Mandy's Secret EYES WIDE SHUT film analysis / theory / meaning

[@robag555]

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

[@bbt305]

Thank you for that amazing insight!

[@paolobogli458]

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

[@paolobogli458]

And at the End thats a present. Their daughter.

[@juliannfloress3490]

@@paolobogli458 what does it mean? She was preganant? And ziegler was the father?

[@paolobogli458]

@@juliannfloress3490 no. They sell their actual daughter.

[@cskandrsgyrgy]

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' KZbin days, when people weren't making content for money, they were just sharing their thoughts and opinions for free on a free-speech platform.

[@mk-ultramags1107]

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.

[@nelisezpasce]

fr33 sp33ch is h4t3 sp33ch according to )))experts(((

[@Mister_W.T.F]

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

[@robag555]

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 :)

[@Mister_W.T.F]

@@robag555 you're work always speaks for itself. Rob. Remarkable insights fruits of the tireless dedication of an inquisitive mind

[@Tommykey07]

It's funny how Bill's attempts to commit adultery keep getting thwarted throughout the film.

[@davidlean1060]

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!

[@stephenwalker2924]

All my dreams are like this. Unfinished business, scenarios that go nowhere, unhappy/too-sudden/flat endings.

[@jjrbarnett]

@David Lean Kubrick had a lot of comedy in his movies. More absurdist but its there

[@chickenflavor9880]

@@stephenwalker2924 same

[@12ealDealOfficial]

@@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.

[@jakedee507]

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.

[@WerewolfKweef]

right on

[@Mrhostil95]

I'm Spanish and I have no idea as to how that name means "loveable" in a sort of way.

[@vincijuju]

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.

[@julianalinat9594]

@@Mrhostil95 same

[@maxiaguirre]

@@vincijuju Amanda is not beloved, that is "Amada"

[@iAmiSaid]

I know Tom Cruise does a lot of Blockbuster films but I have to give him his props for really committing to this role

[@marydecouvertes3789]

He's too stupid and self-absorbed to realize that he basically played himself in this movie. Dude got played by Kubrick.

[@chriskarley384]

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.

[@iAmiSaid]

@@chriskarley384 You noted you didn't like it at first and then gave it a rewatch and so on... Same here 💯

[@chriskarley384]

@@iAmiSaid Granted, the first time I was much younger and the pacing of the film was underwhelming to say the least. 😞

[@iAmiSaid]

@@chriskarley384 yes, same as me! It was when I discovered cinephile and film analysis videos on KZbin, 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 🙂

[@nathanieldeclarador1466]

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…

[@dannylo5875]

So she actually decided to become a sacrifice to the demons and she willingly saw the mean less drivel. It happens.

[@ScottThePisces]

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

[@MatimoreAgain]

No. Kubrick loves the beauty of women. Think Fellini. He loves them statuesque. Gorgeous. Zero fat. And why would he defile such beauty to look like a stereotype junkie? Junkies come in all shapes and forms. The implication is enuff here.

[@hannoverfiste4126]

There are several "are they IN the party" moments and characters in the film. Many whatifs. What if he had said there is no password for the house? What if Nick lured Bill there and gave him a personal password?

[@tariqm6083]

a snowball is something you swallow, there is no paraphernalia involved

[@MrColtime]

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.

[@BrianMcInnis87]

Dude, it's called a nickname. Bill isn't being infantilized by being called Bill instead of William.

[@WerewolfKweef]

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.

[@suppe3267]

@@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.

[@cassandraunheeded]

@@suppe3267I think it’s just a nickname too.

[@elbis1964]

​@@suppe3267 In the newspaper, she's also referred to as Mandy. By her sister i think. Sometime, the curtains are blue for no reason.

[@gregsmith7949]

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.

[@Somethirdthing]

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.

[@robag555]

I'm 5 yrs older and didn't know it !

[@AmusedChild]

Helena pleads for a pram at the end of the movie in the toy store, too.

