Nights of the Living Dead: Autonomy and Automatons in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut

8/9/2019 Nights of the Living Dead: Autonomy and Automatons in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut

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Nights of the Living Dead: Autonomy and Automatons in Eyes Wide Shut

By David Pratt-Robson

PO Box 20!" Ne# $aven %&'0(20

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Literature .a/or: enior &hesisProf+ Brigitte Peu1er' Adviser 3se1ond reader unno#n4

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5But #hate6er 7 be

Nor 7 nor any man that but man is

8ith nothing sha99 be 9eased ti99 he be eased8ith being nothing+;

-- King Richard II

5


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forni1ating &om %ruise and Ni1o9e idman to for#ard9y roose #hat the rest of the fi9m

#i99 or #i99 not be about' ubri1 offers on9y her ba1side' and instead of i1turing even

her rea9 attra1tions and a99ures' to be found' one hoes' on the other side' he for1es the

audien1e to imagine them+ Lie#ise' a hostaovi1h 5/a #a9t'; romising de1aden1e

and gra1e' 9ays over a99 three shots' as though it #ere the extradiegeti1 remnant of the

first shot6s fantasiing' before it is abrut9y 1ut off #hen Dr+ Bi99 $arford 3&om %ruise4

ushes a button on his seaer system+ Lie the image of a naed #oman on the 1us of

1ou9ation' hostaovi1h6s sounds are aroriated and 1ontextua9ied into the rea9isti1

diegeses of the s1ene by a 1hara1ter #ithin it+ 5$o# do 7 9oo; A9i1e ass her husband in

the same shot' and he resonds' 5Perfe1t'; as she notes' #ithout even 9ooing+ $is

mistae is in assuming her to be beautifu9=sin1e she is a beautifu9 #oman=#hen in

fa1t' if he #ere to 9oo #hen she ass' he #ou9d see her on the toi9et issing+ &he third

shot 1rushes a99 assumtions+ &o 9oo=to a1tua99y 9oo=is to see that in rea9ity'

1hara1ters are in 1harge of their aearan1e and the environment around them+ Bi99 is the

u9timate voyeur' and he #i99 send the rest of the fi9m doing 9itt9e e9se but assive9y

#at1hing' but as A9i1e notes' his rob9em is that he doesn6t rea99y 9oo' and doesn6t see

that he 1an never sim9y #at1h a s1ene #ithout be1oming art of it' and even a11ountab9e

for the #ay it ro1eeds+ $is eyes are @uite #ide shut' and his fai9ure' then' is one of

resonsibi9ity+

Bi996s /ourney is an interna9 one: not sim9y be1ause he traverses his o#n

fantasies' at on1e=9ie the many naed #omen he sees=suerfi1ia9 and revea9ing' but

be1ause he is @uesting for autonomy' though #ithout a bit of it' he has no idea he is doing

so+ After Bi99 has turned off the hostaovi1h on his radio' he #i99 rare9y have su1h

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1ontro9 over the #or9d again+ ?or Bi996s no1turna9 odyssey to avenge his #ife6s

1onfessions of adu9terous desires through his o#n romis1uous affairs is one that is' in

every ossib9e #ay' #e99 beyond his 1ontro9+ As he dis1overs' to avenge her is mere9y to

mirror her and admit her o#er over him in the first 9a1eC as he #i99 u9timate9y rea9ie'

he must define himse9f through his re9ationshi to her' and he must define his re9ationshi

to her through his fantasies+


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9oved by every #oman he meets+ 7n the boo' Bi99 is ?rido9in+ ?rido9in at 9east attains the

satisfa1tion of thining himse9f 9oved' #hereas %ruise6s Bi99 must ro/e1t this smugness

in his strut of a stride' his insistent 1harity to everyone he meets' and his fear9ess

advan1es to#ards be1oning #omen+ 8hi9e in the fi9m s1ene in #hi1h .arion Nathanson

3.arie Ri1hardson4 1onfesses her 9ove for Bi99 at her father6s deathbed' Bi99 must

a##ard9y resist her advan1es' ?rido9in' in the boo6s ara99e9 s1ene' reosterous9y

rea9ies that 5he had a9#ays no#n that she #as in 9ove #ith him' or imagined that she

