Eyes Wide Shut - The Costume Shop Explained

[@kubricktheory237]

Seems KZbin put a glitch in the middle of my video - sorry - it was not there when I made it 😅

[@MarcillaSmith]

I've seen a good deal on this film, but not nearly enough on this scene. Big kudos for that! I want to hear more from you, though. You make these connections, and I want to hear you follow through. IOW, what was the point of the connection? For example, you connect the light wall from the costume area and the party. Is he saying that the staircase leads upstairs to where the "tuxedos come off" and people get their "fantasy (costume) on"? Something to keep in mind is that the shop advertises itself _first_ as "tuxedo rental," so that is not so unusual to keep the tuxes in front and the costumes in back. But this isn't to say that it is without significance. Aren't the characters presented as putting their "tuxedo selves" up front while keeping their "more exotic costumes" more hidden?

[@MariawithCats75]

🏴‍☠

[@pb48711]

Uh, the costume shop was closed when Bill arrived.

[@LunaLoki12]

Seriously.

[@criticalbil1]

I love how vulnerable Cruise's character is in this film.

[@kubricktheory237]

Yes 👍

[@acrophobe]

Interesting analysis. The Wizard of Oz comparison never occurred to me but it makes sense. "There's no place like home" does sum up the message of Eyes Wide Shut fairly well. The film ends with Bill and Alice irreversibly changed and damaged by the events of the story and the emotional trauma they've put each other through with their sexual misadventures and fantasies of infidelity, but in the end they decide to find a sort of forced solace in each other and their family unit. They both come to the "no place like home" conclusion but it's decidedly more bittersweet here than in Wizard of Oz.

[@kubricktheory237]

Wow ,thank you for the great comment . Maybe one day I'll do another video just about the Wizard of Oz connections in this film.👍

[@acrophobe]

@@kubricktheory237 Looking forward to it ✅🤩

[@stephenwalker2924]

I get LOLITA vibes from that scene in the costume shop. Perhaps a call back to Kubrick's earlier movie. Very sleazy stuff.

[@kubricktheory237]

Yeah , agreed - it's definitely a strange scene ! That part of it needs it's own video too

[@uneedtherapy42]

Wow you just made me think of something…. Remember when Bill is at the party at the Ziegler’s and is walking with those 2 models and he says something like “ so exactly ladies where are we going… exactly?” And the one model says Don’t you want to go where the rainbow ends? The more I think of EWS I think all these events were pre-determined for Bill. As if it was all set up before hand. Everyone talks about the sex scenes at the party but I think you are onto the most compelling sequences in the movie the parts between the Sonata Cafe and the Costume Shop. Nick Knighengale and Millich to me anyway are what makes this movie a masterpiece. Hard to explain what I mean but I think some will agree. They are like a major part of his nocturnal voyage. Great video as always. I love this movie!

[@kubricktheory237]

Wow , thank you so much for the kind words 😃 yes I know those 2 models mention " Where the rainbow ends " and I think you are right . There's definitely a lot of connections here between Eyes Wide Shut and the Wizard of Oz too in my opinion. I may do another video just about that . 👍

[@unclebud1]

Relaxed, confident (and perceptive) commentary on this part of the film. Dr. Bill has a number of jarring psycho-sexual experiences during his long, dark night of the soul. The costume shop is perhaps the sleaziest.

[@uneedtherapy42]

Totally agree. And do you agree that none of these as you said “ psycho sexual” experiences are ever satisfying? It’s like we feel for the guy because all his dark kind of revenge fantasies go bust and never feel satisfactory.

[@kubricktheory237]

Well put my friend ! 👍

[@JohnZyski]

Why have I never thought of the line, there's no place like home and how important that line is in this movie.

[@Bostonjohn64]

Great 👍 analysis as always. I’ve seen some other videos of people saying that the mannequins are alive. The reason I thought it might be possible is when the shop owner says “they look alive” or something to that effect I actually thought if Kubrick had him say that it might be true or at least the couple he looks at when he says it and they are also featured prominently in the scene. Also I thought they could be based on real people or as you mentioned possibly references to characters in his other movies because we know nothing is random with Kubrick. Anyway I tried to look close to see if in fact they were alive or if they represent real people and couldn’t come up with anything. Just curious on your thoughts. Keep up the great 👍 work.