[@daniellerostaing1467]

WHAT? just playing- I am acting like the minions.

[@cinescamillo1]

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.

[@juliannfloress3490]

mandy was pregnant?

[@Teeveepicksures]

"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.

[@watermelonlalala]

@@juliannfloress3490 Subliminal messages say she is. Just as subliminal messages said Danny was molested in The Shining.

[@watermelonlalala]

I always thought 'Ovid' was a reference to eggs, but I just found out it means "sheep".

[@RisingSon9117]

MANdy is a man...A MAN dah

[@happyclam1266]

Mandy is the most common nickname for Amanda. Not a name change, it's a nickname.

[@jhutch888]

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

[@buckfidencoincidencetheori7200]

Ask them about the missing 25 mins please

[@DavidGuardo]

Is not Mandy.

[@jhutch888]

@@DavidGuardo Because, of course you know better than someone who was actually there.

[@DavidGuardo]

@@jhutch888 are different actress, different bodies and also, Victor Ziegler mention both in the last meeting with Bill. The Mysterious Woman is not Mandy.

[@jhutch888]

@@DavidGuardo because you know better than someone who was actually there

[@jonathangems]

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.

[@HorrorCritical]

Eyes Wide Shut is one of my favorite movies of all time. There’s just so much to uncover after several rewatches

[@serialclone]

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.

[@Mister_W.T.F]

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

[@Pavillionairez]

I think we all did.

[@freebee8221]

I dont think Kubrick would like them to be called "easter eggs"

[@timsopinion]

"Conceptual foreplay" and "Penetrating twist" - Rob you're a funny guy 😂

[@moviearchaeologist9655]

Complete with a revealing climax!

[@robag555]

"What do you mean, funny like I'm a clown? I make you laugh. I'm here to f****** amuse you!!!"

[@c-4839]

​@@robag555😐😬🤣Rob's probably a wiseguy

[@runarvollan]

The truth of a thing is the feel of it, and not the think of it. - Stanley Kubrick

[@watermelonlalala]

But then he puts all this stuff in his movies that make you think, "Why? What? How? Who?"

[@silvianencheva527]

​@@watermelonlalala No , I think that's how he creates the unique atmosphere of his movies...and atmosphere equals feeling, impression...

[@Ichmueller9968]

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.

[@wwolf5670]

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.

[@vova47]

Interesting that Ziegler recognised Bill even though the other was in disguise. How do you explain that?

[@thesatisfiedcustomer4869]

@@vova47Bill stuck out like a sore thumb in that depraved elite murderous orgy.

[@lucasoheyze4597]

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.

[@BoHror933]

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.

[@jaydy71]

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 😄).

[@bean7039]

I'm using a fake name and I'm a hooker so you're correct.

[@iAmiSaid]

Agreed that she goes by Mandy for her working name

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

A 'mandy' is a type of drug, too--quaalude.

[@pleadis1914]

Just like how domino isn’t actually a name

[@BoHror933]

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.

[@Tyln93]

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.

[@gamesdog9067]

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.

[@manwithoutausername]

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

[@juliannfloress3490]

nice detail ...didnt notice that...

[@carlosfernandez-pello3631]

It's the suspenders

[@DTM-Books]

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.

[@tokelahti]

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.

[@Nitin-hh9li]

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.

[@collativelearning]

That's good to know :)

[@reececarr2784]

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

[@Nitin-hh9li]

@@reececarr2784 yes 😆

[@lsmrkqj]

Im gen z and i constantly watch older films lol. Cgi takes the soul out of films

[@AmandaVieiraMamaesouCult]

​@@lsmrkqj Yeah, I don't really know what he meant with the millenials crap. I'm a millennial and I always consumed older media.

[@camreese]

The title eyes wide shut is referring to seeing something but not speaking about it

[@watermelonlalala]

No. "She went into the marriage with her eyes wide open" means the bride knew the groom was a drunk, or whatever, but she married him anyway. So eyes wide shut probably means, "doesn't want to know. Denies the evidence adds up."