#as+; 8hen ?rido9in is mo1ed by a grou of students' he de9udes himse9f into thining

himse9f a death-defying s#ashbu19er=5And #hat about his rofession> Dangers on a99

sides and at every moment;=#ho #ou9d find it 5a 9easure; to due9 his #ife6s imaginary

9over+2 3Later' he thins of his /ob as the more subordinate osition of 5a do1tor ready to

be of servi1e;!4+ ?rido9in6s rob9em is @uite 19ear9y an inferiority 1om9ex+ $is de1ision to

attend the orgy is mere9y one to rove himse9f+ 5Do you have the 1ourage; his friend

ass+ 58hat a @uestion'; ?rido9in resonds 5in the tone of an insu9ted fraternity student+;*

$e affe1ts the voi1e of his ear9ier mo1ers' the students+ And he hears himse9f 9ater' as he

refuses to ba1 out of the orgy' vo# to stay 5in a heroi1 voi1e he did not re1ognie as his

o#n;(' undoubted9y be1ause' in rea9ity' 5he fe9t he99ess and inet' and everything seemed

to be s9iing from his gras+; 7n the end' ?rido9in 9earns his 9esson: too mu1h ride' the

insisten1e on one6s o#n 1onse@uen1e' 1an 9ead to unfortunate 1onse@uen1es for others'

and thus a 1ertain #oman6s 1orse 51ou9d no# mean nothing to him but the a9e 1orse

of the revious night' destined irrevo1ab9y for de1ay+;" &his 1orse gives ?rido9in6s

evening meaning in roving that he has had an effe1t on the #or9d after a99' that the

1orse he sees is the 1orse of a #oman he met+


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ride and exose his deeest fears and desires to his #ife in his first a1t that 9oos in#ard'

rather than out#ard' to define himse9f+)

&hough its tra/e1tory is near9y the same' Eyes Wide Shut is mu1h more subt9e

about Bi996s deserate need to rove to himse9f his va9ue to the #or9d' yet the suggestion

of an inferiority 1om9ex is there+ $is first 9ine is to as #here his #a99et is' and this

#a99et turns out to be the night6s assort: not on9y does Bi99 generous9y ti near9y

everyone he en1ounters' as if to #in their rese1t' but he f9ashes his do1tor6s badge to

assert his #orth to the fe# menia9 em9oyees he doesn6t ti+, As .ario ?a9setto says' his

in1essant f9ashing of his 1ard is roof of 5another #ay that Bi996s sense of identity and

se9f-imortan1e are tied to his status in so1iety+; At Eieg9er6s arty' Bi99 te99s A9i1e that

they don6t no# anybody there' and have on9y been invited be1ause 5this is #hat you get

for maing house 1a99s+; &im reider oints out' 5?or a99 his f9aunting of his money and

rofessiona9 status' Bi99 $arford is u9timate9y ut ba1 in his 9a1e as a member of the

serving 19ass;: he is the arty do1tor to Eieg9er /ust as friend Ni1 Nightinga9e 3&odd

?ie9d4 is the arty ianist' and 5#hen Bi99 tries to infi9trate the orgy' he6s given a#ay by

te99ta9e 19ass marers=he sho#s u in a taxi rather than a 9imo' and has a 1ostume renta9

s9i in his o1et+;0 Eieg9er dis19oses this information 9ate in the fi9mC the entire

1onversation is bui9t on Eieg9er6s assumtion that he 1an bu99y Bi99 into eeing @uiet by

f9aunting his o#n so1ia9 sueriority+ 5&hey #eren6t /ust ordinary eo9e there'; Eieg9er

taunts Bi99 about the guests at the orgy+ 57f 7 to9d you their namesF76m not gonna te99 you

their names' but if 7 did' 7 don6t thin you6d s9ee so #e99+; &he im9i1it assumtion is

that Bi99 #ou9d be horrified to dis1over he6s defied the ru9ing 19ass+ 5


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transgression #as in ever resuming himse9f #orth#hi9e 1omany to the e9ite+


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aearan1e' and mutua9 desire to be 5fu1ed by hundreds of men; 3a11ording to A9i1e6s

dream and .andy6s suosed arti1iation in the orgy4' and A9i1e to Domino 3Hinessa

ha#4 through their ur9e sheets and 1onsi1uous mirrors+! A9i1e is even 9ined to

a99y' 5their names being aura9 anagrams+;* ummoning him to their o#n homes' these