[@watermelonlalala]

The costume shop IS closed when Bill gets there. He gets Millich out of bed, he is wearing a bathrobe. Bill has to offer to pay two hundred dollars over the rental price to get let in.The name of the store is Rainbow Fashions.Bill says: "Are you the present owner of Rainbow Fashions?" and what does Millich say? "Yes, I am."

[@kubricktheory237]

It is technically closed - but yet there are people in the back room . It's still strange the owner would even answer the door at 1 in the morning .

[@watermelonlalala]

@@kubricktheory237 The people in the back room are not renting costumes. They are breaking the law. One is hiding in the closet when we first see him.

[@watermelonlalala]

@@kubricktheory237 We know things are strange in this movie. Bill has to talk his way through some locked doors and get into places that would be closed to him throughout the movie. This is a common situation in movies.

[@kubricktheory237]

@@watermelonlalala yes true

[@watermelonlalala]

@@kubricktheory237 So, what did you really think about this scene, besides "it's strange"?

[@Jake_Hanrahan]

I love this channel. Great work.

[@kubricktheory237]

@JHanrahan Wow, thank you very much for the kind words 😃 I really appreciate it 👍

[@trevorparry2287]

There is (or was) a leather shop in downtown Toronto that had a similar "back room" although this one was downstairs and that's where all the BDSM gear was showcased.

[@kubricktheory237]

@trevorparry2287 interesting, though that's not exactly what's happening here , in my opinion. But there's definitely more to this Costume Shop than we see on the surface 🤔

[@davidpower1710]

Also the models at the first Ziegler party talk about "over the rainbow."

[@kubricktheory237]

@davidpower1710 yes that's true 👍

[@MariawithCats75]

Me again... I just wanted to add that you are sooo smart Kubrick Theory, YOU HAVE UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON so please keep on posting. Good luck my friend. 👏👏👏❤👌✊

[@kubricktheory237]

Thank you , I definitely will keep posting 👍

[@MariawithCats75]

YES YES YES!!! KUBRICK THEORY, YOU ROCK! 💖💖

[@kubricktheory237]

Thank you so much ! ❤

[@8_Bit]

Though it doesn't explain the "back room", the shop also rents tuxedos so that's what all those dark jackets are doing there.

[@kubricktheory237]

Yes , true

[@JohnZyski]

I like your idea that the costume shop is a test. This makes the shop owner's reactions make much more sense. How did you think about that?

[@kubricktheory237]

@JohnZyski I agree , the Costume shop has some connection to the whole situation, in fact I would like to do another video about some of what happens at the Costume shop 🤔

[@wrestledeep]

thanks for another great video. I do believe that there is something about the Rainbow Costume shop that Kubrick is trying to tell us. But it is really hard to figure out🤔 The back room, the Asian businessmen, the peculiar behavior of the owner. And most especially how the whole situation resolves itself and changes completely the next day when Dr. Bill returns the costume. Something very weird is going on. Is it a metaphor for the REAL WORLD: regular boring black suits are showcased on the outside but if you have the "right password" or network or social circles, you get to access to the back room with all the colorful weird costumes and the freaky fun that comes with it??? idk

[@kubricktheory237]

I like your idea , that is definitely possible 👍

[@shoheiimamura4067]

Great observations!!

[@robharrison8139]

When the banner on the costume shop that you showed at 1:26 said "gags" I thought it was selling BDSM gear, until I realized it probably was selling funny jokey things.

[@kubricktheory237]

@@robharrison8139 yes 😅 I think you are correct 👍

[@marykendle4544]

It wasn’t open! He had to get the owner from his house up top bc he thought the patient of his was the owner but it was a new guy. So he bribed him to open up and rent the costume

[@LeahIsHereNow]

The girls who are trying to aggressively seduce Tom Cruise at the beginning say “don’t you wanna see what’s at the end of the rainbow” and they are definitely being mind controlled. They aren’t even moving like normal people. They look like animatronics. I still don’t understand this movie. I’m trying to. Sandro is the guy in the red cape correct? I feel like he was recruiting Nicole Kidman into the cult. She wasn’t in it before that, but when she met him, that’s when it all started. I’m sure by tomorrow, I will have a completely different theory. 😂

[@kubricktheory237]

@LeahIsHereNow The guy in the red cape is called Red Cloak ,but yes there are definitely a lot of strange things going on 😳

[@LeahIsHereNow]

@@kubricktheory237 I’ll say! 🎭

[@ErikFlores-f8q]

Tom Cruise did a great job in the movie.