[@martinsFILMS13]

Why is it such a shock to people that the super rich are completely debauched this has been happening since Roman times and even before same old story

[@ZinaKorichi-jk6hl]

المشكل أن هؤلاء الأثرياء ليسوا فاسدين فقط بل هم يحكمون في حياتنا أي الحروب والإقتصاد وتخيل بأن ثرروتهم نحن مسؤولون عنها فعلينا معرفة كل شيء عنهم يكفي أنهم يقتلون إخوتنا في فلسطين إنهم بدون رحمة ياسيدي 😢

[@pokechamp3987]

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.

[@dannylo5875]

So she willingly gave herself to a sacrifice and it was done as she willed it!? Wow.

[@miguelhernandez4975]

Excuse my immaturity but hearing Rob say "He wants it RAW DOG, of course!" made me chuckle a bit

[@robag555]

Fully intended. Heard the term from a friend several times and it stuck. Cheers Darren if you're reading :)

[@frankb821]

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

[@mnd7381]

Cruel revelations...

[@AgentRafa]

Oh yeeeessss!!! More Eyes Wide Shut stuff. Great work as always Mr. Ager.

[@maxmercer1931]

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

[@jameshitt3263]

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...)

[@Mister_W.T.F]

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.

[@vincijuju]

@@Mister_W.T.F I'd love more details on this

[@Mister_W.T.F]

@@vincijuju LOL! You're kidding; right?

[@iAmiSaid]

@@Mister_W.T.F 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

[@Mister_W.T.F]

@@iAmiSaid forgive me I was being deliberately silly. I am stratospherically immature

[@snoopdoggdankkush9285]

could it have maybe been a murder attempt disguised as a OD?

[@timcombs2730]

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.

[@ZACHANDJACKSZACHSMAFIA]

Fugget About It!!!! -AY CANADIAN MOBSTER SHOW THINGY -JACK

[@timcombs2730]

@@ZACHANDJACKSZACHSMAFIA ummm okay

[@BeeBenson]

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.

[@BryceShamwow]

@@ZACHANDJACKSZACHSMAFIA I know that show!

[@keysersoze3977]

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.

[@robag555]

See my vid Red Cloak Unmasked :)

[@manueltome-p4e]

No way! Sandor is Hungarian and Red Cloak as a strong English accent. But I'm sure Sandor was in the masked party.

[@ManiacalForeigner]

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.

[@moviearchaeologist9655]

I think that is the case for cinema releases. Full 4:3 screen versions defo need blu ray releases at least.

[@xBINARYGODx]

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.

[@tonybennett4159]

We don't know what Kubrick would have approved as the film was completed only days before his death.

[@eighthmanstanding566]

There's another baby stroller (pram) towards the end at the toy store

[@robag555]

How did I miss that one lol. So much in that scene. It gets some dialogue attention from wife and daughter too. Thanks.

[@GodsNode]

One of the best movies of all time. It is so deep and nearly endless in its layers.

[@dinab7852]

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!

[@BrianMcInnis87]

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.

[@robag555]

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 :)

[@thoso1973]

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.

[@Thespeedrap]

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.

[@watermelonlalala]

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.

[@anadmirer8789]

I’ll be honest! I found the theories in this video to be the most grounded and plausible of all the EWS videos I’ve seen so far. I must commend you for doing such a magnificent job. 👏

[@Wills_Duffy]

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!!

[@robag555]

Wondered about that too. Very unusual and specific.

[@juliannfloress3490]

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.

[@500dollarjapanesetoaster8]

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.

[@cassandraunheeded]

@@juliannfloress3490I think blue represents truth in this movie.

[@watermelonlalala]

I have an old magazine from the nineties with pricey items "yuppies" would buy. A fish like that is in there, in home decor advertisement. But it wasn't blue. Just saying.