#omen temt him #ith oosite modes of 1onso9ation: #ith both the savage ossibi9ity

of adu9tery to avenge his #ife6s fantasies and the more 9easant ossibi9ity that his #ife

a1tua99y finds him irresistib9e+ Iither temtation' ho#ever' reresents his need to di1tate

his #ife6s fee9ings+ And in either 1ase' this drive to se9f-affirmation is on1e again @uite

19ear9y re1iitated by fears of inferiority=fears res1ribed by his #ife6s fantasies of

betraya9+ $is fantasy is to ut her in a#e #here her fantasies have done the same to him+

7n the orgy s1ene' Bi996s #i99 to #or9d9y-sexua9 imortan1e be1omes most obvious'

and most obvious9y a fantasyC even though Bi99 is #earing a mas and 19oa so that he

1annot ossib9y be distinguished in any #ay' so attra1tive is his mere resen1e that a

rostitute in the ietisti1 ba11hana9ia' about to have her ho9y #hore status authenti1ated'

goes out of her #ay to res1ue him and 3ostensib9y4 offers her 9ife u to save his+ ex is

re9igion at the orgy' and it is assumed9y his sexua9 magnetism that maes him her sa1red

ido9+ $e doesn6t even need to revea9 himse9f hysi1a99y=his fantasy is that he never

needs to revea9 himse9f at a99+ $is fantasy is to be imortant #ithout reason' for he no#s

he has no reason to be so+

&hough his great fear' then' as the orgy a9so demonstrates' is exosing himse9f to

the /udgment of the masses' even this fear serves to 1onfirm his o#n signifi1an1e+ Bi99 is

dangerous enough to the orgy members that he must die 3they too are afraid of being

exosed4C his fears' no# a1tua9ied' 9a1e him at the 1enter of their attention+ imi9ar9y'

"


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he be1omes the target of a 1omany of gay-bashing


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the 9othario6s advan1es by shaing her #edding ring at him' and it is fair9y 19ear that his

1ome-ons=asing her if she6s read Ovid on The Art of Love' and to retreat #ith him for a

moment ustairs=are not for a 9ong-term friendshi #ith an inte99igent #oman+ $e

1ertain9y on9y #ants to ta9 to her be1ause he #ants to fu1 herC the on9y reason she gives

for not fu1ing him is her 1onsideration for her husband+ 8hat her fight #ith Bi99 revea9s'

ho#ever' is that these 1yni1a9 but erfe1t9y 1orre1t suositions about the ma9e sex drive

are not her rea9 sour1e of irritation+ 576m not arguing+ 76m /ust trying to find out #here

you6re 1oming from'; she says' and #hen Bi99 1ontinues to defend their marriage as

fau9t9ess and se1ure 357 no# you #ou9d never be unfaithfu9 to me;4' A9i1e 9aughs at him'

humi9iating him' as she #i99 do 9ater in her o#n dream+ 5


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nor his #ife 5seems reared to fa1e #hat the fi9m sho#s us=that rather than being

rivi9eged members in a Brave Ne# 8or9d of 9iberated' sy1hosexua9 1hi1' they are in

most rese1ts oignant9y unex1etiona9 and norma9+;( 7f every #oman Bi99 en1ounters

rea99y is some ermutation of his #ife' then' as %e9estino De9eyto 19aims' 5$e 1an on9y be

unfaithfu9 by remaining faithfu9+ 7n an admitted9y erverse #ay' in his sexua9 es1aades

Bi99 is 1onfirming his affe1tion for his #ife' an affe1tion that his tormented mind and his

unfixed sexua9 identity have so far not a99o#ed him to exress more dire1t9y+; By

unsatisfa1tori9y dis9a1ing his #ife6s ersona9ity onto other #omen #ith #hom he is

unab9e to 1onsummate his desires' Bi99 on1e again revea9s his inabi9ity to 1onfront his

fears and desires dire1t9y 3his #ife is 1ertain9y an ob/e1t of both4' /ust as he is unab9e to

give A9i1e a 5straight fu1ing ans#er+; Bi996s f9eeing u9timate9y has as mu1h to do #ith

his fear of fa1ing himse9f as his fear of fa1ing her: his entire /ourney is a /ourney to raise

ossibi9ities and to re/e1t truthfu9 ans#ers' to re/e1t a1tion' and to re/e1t any re1ognition

