Eyes Wide Shut, the 1999 erotic thriller starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, was the final entry in Stanley Kubrick’s acclaimed filmography. A few days after screening a cut for Warner Bros. as well as Cruise and Kidman, the director suddenly passed away, and there have always been rumors that Warners made alterations while putting together the theatrical cut. Now, Todd Field, an actor in the movie who went on to become an acclaimed director in his own right, has argued that the version shown in theaters probably doesn’t reflect Kubrick’s vision for the final cut.
Field spoke to IndieWire about the film, which has just been re-released by Criterion in a 4K restored version. While expressing his gratitude for having worked beside the legend behind Paths of Glory and 2001: A Space Odyssey, Field said the cut he screened was actually his first, and could have seen some modifications before the release:
“What we have is Stanley’s first cut. He died six days after screening that cut for Tom, Nic, [and Warner Bros. chiefs] Bob [Daly] and Terry [Semel]. If Stanley’s post-production on past films is taken into even modest consideration, it’s clear that the film would be different. However, it would be foolish to try and speculate about what might have changed had Stanley lived to make it so.”
The ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ Shoot Continued Kubrick’s Unmatched Approach to Making Movies
The Full Metal Jacket director was famous for lengthy productions where the crew had to follow his vision, no matter the cost. Known for his perfectionist ways, and shooting as many takes as possible, Kubrick didn’t change his famously demanding approach while working on his final film. He actually required more time; Eyes Wide Shut eventually entered the Guinness World Records for longest movie shoot ever. The whole thing took more than 15 months in total.
When talking to IndieWire, Field confirmed Kubrick’s meticulous technique and his constant requirement to shoot as many takes as he deemed necessary. He attributed this to the director’s vision in terms of getting the best performances out of his actors:
“Stanley did many takes. But this was for a practical reason. He wasn’t interested in realism. He wanted things to have the kind of intensity he grew up with watching classic studio movies. Stanley pointed out that, back then, a studio actor would rehearse their dialogue with real hand props weeks before arriving on set. And because of this, there was a kind of sophistication in the way they picked up a glass of water, or smoked a cigarette, or delivered a line while doing those things. There was nothing real about it — but it cast a spell on you and was magical to watch.
“It’s typical for directors to shoot as many as six set-ups with takes in the 30-to-60 range. Whereas Stanley shot just one or two set-ups and rarely more than 25 takes, and rarer still 60. He wanted a process that involved uninterrupted repetition, enabling an actor to get out of their head and as far as possible from what he considered to be postmodern screen acting.”
- Release Date
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July 16, 1999
- Runtime
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159 minutes