4:3 was intended only for home release.
There's another baby stroller (pram) towards the end at the toy store
How did I miss that one lol. So much in that scene. It gets some dialogue attention from wife and daughter too. Thanks.
Had a conversation with a very successful businessman friend of mine the other day.
He'd noticed an actress has a visible huge spot on her face.
I said. Every frame or scene is controlled by the director and this would not have been by accident or missed.
I've come to know this not by going to film school,or being exceptionally clever. But by watching these educational films by the likes of Rob.
My friend just said her skin's terrible and thought it wasn't noticed in...... Etc. Thanks Rob
Well depends on who makes the film.
What are you getting at? Spot on face? What??
@@manmaje3596 He doesn't know. He's just trying to be relevant and insightful. The fact that he takes Rob Ager so seriously is everything you need to know
i thought the pregnant painting symbolized the birth or the beginning of Bill's initiation in to the "Ultra-Rich Club"
One of the best movies of all time. It is so deep and nearly endless in its layers.
7:25 The white "tail" hanging down Ziegler's back looks quite devilish. Is it a part of formal dress wear or Kubrick's addition? It's not there when he opens the door without his white shirt.
Also, rubber bands, wedding bands; right hands, left hands
nice detail ...didnt notice that...
It's the suspenders
1:28 - 1:47: There’s a row of prams in the toy store at the end of the film, as well. Helena wants one for Christmas. But you’re clearly onto something! I love your videos and your analysis, Rob.
could it have maybe been a murder attempt disguised as a OD?
The day could not get better than this
There’s another pram in the end scene in the toy shop where Bill’s daughter points at one and says she wants one for Christmas.
The widescreen versions of Kubrick's movies must've been approved by him for cinema releases. That said, I hope the fullscreen versions get released in 1080p/4k at some point.
I think that is the case for cinema releases. Full 4:3 screen versions defo need blu ray releases at least.
yes, Kubrick meant for them to be seen as they were in the theater - the idea that the more 4:3 version is more correct is flawed thinking. Unless K hid stuff in there in purpose for some reason.
We don't know what Kubrick would have approved as the film was completed only days before his death.
Good job. I believe that mr Pollack, (Vic. Ziegler), deserved an academy award nomination for best supporting role, because of his entire appearance in the movie and especially for the last dialogue with Bill.
I think another element of the rubber band round his left hand is that it mimics his wedding ring. The rubber band is gold coloured, but it's "flexible" symbolising a flexible attitude to sex in marriage, which is thematically appropriate for obvious reasons.
Being American the only time I ever hear the word "pram" is when one of you Brits say it, and every time you do my mind immediately sings "I have to push the pram alot". I watched Grail way too many times as a teenager.
You know Kubrick shot most of his films outside his backyard so New York City was in London just built sets were made to look like NYC.
I heard a few of the shots were real New York Streets. One was a street named after a famous Freemason. Kubrick would have sent someone else to shoot them.
Good info on the Blu Ray aspect-Ratio cropping things out. I’ve noticed that in the earliest in a bedroom scene that the VHS tapes sitting on top a VCR above Nicole Kidman’s shoulder change position in between shots. Can’t tell for sure, but I think one of the titles of the VHS movies in the shot is the movie “Far and Away”
Somebody did a video with a close up of the videos. One was Helen of Troy. Kidnapped by Paris. I forget the other two. I think it was a video by that guy who identified much of the artwork in the Shining.
Isn’t sandor red cloak..? the rest of the movie after the party seems to be mixed with dreams like the costume store and orgy scene. Everybody in the dreams seems to be a representation of the people he interacts with in real life. I always thought for sure Ziegler and his wife were the 2 people who look down and acknowledge him at the orgy. Bill is subconsciously being emasculated at the orgy in his dream the same way his wife did in their discussion while smoking a joint.
See my vid Red Cloak Unmasked :)
No way! Sandor is Hungarian and Red Cloak as a strong English accent. But I'm sure Sandor was in the masked party.