[@bradforddillman7671]

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.

[@Vortex]

Collateral is a good film as well.

[@KosOrSomeSayKosmo]

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.

[@cassandraunheeded]

Blue in this film stands for truth I think.

[@markhirstwood4190]

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.

[@thedeviator5410]

Schizo mode

[@watermelonlalala]

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.

[@CyrusB1]

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

[@nmweagley]

Bravo!!!!!!!

[@Nozarks1]

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.

[@bridgecross]

1:35 .... wait, there *is* one other instance of a toddler's pram in the film. At the very end, in the toy store, their daughter shows them a blue pram and comments about it.

[@svinche2]

P Diddy's "FREAKOUT party" all over place !!!

[@MisterWilliamss]

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.

[@worksbydandeprez]

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.

[@aliensoup2420]

As for the babysitter - Bill is too busy being a doctor to get acquainted with a new babysitter. That is his wife's responsibility.

[@chadlightningrod8645]

i am sure someone else mentioned this by now but someone at end of film there is a baby stroller in christmas shopping mall scene at end, the daughter is fascinated by it and the mother played by kidman calls it "old fashioned"

[@michaeldamato9466]

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.

[@bilbob7624]

i thought the pregnant painting symbolized the birth or the beginning of Bill's initiation in to the "Ultra-Rich Club"

[@watermelonlalala]

That's taking it to an interesting level.

[@Lee-fs1rg]

I always interpreted it as her being murdered because she was pregnant. It's a common theme for the elite to kill women who refuse to abort their pregnancy (in other cases, the women die because they threaten to go public with the affair). Some think this is why Marilyn Monroe died.

[@kiers1970]

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

[@chickenflavor9880]

Well depends on who makes the film.

[@manmaje3596]

What are you getting at? Spot on face? What??

[@aliensoup2420]

@@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

[@timcombs2730]

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”

[@watermelonlalala]

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.

[@BrianMcInnis87]

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?

[@robag555]

That wasn't me.

[@daniel7___]

In the movie Filmmaker, long time Kubrick associate, Leon Vitali, physically stands in for the role of Red Cloak. It’s still possible Ziegler theoretically plays Red Cloak for the sake of the film. What do you think? Great job on all your videos

[@guitaoist]

Yes Vitali played red cloak and its clearly not Zieglers voice, but it could still be true given the “dreamlike” narrative of the whole film where faces/voices switch alot. Also Vitali has the same bday as Kubrick so maybe he’s secretly telling us something about himself

[@luciagrimaldi4443]

@@guitaoistin Vitali it is Vital

[@sweetheart436]

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

[@diane4488]

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.

[@sydneykillian3685]

Rich and poor, Not knowing name a prostitute Not knowing name a baby sitter. People who are all for sale People who are willing to buy on impulse and convince. A lot of stuff look at each piece as a photo. In 2001 Kubrick wanted circles in every background. Like we are all connected or an ouroboros. I’m going to look at each shot of the film when I have a weekend.

[@Dominic-tq6dw]

The model inside the mansion who saves him, Looks different.. So, how many models were sacrificed? Mandy and... One More!

[@yp3424]

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.

[@watermelonlalala]

Was he supposed to be lying to Bill, or not? I thought he sounded like a bad actor and that was probably because he was supposed to be lying.

[@sbaltys]

Rob's insights are always fascinating.

[@spaceodds1985]

Actually the phone call to Marion takes place right before Bill pays a visit to Domino and meets Sandy instead. However I do have one question, what do you make of the abrupt transition cut from the shot of Sandy to the establishing shot of Bill walking the streets? Don’t know about you, but I’ve always found this transition to be purposefully abrupt.

[@billcarpenter6057]

Something was cut

[@spaceodds1985]

@@billcarpenter6057 I don’t believe that. It’s too abrupt IMO

[@billcarpenter6057]

@@spaceodds1985I mean part of the film was cut out so there otherwise would have been a smoother transition.