[@kubricktheory237]

Agreed 👍

[@rawcredentials]

What did she whisper in his ear?

[@kubricktheory237]

@rawcredentials She says "You should have a cloak lined with ermine " which is a type of white fur sometimes used to trim robes for royalty 👍 and thank you for the thoughtful comment

[@Dystisis]

"Rainbow" is metaphor for the elimination of borders/limits. It's the very same symbolism used by the LGBTQ+ movement.

[@schuylermorissette5968]

The entire notion of the world being a series of facades with secret menus is honestly the point. Between the bodies and the buildings we are pretending there is anything between us and our animal instincts.

[@CMare-pt7ei]

2 parallel realities?

[@kimura_b4mv]

But... It's clearly a Tuxedo AND costume shop. So idk, rick...

[@juanmanuelbaccino]

I think this film its like a psichodelic journey. Tremendous influences Huxley, Kesey and Burgees. I also think that Its the most poor film of Stanley's Master Mind. Think that it was all resolved on his mind since jack pull over those three chips from the radio in The Shining. Remember remember Shining was number Eleven. The Full metal was 12 and finaly the thirteen movie.

[@MrCage-og5ti]

Being tested as in, would he go to the cops with this weird pedo-stuff or would he be able to keep it a secret (for the cult)…

[@kubricktheory237]

@MrCage-og5ti you make a very good point and I agree there's some weird stuff going on at the Costume Shop that relates to Dr Bill and the Cult . 🤔 I'm definitely going to do another video about this too . Thank you 👍

[@MrCage-og5ti]

@@kubricktheory237 Thank you for your quick reply! How cool that this movie is still inspiring so many people to find out what it exactly means. I’ve watched a lot of KZbin theory’s and here are some of my questions/ beliefs, you’ve probably mentioned them all or a couple. Why is the red cloak in red and his two henchmen in purple, while the rest (lowest level probably) is in black cloaks? Also, the two henchmen seem to have the exact same mask, which I do appear to see being worn by someone in the crowd with a black cloak as well. Also, the pirate mask (most likely Ziegler, because of the greeting towards Bill, with his wife next to him) looks like this henchmen mask as well. But because of the wide variety of masks, it does seem probable that people are allowed to choose their own mask. The whole movie feels like as if Bill is being guided towards this party, seemingly by his own doing, but it not being the case. I think he is being groomed into it (by Ziegler, who blackmails him at his party with the girl in the bathroom). Also, like mentioned before in the costume store with the pedo-stuff as if he is being tested to keep secrets, which the cult wants. Why does Nick Nightingale give the Fidelo admittance password, but not the password for the house? Maybe he didn’t know it, seeing as he doesn’t wear a black robe, but still. Also, Bill enters the mansion unmasked. It seems that everyone outside is wearing no mask, until being inside. Why is this part being filmed at three different locations? Also, the conspiracy goes that the movie is being altered slightly. I’ve watched a theory about the note which gives the second warning. The person beliefs and I find this a very strong theory, that the note says to give up his daughter. Look that theory up, well worth it with how Bill reacts to certain things. In the last scene it also looks as if they are letting their daughter being kidnapped by people who came earlier to the Ziegler party. All in all a very good movie, a bit long for my taste at certain moments, but still lots of secrets and theories to unravel. Good luck and thanks for the content!

[@Leopoldus7]

You can do better than this, Shim! Concentrate on the Why(s) and the factual when you conduct research. Your interpretation would be more valuable to your audience if it was backed up more by facts and critical points than speculation and open questions. All the best!

[@kubricktheory237]

@Leopoldus7 I thank you for your comment and I am trying to improve my videos as time goes on 👍

[@sashazoprak3253]

What if they just wanted to use the same lights for both scenes just to save the budget ?

[@chunkymilk]

the film takes place in New York yet they built an elaborate set in England replicating the streets of New York because Kubrick didn’t want to board an airplane. does that sound like something you would do to stretch a film’s budget?

[@user-ig9vo1pq4d]

I like the content of the video but you need to practice your narration voice or hire a voice actor. The way you’re reading it is so stiff and robotic. Hard to listen to. Try speaking more naturally. Good video besides that.

[@dimitrissotiropoulos3413]

I prefer that than a robot