Interesting Fact:
Mentmore Towers, the location where Kubrick filmed the ritual, and the Chateau de Ferriéres, where Polanski filmed practically the same subject, were two estates belonging to the Rothschild family.
Also, in the Chateau de Ferrières, in 1972, Guy de Rothschild, held famous masked surrealist ball that seems to have inspired Kubrick for the filming of the masked party in Eyes Wide Shut.
The events at Ziegler's say a lot about the film 🎥
It's a film which tries to show the public the underworld of the rich and famous, and their secret clubs which cater for anything and everything, considering how many young people go missing around the world, you must realize the severity of these twisted individuals and what they're capable of.
Interesting transition Rob. A penetrating twist
The key to this scene i think is the gargoyle - fish like statue in the background beside both Ziegler and Mandy throughout the sequence. It is the key to unlock the mystery the sequence presents under the skin of the scenes. I ve been puzzling over that damn bug eyed statue for years ... anyone ... any clues!!
Wondered about that too. Very unusual and specific.
i noticed the gargoyle is blue...when u start in masonry start in a symbolic lodge known as the “Blue Lodge"(which means perfection and sacred)....its too weird.
I snipped and blew up the image. It suggests more of an Asian motif. A little like a Japanese ao-oni (blue devil) but not quite. Here's what else I found out about oni, which probably fits in with the themes in the movie: An old etymology for "oni" is that the word derives from on, the on'yomi reading of a character (隠) meaning "to hide or conceal", due to oni having the tendency of "hiding behind things, not wishing to appear".
Oni are mostly known for their fierce and evil nature manifested in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. Notwithstanding their evil reputation, oni possess intriguingly complex aspects that cannot be brushed away simply as evil... They are creatures which instill fear and feelings of danger due to their grotesque outward appearance, their wild and sometimes strange behavior and their powers.
@@500dollarjapanesetoaster8 ...great info. Thank you.
@@juliannfloress3490I think blue represents truth in this movie.
Fantastic stuff. thank you so much for your work, Rob. this movie is amazing and deserves a whole lot of scrutiny. Five thumbs up!
This movie is totally bs.
Yes. Your Kubrick videos are top tier.
(And speaking of "Mandy", I'd really love to hear your thoughts on Panos Cosmatos' film of the same name...)
He said a while back he didn't like it.
Is there a link between the 1926 novel "Dream Story" this is based on, and the 1974 single "Mandy" by Barry Manilow?
Think about it.
@@misterwtf7380 I'd love more details on this
@@vincijuju LOL! You're kidding; right?
@@misterwtf7380 There is not a connection, but it is a great song! manilow gave an interview, can't recall the precise details, he mentioned that song was given to him, by another songwriter. I recall him saying that originally it was a faster song, manilow slowed it down. Love both manilow and Kubrick n
Im glad im subbed to both rob ager channels, i cant get enough! Ill have to make a website purchase of alien and shining content!
Two things. Firstly, there is a third "pram" appearance. When Bill's family goes Christmas shopping. The other thing is, in the credits, there's Mandy and mysterious woman. The actors names are different but when I looked up Abigail Good, the image of "Mandy" appeared.
Before this scene we hear Ziegler's wife chiding him after he compliments Nicole Kidman's character adding, "...and I don't say that to all women" or words to that effect. The wife interjects that he does in fact say that "to all the girls." She seems like someone who is aware that her husband has a roving eye, if not more. I took this to mean that Ziegler believed that he had affairs/paid sex on a regular basis and knew that his wife suspected this, and would jump at the chance to slap him with a divorce and gladly take him for all she could get.
lmao how old are you dude
Nonsense. His wife knows exactly who he is and what he gets up to, and has absolutely no desire or reason to contemplate divorce. Why would she?
On Kubrick, you never fail to surprise!
I really love your interpretations of Kubrick’s films.
Rob, I see you're a fellow Fay Masterson admirer.
I salute your patrician taste in feminine pulchritude.