[@gordkennedy1059]

On the fireplace in the bathroom it looks like there is an arrangement of diamonds, maybe 5 at the top horizontal and 2 at sides. Think thats related to the diamonds video

[@Jesus.the.Christ]

Rob... HER phallic regions? Are you implying there's more to uncover?

[@TheWriterNW]

Speaking of the daughter... the final scene in the film it appears that the daughter was 'taken.'

[@jamesstaggs4160]

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.

[@davidsirmons]

Always thought 'Mandy' was unbelievably lovely, and gave such tenderness and sensuality to the film.

[@blueeyedscorpio7]

Where have you've been lately!? You really need to make more deep dives into movie videos!!

[@flamesphere3144]

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

[@Unitedfruitco]

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

[@Keys879]

I think that was part of the point Kubrick was trying to imbue.

[@mr.frandy7692]

I'm sure she was, occasionally. So were you. Just be honest with yourself.

[@romakhan4484]

​@@mr.frandy7692😂

[@milesax463]

Anyone noticed that Alice, Mandy, Domino and her roommate all have red hair?

[@whartonbizzo]

The events at Ziegler's say a lot about the film 🎥

[@matureyoungman]

i appreciate that ou understand that most people want to see images of the movie, not the reviewer's mug

[@bbt305]

I Love Rob! Best film analysis always ever! Genius?

[@worksbydandeprez]

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.

[@BoHror933]

lmao how old are you dude

[@cassandraunheeded]

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?

[@worksbydandeprez]

@@cassandraunheeded Which is why i said, "someone who is aware that her husband has a roving eye, if not more."

[@worksbydandeprez]

@@BoHror933 My age (and your age, for that matter) is totally immaterial. I'm glad that I was able to provide you with a good healthy laugh but make no effort to point out the outrageously naive or immature thing I said which was so absurd as to trigger that reaction.

[@miseryloveco]

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.

[@cattathat]

At the end, in the toy shop, their daughter looks at a baby dolls blue pram. She says I like this. Nicoln Kidman says that is nice.

[@cletusjones9411]

Great analysis! I never considered Amanda might have been pregnant.

[@juliannfloress3490]

so she was pregnant? ziegler was the father right? i cant get it

[@Magnetron33]

@@juliannfloress3490 Maybe she told him and he was attempting to kill her to shut her up, but changed his mind

[@Keckegenkai]

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.

[@mercuryrising2424]

What was Mandy's motivation for warning Bill? She didn't know it was Bill the doctor, whom helped her out earlier that evening, until Red Cloak forced Bill to remove his mask. What was her motivation before she knew Bill's identity? Any thoughts?

[@aliensoup2420]

I have always wondered about this myself - how does she know who he is since he only just arrived before she picked him from the crowd?

[@diane4488]

I think she did know it was him.

[@mercuryrising2424]

@@diane4488 When could she have seen him? There was only a brief period of time in the entryway of the house where he is unmasked. Mandy is already in the ritual room at that time.

[@mercuryrising2424]

@@aliensoup2420 I have come to the conclusion that there was something about Bill's mask that stood out to Mandy and that's why she figured out he wasn't supposed to be there. If you look at the other people's masks at the house there are much more scary looking and Bill's mask looks a little feminine and not at all scary. He stood out like a sore thumb.

[@notmarealnameboi]

Maybe, she had a desth wish. She almost ODed at Zeiglers party.

[@mikenoface]

Wrong about the pram or stroller. There is one at the very end of the film that the daughter plays with while they are Christmas shopping. Right before she (their daughter) appears to walk off with two older gentlemen that look like the security goons from the mansion.

[@gustav1235]

Does Bill's daughter's hair colour and Mandy's hair colour being the same mean anything? Red isn't so common for a hair colour...is it deliberate?

