Idea's on Kubrick's EYES WIDE SHUT & Lynch's Mulholland Dr. (1 Viewer)

[Chad R]

Some people are focusing on the style of EWS a tad too much. I've heard the dream argument before, I've heard the drug induced reality (they wre smoking pot when she makes her confession and then he goes on his journey)theory too. However, they don't properly address the real themes at play in the film. They augment them, but don't encompass them wholly.

I mostly agree with the dream state reality, but don't stop there when looking into this film. What's really at play is our relationships, sexual desires, etc. and how they all conflict with eachother but conversely can't help but co-exist.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Put me in the "EWS as a dream" camp.

The whole "night" that Harford spends is a series of temptations that he never quite gives into (much like many of my silly dreams as well), while at the same time always knowing something or someone is chasing him (yet another pre-occupation in dreams). Plus, I got the idea that geographically speaking, there's no way Harford could have covered that much ground in one evening, but in dreams, he do it in a few seconds of real time dreaming.

The very fact that Harford uses his medical license like a badge of authority for access to places he had no business being allowed access is dream logic in motion.

The streets of NYC were far too clean to be the real city.

Some of his worse fears are confirmed in the dreams, like being chased by a bunch of guys calling him many different terms for homosexual (this is probably one of Harford's hang-ups internally).

Think about the ego boost you get having a young nubile woman give herself up so you can be set free?

The dream of the costume place probably came from reality, where Harford did rent a costume a week ago, and later lost the mask, and Alice probably found it while cleaning up and just put it on the pillow. But this becomes the catalyst which brings home the point to Harford after his bouts with the dreams, and that meant seeing him and his wife for who they are in the present tense, and not taking one another for granted, and, of course, Alice's final line is what cements the deal between them.

 

[Holadem]

I agree with Seths Eyes Wide Shut theories.

Much more articulate than I could ever be.

Ditto.

--
Holadem

 

[Wes C]

The dream of the costume place probably came from reality, where Harford did rent a costume a week ago, and later lost the mask, and Alice probably found it while cleaning up and just put it on the pillow.

Thats WAY too much speculation. Of course, I cant come up with a better explanation. The Idea of this movie involving dreams had never occured to me unitl I read this thread. I'll probably watch it tomorrow, and take another look. The dream idea makes alot of sense, but I cant figure out how that mask at the end comes into play.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Robert Forster

Thanks Thi. That was making me nuts trying to remember who it was.

 

[Seth Paxton]

EWS clearly has points to both sides of it though. I can't really find fault with a lot of those other opinions.
Regarding MD, again based on Forster's comments about the movie I see it as after the gunshot to the point of death.
If you would like to see another film following quite the same line of thinking, including a scene that EXPLICITLY explains such a concept, then please do yourself a favor and check out Waking Life. That film certainly affected how I viewed MD, especially since we all know how similar ideas all bounce around Hollywood and then pop up in 2 films at almost the same time.

 

[Seth Paxton]

BTW, just to lighten up the debate...

the single worst "I just smoked pot" performance of all time - Kidman in EWS. Hello, it's not a Jack and Coke for chrissake. Consider CHILLING first of all, sheesh.

I could only assume that despite being a H'wood star she has somehow missed out on a good joint and tried to relate from some other point. You don't have to go Cheech and Chong on us, but "the pot is making you angry" has NEVER been said by anyone to anyone anywhere anytime. That Cruise has to say that to her is just plain wrong.

Maybe SK pushed for that version. Why not just make it a drink instead?

 

[ErichH]

I love this string-should've posted my For Kubrick Fans Only in here - Oooops!
Eric

 

[ErichH]

So Here it is - http://www.supersphere.com/Zinetropa...alk&NAME=robot
Eric