Oh is that her name. Yeah she's great. Pulchritude ... marvellous word. Had to look that one up.
You Sir…..are one of the best observants!
The fact that Mandy's been out for 5-6 minutes (according to Zeigler) and yet we see Zeigler pull up and close his pants just before Bill enters to me indicates that he's assaulted her while unconscious.
Also of note Mandy & Helena both have straight red hair further connecting them. Domino's blonde hair is hued strawberry by the Christmas lights during her & Bill's encounter and then Domino's roommate again has strawberry hair. When Bill visits Marie Richardson after Alice's revelation she is clearly wearing a wig that is extremely reminiscent of how Alice wears her hair, but less polished and well done. Bill projects Alice onto this woman who wants him, yet can't even recall her distinctly if she's not right in front of him. I think Bill sees women in conflations and abstractions, and I think these visual cues reinforce that. Finally, Mandy covers herself with a blue blanket in Zeigler's bathroom, and Helena is shown in head to toe blue at the toy store, in one of the full clear shots of her alone. Red and blue are the primary colors of the painting of the pregnant woman in Zeigler's bathroom, where red haired Mandy holds a blue blanket, and in the last image of red haired Helena she's covered in head to toe blue.
Blue in this film stands for truth I think.
I Love Rob! Best film analysis always ever! Genius?
3:26 The aspect-ratio issue of Kubrick's post-Clockwork Orange films has been a major point of concern and interest for me for some years now, and I'd certainly say there's a troubling degree of uncertainty about his last two films. But at this point it looks considerably more likely that the Blu-Rays of those two films have it right, and there's certainly no basis to say categorically that it was a blunder by the people in charge of the transfers. While it's unfortunately likely that the 'Barry Lyndon' Blu-Ray very slightly crops the top and bottom of the intended image, you yourself have pointed out more than once the clear instructions Kubrick wrote that 'The Shining' have the wider aspect ratio that the Blu-Ray does, even though the regular D.V.D. release used the incorrect taller ratio anyway, which was then repeated for the D.V.D. releases of his final two films.
The fact that Leon Vitali has been very firm that the wider aspect ratios of the latter films are the correct ones is strong evidence in favor of them being just that, but there are more clues to be found by looking through what is omitted by the wider ratios. Maybe the most prominent of these in 'Eyes Wide Shut' can be seen in the first shot of Bill inside the Somerton mansion, where one of the large movie lights they used off-screen in scenes throughout the movie is plainly visible at the top of the screen just as Bill is first entering. In the Blu-Ray, this movie light is cleanly cropped out *just* above the top of the image. In the example you're giving here, remember that the pen and rubber band *are* in fact both visible; the're just less obvious in the Blu-Ray aspect ratio. And Kubrick was never known for making his subliminal visual sleights-of-hand obvious.
None of this is to say that the taller ratios should be discounted. For one thing, Kubrick simply doesn't appear to've left us with clear instructions about his last two films (even if he left Leon Vitali with them), and there's still an annoying amount of uncertainty. For another, though, there are many hardcore Kubrick admirers who prefer the taller ratios anyway - including of 'The Shining', even though we *know* that one isn't correct. Some prefer the way it dwarfs the soldiers into the landscapes of 'Full Metal Jacket' or makes the shots of 'Eyes Wide Shut' reminiscent of 19th-century European paintings more appropriate to the time and place Schnitzler wrote the source novella about. I think it's clear both formats should be preserved in future high-definition transfers.
Haha, often when you post comments you'll nitpick and some semantic non-issue lol. But I agree with all you've said there. It would be good to have both version in HD :)
It was shown theatrically in 1.66:1 and 1.85:1. I'm perfectly fine with the 1.78:1 format of the blu-ray and prefer it over the open matte DVD that was released first.
I think generally it's about the dangerous and thrilling aspect of sex with life and death, that there's a risk there and that it heightens the danger which is very artfully done because that's true in real time in real life
That's one theme.