[@Keckegenkai]

Alice is blond and the daughter red. maybe its deliberate

[@aliensoup2420]

@@Keckegenkai It means Ziegler is the father.

[@moviearchaeologist9655]

For some reason, the presentation and editing of this video has a Woody Allen / Scorsese flavour, especially at 11:42 - 12:52. Probably needs some jazz music to go along with it 🎷

[@MacStoker]

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.

[@MacStoker]

@Awesome Welles im ordering it right now mate.... hopefully ill get time to watch it this weekend, cheers

[@chimpwimp9407]

Same. Except for me it’s “The Thing.”

[@MacStoker]

@@chimpwimp9407 hey pal... you really must watch that movie... preferably through a hifi or on a decent sounding TV. ;-)

[@chimpwimp9407]

@@MacStoker Sounds traumatizing. I'm in.

[@akarueben8460]

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!

[@nukezat]

No other directors had a direct window into the subconscious like Kubrick did

[@varvarvarvarvarvar]

Question: do you try and watch movies without sound to kind of freshen your viewing experience and possibly stumble upon new clues? I wonder if you did and didn't find it too helpful.

[@robag555]

I don't reveal my film analysis techniques, sorry. Lots of competitors have asked :)

[@yourguitarist]

If it's all dream, then what's with the scene in the 3rd act where seigler(sp) chides Bill about the night before at the house? Also what about Bill's old college buddy nick (pianist) who gets beat up etc.. is that guy a dream too? By reducing most of the action to just a dream you greatly water down the experience of the film. The actual dream in the film is Alice's when Bill comes home and wakes her up. It's a very deep and layered film and it's fun to take it apart and examine all the tiny details. I have explored the idea of the scene at the house being a dream, but I think that it makes a lot of other things fall apart. I.e. buying the costume, returning the costume, returning to the house and being threatened, and others make no sense if the house scene is a dream. Just my 2 cents of course. I really enjoy you videos. Thanks for your excellent analysis 👍

[@sarahnp490]

I agree. Alice's dream, that she tells him about after they smoke the joint, is her telling him of her past as one of the orgy prostitutes. She suggests the joint in order to put him in a dream like trance masking the truth, along with the 'dream' she tells him about. This way she has been truthful but without exposing the cult. This ties in with the 'domino' mask, and the cinematographic illusion of her face appearing as having a mask line to her chin. Mandy has tiger stuffed animal toys and in the ending scene there are the same or similar toys in the toy store. Alice's closing line and Bill's agreement confirms he's now aware of what their purpose is.

[@collativelearning]

It was a stoned dream sequence re-enactment of what happened at Zeigler's party, stripped of the pretence. Parallels are all over the place - Zeigler and the rest of them are recast in the dream. Zeigler's "explanation" at the end is vague and doesn't even specify which house or party. I have a ton of notes on the subject for a future vid or two :)

[@tonybennett4159]

Maybe people are getting hung up on the fact that the film is based on a 1926 novel called "Dream Story". The book doesn't make it clear if the whole novel is a dream or that dreams play an important role in triggering a series of events. In a way it's immaterial, because the whole book deals with Freudian tropes, with the preoccupation with sex and death. One thing is sure : it's a very unsettling and uncomfortable vision in both its forms. BTW the scene at the end with Zeigler is the only real addition that the screenplay makes compared with the book, so maybe having a close look at that could offer some clues.

[@petergare4766]

The rubber bands could be symbolic of the other part of male anatomy. The distance between the pen and bands implying his manly intentions being thwarted or possibly a mocking, castration sleight.

[@BrianMcInnis87]

10:44 The WHAT region?

[@VoyagesDuSpectateur]

He probably meant to say "pubic". Most women don't have a "phallic region".

[@theinvisibleman5878]

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.