of #ho he is' #hat he6s doing' or that he6s doing anything at a99+

.ost obvious9y' as a number of 1riti1s have demonstrated' Eyes Wide Shut is set

u as a series of temtations' ea1h s1ene sexua9 fore9ay to sex that never 1omes+" 1enes

are interruted at 1ru1ia9 moments as Bi99 raises ossibi9ities' or his 1ounterarts raise

them for him' and he fai9s to fu9fi99 them+ %iment notes that the 1ut after the first shot

serves as 5a re9ude to the frustrations that #i99 fo99o#Fubt9y' ubri1 gives to the

do1tor6s urban adventures the 1ontours of a dream+ And 9ie a dream' the a1tion stos /ust

#hen it is about to be 1onsummated+;) On9y on1e does the 1ou9e ossib9y have sex in

the fi9m: and the sex o11urs' if at a99' after a fade out on Bi99 and A9i1e groing one

another #hi9e staring into a mirror' as if even this a1t #ere one of nar1issisti1 se9f-

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satisfa1tion rather than that of the mutua9 1aitu9ation that #i99 1ome at the fi9m6s end+

Other interrutions 9ie#ise indi1ate a hesitation to tou1h the #or9d and its fema9e

inhabitantsC Bi99 1onstant9y u99s a#ay or is u99ed a#ay from a artner #hen he must

engage her and exose himse9f+ ?or exam9e: Bi99 retreats from t#o gir9s at Eieg9er6s

arty to attend to his host' retreats from his #ife6s 1onfession to attend to his atient

.arion' retreats from .arion6s 1onfession #hen her boyfriend arrives' and retreats from

a rostitute #hen his #ife 1a99s+ 7n the se1ond ha9f' Bi99 refuses the advan1es of a gay

hote9 19er' another rostitute' and the 1ostume-sho o#ner6s daughter+

On9y at the orgy does he refuse to f9ee' desite the entreaties of a #oman set to

save his 9ife=for' as #e699 see' this s1ene brings his deadening fantasies to 9ife+ 7t

rovides' if not @uite their 1onsummation' then their 1u9mination' as the s1ene itse9f

stages Bi996s fantasy of both so1ia9 a11etan1e and retreat at on1e+ .ore obvious9y'

#hether it is ena1ted in rea9ity or Bi996s mind' the s1ene reresents someone6s sexua9

fantasy regard9ess: a ritua9ied theater ie1e staged by hundreds of so1iety6s mutua99y

1om9i1it best+ 5uosed 7 said a99 of that #as staged' that it #as a ind of 1harade;

Eieg9er ass at the end of the fi9m' referring to the #hore6s sa1rifi1e+ 5&hat it #as fae;

&he @uestion is rhetori1a9+ 8hether or not the rostitute has been i99ed' the orgy #as

19ear9y a 1harade' an e9aborate 1eremony of mased men and #omen dramati1a99y a1ting

out their basest desires as high art' fashion' and re9igion+ Presumab9y' Bi99 #i99 not 9eave'

be1ause the orgy is a 9o1us of ure fantasy+

7t is' ho#ever' on9y the 1u9minating a1t of de1etion in a series of disguises and

9ies Bi99 #ears and 1ommits throughout the fi9m in order to avoid 1onfronting the truth of

#hat he is doing+ Of 1ourse' every exerien1e he has 1an be interreted as a ersona9


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fantasy itse9f' but even taen as rea9isti1 s1enes many of them exose Bi996s fear of seeing

the #or9d sober9y' as it is+ Before Bi99 sets off on his odyssey to es1ae his home' both

Bi99 and A9i1e send near9y a99 their on-s1reen time under the inf9uen1e' either drun or

high' 1onstant9y 9istening to musi1' as if a9ready they need to es1ae their out#ard9y

sim9e' stab9e 9ives=even though the drugs enab9e A9i1e6s 1onfrontation #ith her

husband+ Bi996s o#n rofession' ho#ever' 57 #ou9d never 9ie to you or hurt you; is itse9f

@uite a 9ie' as he6s a9ready taunted her #ith his f9irting and' more imortant9y' #i99 send

the rest of the fi9m 9ying to her and attemting to avenge her 1onfession+

Eieg9er #i99 end u 19aiming that Bi996s @uesting has been in vain' sin1e the

remise for his sear1h=that a #oman died for him=is fa9se' but the rea9 remise for