But Kubrick himself said there are many layers, and stories being told within his films - which is why he was so highly thought of.
He would never be lured into discussing publicly, what those other narratives were.
Very good finds Rob!
who else wants rob to do a monthly video about his thoughts on the new movies that are out .
Noticed 2 things while watching last night... One was in the morgue when the doctor pulls out the tray from the wall, there are two cloak-like items of clothing on the wall opposite.. and the other was when Bill phones Marion and her boyfriend answers, the eyes on the statue behind are glowing with light. Probably relatively meaningless but I'd imagine Kubrick knew what he was doing.
The model inside the mansion who saves him, Looks different.. So, how many models were sacrificed? Mandy and... One More!
0:05 - 0:07 - Bill's nose on the ice in the glass champagne bucket, then his nose on an orange. On ice and orange (dot) mean death and both are referenced later in the film. 'Domino' means a hooded cloak, and Domino is in the Somerton circle (her mask has bird wings out either side). 1:10 - Victor makes a '6' with his right hand (the A-okay hand sign). There are 4 prams in a row in Hamleys in the last scene and Alice's hand brushes up against at least one of them. 2:21, 2:22 - Domino puts her nose on the J of the Jif peanut butter then her nose is on a Y at the right end of the shelf. 2:38 - when Helena turns the page, her page points at the scared rabbit (prey) under her lamp. 2:39 - Katharina Kubrick blinks at the start of that shot, easy to miss, and others blink through the film as clues. The boy nods, 'Yeah.' 'Yeah.' Like characters nodding at Somerton. Bill's thumb is by the boy's chin and chins are clues elsewhere, including when Red Cloak points at Bill: Red Cloak appears to touch his own chin (the mask chin) as he moves his hand. 3:30 - pens are instruments of death (even if just indirectly through official signatures authorizing arrest, incarceration, etc) in this movie and previous Kubrick movies such as A Clockwork Orange. Bill's a dead fish (prey) so the elastic bands more likely mean 'lobster', an indirect reference to seafood, like Bill putting his nose on the El Pescado fish restaurant. 9:57 - The name 'Roz' is said in the bathroom, then 28 seconds later (10)... intentionally. A clue, emphasis. Roz, Rosa, roses, pink, stuffed tigers, tigers on lamps, gold lion masks... because Alice is 'The Pink Panther'. There's a lot more but I don't want to make this comment too huge.
Schizo mode
I always look to see where Kubrick is putting the actors' hands and faces, and what is around their head and over their shoulders, looking for clues. But it doesn't work all the time. I see Ziegler's mouth over the crotch of the nude in the painting = making actor Sydney Pollack look dumb. There are many crude subliminal sexual messages in movies. When Rob was talking about the rubber band (raw dog, too coarse, Ager), I was thinking the pen = phallic symbol and the big round rubber band = Marion's older woman vagina. (Not that the actress is really older, but in the book she was older and unappealing to the Bill character.) The scene with the boy in the doctor's office is loaded with stuff that makes me uncomfortable, brief as it is. Unspeakable.
Kubricks films from a certain point on were shot full frame mainly to maintain authorial control when the films went to cable or VHS, the films would have been shown widescreen in cinemas I'm nearly sure
Oh Mandy…. Well you came and you stopped me from shaking… but I sent you away…. Oh Mandy….
At ziegler's bathroom scene, I never noticed the devil mask on the left of mandy, until now
No other directors had a direct window into the subconscious like Kubrick did
There's another pram in the final scene when his daughter goes xmas shopping and she stops to look at one
Interesting thing I noticed- Mandy's name starts with M and follows that with A. The woman with the dead father who kisses Bill is named Marion- derived from Mary or Maria, a name associated with the ideal of motherhood for obvious reasons. Christian orders that worship Mary especially are often called Marian orders.
Always thought 'Mandy' was unbelievably lovely, and gave such tenderness and sensuality to the film.