[@patricktilton5377]

The film was based on a novel titled 'TRAUMNOVELLE', which literally means 'Dream Novella' -- suggesting that at least some of what appears to be the 'plot' or storyline isn't actually real, but a dream, or perhaps a waking fantasy or 'daydream'. Did the orgy at the big mansion actually happen? or did Bill imagine such a thing going on amongst the Elite masked folks? Is Bill dreaming about all this sex-related goings on . . . or is it his wife who imagines it all, perhaps expecting him to be tempted to betray her after her revelatory monologue as they argued, only to conveniently dream -- or imagine -- that her husband never does successfully cheat on her out of a concern that him, say, getting infected with AIDS would obviously affect her life too? Ordinarily I wouldn't buy into that whole it-was-all-a-dream take on a story, but the name of the book it's based on rather makes such an interpretation worthy of consideration. If a sizeable chunk of the film is all a dream or fantasy imagined by someone, then who is doing the dreaming or fantasizing? We know -- from the 'argument' scene -- that the wife had previously dreamed about going off with that handsome Navy man . . . but then the flash-images of that would-be consummation -- itself an 'imagined' scenario -- might be either her dream or what her husband imagines her doing in that alternate universe where she actually did succumb to the temptation. His dream/fantasy? Or hers? Or is it all actually happening? The 'rainbow' theme -- the two temptresses at the Christmas party at Zeigler's who might have taken Bill "over the rainbow" -- like Dorothy in her Oz-dream -- as well as the costume shop's façade, hints that this is all a dream from which the dreamer will safely wind up back home -- just like Dorothy in 'THE WIZARD OF OZ': "There's no place like home . . ." -- "And YOU were there . . . and YOU were there . . ." etc. It might be interesting to compare the (possible) dream-sequence(s) of EYES WIDE SHUT -- a film title that suggests REM-sleep dreaming, doesn't it? -- and dreams in other Kubrick films, such as Alex's eyes-wide-open dreams in 'A CLOCKWORK ORANGE', or Danny's visions in 'THE SHiNiNG', or when 'Private Pyle' gets attacked by the others wielding soap-bars wrapped up in towels, with 'Cowboy' telling him "It's just a dream, fat boy!" . . .

[@mediacrusher]

on of the biggest fantasies we have currently is about conspiracies. sex=conspiracies. Rob needs to go back to his old job and stop confusing folks like a muppet

[@lucasoheyze4597]

Bill visits various places twice in the film and each time they're a bit different, which is very dreamlike

[@Fredo_Viola]

The pram is placed at the bottom of the stairs because that's where it would normally be left by a family living on an upper floor when there is no elevator. That's also where the garbage is kept and explains why Bill holds his nose when he enters the hall. I think it's clearly evidence of the relative poverty of the characters living there.

[@KING-ZEAL]

Mandy's secret is.......... She filmed the entire moon landing on her own, then time traveled back to the 90s, Illuminati/P Diddy party, knew she had the best boobs, then joined the True Knot from Dr. Sleep. And became the Hat Lady.

[@bigdaddytrips6197]

Lol

[@christoffesedao3579]

At least you presented an idea 😊. Unlike this video which doesn’t really declare a solid secret lol.

[@backcenter2]

The day could not get better than this

[@MsMounen]

I don't think I could tolerate a film like this. Sexual abuse tends to stay with me for a long time afterwards. I generally feel like my brain needs a wash. Epstein comes to mind straight away.

[@ricardocornejo5503]

At ziegler's bathroom scene, I never noticed the devil mask on the left of mandy, until now

[@unitedstatesirie7431]

Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.' "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." ~ HOLY BIBLE, Proverbs 3:5,6 The LORD GOD KING JESUS says, "...if ye love me, keep my commandments. ~ HOLY BIBLE, John 14:15 The righteous Laws and Commandments of the LORD GOD KING JESUS are for our protection, not for our enslavement.

[@Kylemuaythai47-y3q]

Tom cruise fans will let you know that he went to medical school before filming this movie but was so gifted that after only a week of schooling, he passed all exams with a perfect score and is now the top medical doctor in the country.