Eyes Wide Shut
Release Date: Available now (original release date October 23, 2007)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Packaging/Materials: Single-disc HD DVD case
Year: 1999
Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 2h39m
Video (Feature): 1080p high definition 16x9 1.85:1
Audio (Feature): Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1; Dolby Digital Plus: English 5.1, French 5.1, Spanish 5.1, Japanese 5.1
Video (Special Features): 480i or 480p standard definition
Audio (Special Features): Stereo and mono
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese
MSRP: $28.99
The Feature: 3/5
Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) and his wife Alice (Nicole Kidman) face a marital crisis when Alice confesses to a sexual moment of weakness. Though the confession seems relatively innocuous, it unsettles Harford, shaking the foundations of his faith in his wife and their relationship. With the scales removed from his eyes he suddenly finds himself on a bizarre, 12-hour odyssey of escalating erotic encounters that ends with him infiltrating and then being expelled from a secret society sex club. Back in the light of day Harford tries to make sense of his experiences and finds it difficult separating truth from perception and reconciling dreams and reality.
When "Eyes Wide Shut" finally reached theaters in 1999, the collective groan of disappointment could be heard around the world. The hype machine had built it up to such heights - not only for being THE FINAL KUBRICK FILM - but for the onscreen pairing of Hollywood power couple Cruise and Kidman in an erotic film. Of course it didn't help that Kubrick maintained his legendary levels of secrecy and privacy.
When the public finally had access to the film, response was at best confused and at worst derisive. It seemed that Kubrick had lost it on multiple levels, so much so that he managed to make a film featuring copious female nudity and sex utterly unsexy and even bordering on absurd. Of course this misfire in execution didn't stop the film from being censored and fans of the film will be pleased that the unedited version is finally available in the United States. But censored or not, almost a decade later the film hasn't really increased in stature, the Cruise-Kidman split not really helping matters. As it is "Eyes Wide Shut" remains an interesting, polarizing relic in Kubrick's otherwise phenomenal filmmaking career.
Note: The packaging states that both the Rated and Unrated versions are included in the release, but the only option is the Unrated.
Video Quality: 3/5
"Eyes Wide Shut" is framed at 1.85:1 and is free of edge halos, dust, dirt and damage. The film's dreamlike, misty cinematography comes through beautifully, but of course this tends to affect perceived image sharpness and fine object detail. More problematic are the black levels, the dark wardrobe elements often lacking shadow detail and definition. Many of the interior scenes, like during Alice's confession, also suffer from excessive grain and noise. While the image quality is an improvement over standard definition, particularly in the area of color depth, its problem areas keep the release from being a proper showcase for high definition's advantages.
Audio Quality: 4/5
With dialogue dominating the film, viewers will be hard pressed to differentiate between the Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus options. Even during scenes where there is more than dialogue, there only seems to be a slight improvement with the lossless track. Both tracks are nicely detailed and clear, the orchestral score and solitary piano theme standing out for their depth and texture. The one occasion of low frequency effects is satisfyingly full and balanced.
Special Features: 4/5
The Last Movie: Stanley Kubrick and Eyes Wide Shut (43m06s): A well-made and intimate documentary featuring family and friends sharing their memories about Kubrick and his work. Of his films, particular emphasis is placed on the final works - "A.I." and "Eyes Wide Shut." Framed at 1.78:1.
Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick (20m18s): An in-depth look at the films Kubrick had on the drawing board and why they were never completed, in particular films about Napoleon and the Jewish Holocaust. Narrated by Malcolm McDowell. Framed at 1.78:1.
DGA D.W. Griffith Award Acceptance Speech, 1998 (4m02s): Introduced by Jack Nicholson, Kubrick's videotaped speech comments on D.W. Griffith and the lesson behind the Icarus myth. Framed at 1.78:1.
Interviews with Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Steven Spielberg (35m17s): Extended cuts of the 1999 interviews used in the "Last Movie" documentary include some great moments. Cruise (8m42s); Kidman (18m28s); Spielberg (8m06s). Framed at 1.33:1.
TV Spots (1m04s): Framed at 1.33:1.
Theatrical Trailer (1m03s): Framed at 1.33:1.
Recap
The Feature: 3/5
Video Quality: 3/5
Audio Quality: 4/5
Special Features: 4/5
Overall Score (not an average): 3.5/5
Owners of the DVD release will likely want to upgrade to this version solely for its uncensored content. The video transfer is only average, but likely still shows some improvement over the standard definition, all other things being equal. Very good audio options are also an incentive to choose the high definition version, though only the most devoted fans of the film and/or Kubrick completists will likely be making the purchase in any format.