Bi996s @uesting is fa9se from the start+ A9i1e6s admissions of her fantasies' #hi1h Bi99 both

re1ognies and resists' are sti99 admissions of things that' as in Eieg9er6s a11ount of the

gir96s death' 1ou9d have haened but have not+


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revea9 a99+ 7t is a syne1do1he for his out#ard emtiness' his refusa9' on1e again' to define

himse9f to the #or9d+

Bi99 moves about in a #or9d #ithout fri1tion' as though' desite the fi9m6s ramant

fata9ism 3to be dis1ussed short9y4' he is 1om9ete9y free to do #ith it #hat he #i99+ 57n

Eyes Wide Shut '; #rites .i1he9 %hion' 5a99 ob/e1ts=every 9ift' every te9ehone=#or'

erfe1t9yC taxi drivers tae you to your destination and everyone does their /ob roer9y'

right do#n to the humb9est nurse or the des 19er at the $ote9 Gason; ,+ Bi996s Ne#


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But these ex9orations are not unmared by threatening un1ertainties' #hi1h on9y

raise more unfu9fi99ed=or at 9east unno#n=ossibi9ities about Bi996s voyage+ .ost

imortant are the @uestions Bi99 himse9f ass+ %hion a9so notes that mu1h of the fi9m6s

dia9ogue=ese1ia99y Bi996s=sim9y arrots revious 9inesC he 1ounts forty-six exam9es'

#hi1h are 1ertain9y far too many to 1ount and re1ount here+ 7n a s1ene #ith a99y in the

se1ond ha9f' for exam9e' near9y a99 of Bi996s f9irtatious dia9ogue mere9y @uestions her

assertions' as if he6s trying to robe her to be more revea9ing 3#hi9e he fond9es her4+ 5Do

you have any idea #hen you exe1t Domino ba1; he ass+ 5No' 7 have no idea'; she

re9ies+ 5


16/46

of a fami9iar #or9d' as though every trite dis1overy is' as .arion says of her father6s

death' 5unrea9+; 7f Bi99 sends mu1h of the fi9m as a s9euth' he fre@uent9y sounds

susi1ious+ 7n the s1ene above' for exam9e' in a99y6s aartment' Bi99 a1ts as though he is

unab9e to be9ieve in even the sim9est of deve9oments: a99y6s roommate is out right

no#C a1tua99y' Domino might be a#ayC there6s some ne#s+ Bi99 seems seti1a9 that

a99y6s 19aims about rea9ity are rea9isti1 19aims' and throughout the fi9m' his robing is

tyi1a99y 9itt9e more than seti1ism 1a99ing attention to both his o#n fundamenta9

s@uareness=that every minor deve9oment taes him by surrise=and' more

imortant9y' to the otentia9 unrea9ity of the s1ene+ Iven #hi9e Bi996s @uestioning and

fond9ing 1ertain9y #ors to tease a99y' for exam9e' his @uestions a9so #or the urose

of osing the more imortant @uestion of #hether this dingy' ha9f-edestrian s1ene is

fantasy or rea9ity+ &here is a suggestion of hidden meaning: that these b9and statements do

signify something a9most unbe9ievab9e to those #ho hear them+ im9y ut' they endo#

rea9ity #ith the s9ight anxiety of a nightmare+

.ore imortant9y' the fi9m s9y9y oses its o#n unans#erab9e @uestions to roe9

su1h anxieties+ &he fi9m even ends #ith a mora9 that is doub9y un1ertain+ 5AmFam 7

sure; ass A9i1e 3Ni1o9e idman4' a #ife #ho has /ust resumab9y heard the story of the

entire fi9m' and is no# being ased #hether she is sure she and her husband shou9d be

gratefu9 for having survived the ordea9=both the 1ontent of the story and its te99ing+

5mFon9yFon9y as sure as 7 am that the rea9ity of one night' 9et a9one that of a #ho9e

9ife time' 1an ever be the #ho9e truth'; she says+ &his mora9' #hi1h A9i1e refuses to

1ommit to' is one of the ey 1on19usions of the fi9m: that nothing is 1on19usive' that

(


17/46

nothing is the #ho9e truth' that there are a9#ays a9ternate meanings' and that a99 meaning

is 9imited to sets and series and 1annot ne1essari9y be genera9ied+

trange9y' these gas in 9ogi1 are se9dom noted' erhas be1ause they6re

automati1a99y' and @uite rightfu99y' assumed to be art of the movie6s 5dream 9ogi1+;