Cheers, Rob
He didn’t forget the babysitters name. He pretended to forget it because he was interested in her and he was worried that his wife might pick up on that so he pretended to not knowing her name to his wife, in order to put on the display that he’s a aloof and not interested in her, when indeed he is, how could he not be given all the other text
10:50 I thought you were the one who talked about that framing symbolizing how Ziegler's acting like a frightened (new-born and naked) baby at the prospect of having a dead woman on his hands, which is then almost immediately juxtaposed comedically with him acting like a stern father towards her once she comes to. Or was it Juli Kearns who has that take on it?
That wasn't me.
The best angle on the film that I've heard is that Stanley hated Tom Cruise and made a movie to humiliate him, his religion, and his marriage.
I always thought that the man in the ceramic pilgrim mask and the court jester next to him on the balcony was Ziegler and his wife.
Excellent work Rob. You don't mention the pram in the last shot we see of Helena at the end of the film. Taking a pram up and down many flights of stairs is a problem for some. I've always assumed that it was left there like the bike; the owner is upstairs and only needs it when going outside the apartment. As far as the babysitter goes, Bill would not be the first man to pretend not to know a young woman's name as a way of deflecting possible interest in her.
As for the babysitter - Bill is too busy being a doctor to get acquainted with a new babysitter. That is his wife's responsibility.
At 03:54 there is a horses head on the windowledge behind Bill. In The Godfather movie a film producer is "made an offer he can't refuse", which he does refuse, resulting in his pedigree stallion's head being cut off.
And whats next to the horsehead? A picture of his daughter! That they gave to the cult!
Proud to say Eyes Wide Shut is among my top three Kubrick movies along with Shining and Clockwork. And tied with Risky Business as my (really only) favorite Cruise movies. I know you’ve done excellent videos on all of them.
Collateral is a good film as well.
I'm so ready for this
2:39 oblelisk on the eye chart may booster the importance of the examination scene of the desired 'son'.
I rather like your stuff. That’s not a casual compliment.
Just now this image made me think of Stanley playing games.
The twin blue windows and twin elevators at 37:52 eyes wide shut.
Perhaps I watch these films so much that sight rhymes are prevalent.
it just dawned on me i havent watched this movie yet...
seen so many scenes and things about it that i presumed id seen it...
last time that happened was with The Jungle Book, screentest back in the 70's/80's showed so many scenes i thought id seen that as well lol.
Heeheee, make a plan! you really need to watch this. its amazing.
@@awesomewelles9174 im ordering it right now mate....
hopefully ill get time to watch it this weekend, cheers
Same. Except for me it’s “The Thing.”
@@chimpwimp9407 hey pal... you really must watch that movie... preferably through a hifi or on a decent sounding TV.
;-)
@@Tacsmoker
Sounds traumatizing. I'm in.
Great analysis! I never considered Amanda might have been pregnant.
so she was pregnant? ziegler was the father right? i cant get it
@@juliannfloress3490 Maybe she told him and he was attempting to kill her to shut her up, but changed his mind
i appreciate that ou understand that most people want to see images of the movie, not the reviewer's mug
Very interesting about the pen and rubber/ rubbeh 😊
Bruh, there’s an incredibly visible pram in the toy store at the end. Helena, Bill and Alice’s daughter, briefly plays with one, saying that she could put one of her dolls in it.
Alice acknowledges this, ending with saying that “it’s very old fashioned”.
This was a really awesome film, even though i've never totally figured out the full meaning, at least in my own mind. The mechanical or meat/potatoes of the film as a production are very enthralling.
You are the best narrator hands down!!
There is a pram in the final scene at the toy store. Their daughter wants it for her doll Sabrina.
Dominoe's coat shows that she is meant to symbolize the duality that attempts to keep our realm balanced.
The Jungian thing sir!
Theres also a third Pram.. right at the end in the toy shop. IIRC the daughter wished to have one but Alice said its too old fashioned or something.
symbolism ; far more powerful than many realize , often underestimated indeed
Kubrick was the Master.