Gonathan Rosenbaum' for exam9e' has noted that Eieg9er6s ex9anation at the end of the

fi9m 5ex9ains nothing 1on19usive' aart from Eieg9er6s Eeus-9ie a11ess and o#er+;22

Ostensib9y' Eieg9er ex9ains that nothing has haened' that there has been no 1onsira1y'

that a gir9 overdosed on drugs on her o#n a11ord=and raises that ersistent ossibi9ity

that a9most everything in the fi9m' and everything Bi99 has assumed' has been a rodu1t of

Bi996s imagination+ But the s1ene might /ust as rofitab9y read' as Rosenbaum suggests

above' to the oosite end' as the 9ast in a series of 1onfrontations in ubri1 fi9ms in

#hi1h a 9one maveri1 must s@uare off against an enemy signa9ing so1iety6s abuse and

systemati1 oressions: %o9+ Dax vs+ Men+ Brou9ard in aths of !lory' arta1us vs+

%rassus in S"artacus' %atain .andrae vs+ %o9+ Rier in Dr# Strangelove' Dr+ Bo#man

vs+ $AL in $%%&' A S"ace (dyssey' Ga1 &orran1e vs+ De9bert Mrady in The Shining ' and

Private Py9e vs+ gt+ $artman in )ull *etal +ac,et + 7n this reading' Eieg9er6s ro9e is not

reve9ation but' @uite the oosite' 1on1ea9ment' as he attemts to 1over u a otentia9

s1anda9+ 8hat a1tua99y haened to .andy=9ie #hat a1tua99y haened to Ni1

Nightinga9e=remains a mystery+ &he s1ene in its astounding ambiguity on9y emhasies

the need for rea9 reve9ation' #hi1h #i99 ostensib9y 1ome in the fo99o#ing s1ene' a9though

even Bi996s 1onfession o11urs in an e99isis+

Other e@ua99y inde1iherab9e s1enes re1ede these t#o+ .ost obvious is .i9i1h6s

turn from the first ha9f of the fi9m' in #hi1h he stands ready to erse1ute and rose1ute


18/46

t#o Gaanese businessmen for sexua9 da99ian1es #ith his young nymhet daughter' to the

se1ond ha9f' in #hi1h he #ishes the men a fond fare#e99 as they deart from a 19osed

room #ith his ha9f-dressed daughter+ 8hat has haened is not 19ear' but suggested

strong9y by the fa1ts that the businessmen 9eave in fu99 suits' that .i9i1h uses di9omati1'

business 9anguage in ex9aining 3#ithout an ex9anation4 that 5#e have 1ome to another

arrangement'; and that .i9i1h indi1ates Bi99 is as entit9ed to the daughter as he is to a

1ostume: .i9i1h is @uite 19ear9y #i99ing to rostitute her out' and the money has

ostensib9y de1ided him+ On1e again' as in Eieg9er6s oo9 room' an oa@ue turn-around

on9y hints at so1ieta9 1orrution+

Other 9as and gas in 9ogi1 sim9y fa1i9itate Bi996s /ourneying #hi9e suggesting

that he is at the heart of a 1onsira1y+ Besides the visib9y biarre e9ements of the orgy'

Bi996s admittan1e and e/e1tion at the s1ene mae no sense+ 7f Bi99 is given a#ay by his

ignoran1e of the se1ond ass#ord at the door' as Eieg9er te99s him' then there6s no reason

at a99 the guards #ou9d have 9et him in the door to #a9 around and vie# the entire

se1ta19e+ 7f the gir9 #ho #arns him no#s he doesn6t be9ong' then resumab9y others do

too=and yet an ominous mased man aroa1hes them not to u99 Bi99 aside' but to tae

her a#ay instead 3though' even more mysterious9y' to 9itt9e 1onse@uen1e' sin1e she

returns4+ &he fa1t of the gir9 no#ing he doesn6t be9ong is even more susi1ious' sin1e

there6s of 1ourse 9itt9e ossibi9ity anybody 1ou9d re1ognie him as an imoster' as

everyone #ears mass+ And if they do re1ognie him as an unfami9iar mas' then there6s

9itt9e need for mass: the arty oerates as though everyone no#s #ho everyone e9se is

3as Eieg9er indi1ates #hen he te99s Bi99 5if 7 to9d you their namesF;4 even though

everyone #ears disguises+ imi9ar9y' Bi996s in@uiry of a #aitress is 1om9ete9y

"


19/46

im9ausib9e+ &he #aitress #ors during the day at the 1offee sho next door to the 19ub

#here Ni1 Nightinga9e 9ays in 9ate at night+


20/46

indi1ate dream 9ogi1 3or i99ogi14 itse9f indi1ates that Bi99 is navigating a #or9d of his o#n

1reation+ 7n arti1u9ar' Bi996s abi9ity to enetrate the orgy' robe the #aitress for

information' and un1over the mysterious nude #oman by oening a ne#saer seem 9ie

more @uite sim9e exam9es of #ish-fu9fi99ment+


21/46

often #ithin 9ong' end9ess ha99#ays' and fre@uent9y summons them for#ard' re1eding

them in their route:

20


22/46

Bi99 1an ostensib9y go any#here' but near9y every#here he goes he is anti1iated' by

other 1hara1ters and ubri16s 1amera a9ie+ Again' 9ie a dete1tive figure attemting to

so9ve his o#n 1ase' Bi99 has 9itt9e 1ontro9 over the #or9d around him+ $e is either

fo99o#ing the 1a99s of those around him 3su1h as Eieg9er6s invitation to his arty' Eieg9er6s

servant at the arty' .arion' Domino' or Eieg9er at the fi9m6s end4' is fo99o#ing his o#n

footstes in retra1ing his night' is fo99o#ing his friend Ni16s footstes in retra1ing his

night' or' #hen he does refuse to fo99o# a9ong #ith the 1a99s of those around him' is' as

#e6ve seen' refusing to 1ommit to any 1onsi1uous 1ourse of a1tion that #ou9d revea9

himse9f' as #hen he turns do#n the advan1es and entreaties of .arion' Domino' .i9i1h6s

daughter' and the #oman at the orgy #ho urges him not to stay behind his mas but to

f9ee+ Iven #hen he taes the initiative to go to the arty' he is mere9y fo99o#ing Ni16s

ath for the evening+ ?o99o#ing or retreating' he is unab9e to tae an origina9 1ourse of

2


23/46

a1tion=the most initiative he 1an muster is to re/e1t the one he6s on' and find another

instead+


24/46

ubri1 near9y terminates the steady movement of the 1o@uettish dan1e to sho# the

termination oint it is moving to#ards: a99 this gra1efu9 f9irtation is /ust a ath to

debau1herous' #ho99y unho9y sex' after #hi1h there is nothing 9eft+ ex is death' if a

temorary one+ 7t reresents the end of his @uesting' of his need to fantasie+ And these

/o9ts' 9ie the three #ae-u 1a99s at the fi9m6s beginning' are seen throughout+2* .i9i1h

and A9i1e are both #oen u by Bi99C more substantia99y' .i9i1h and Bi99 are interruted

from erusing .i9i1h6s 1ostume 1o99e1tion by his daughter6s mnage--trois' #hi1h

e1hoes Bi996s o#n fears of exosure 3as the men try to hide behind .i9i1h6s 19othes' not

entire9y un9ie Bi99 #i99 at the orgy4 and ex9odes in .i9i1h6s death threats of 57699 i99 you

for this> 7 romise' 7699 i99 you>+++7699 i99 you>;C Bi99 interruts the reverie and reve9ry

#ith Domino by turning off her musi1' as he does in the oening s1eneC Bi99 is interruted

from Domino6s 9ayfu9 so9i1itations by a hone 1a99 from his #ife eating na1#e99s and

#at1hing &H at homeC Bi99 is interruted from a99y6s 9ayfu9 so9i1itations by her

announ1ement that Domino has A7DC Bi99 is interruted from his so/ourn around the

orgy6s 1hateau to #at1h a #oman die for him+ &he a9together fantasti1 orgy is 1ut #ith

Bi99 arriving home to his bedroom' as if 1oming home from a arti1u9ar9y exhausting day

from #or' /ust as the s#inging /a and #hite gra1efu9 ambian1e of the oening ba99

sudden9y 1uts from A9i1e utting her finger to the $ungarian6s 9is to Bi99 and A9i1e about

to have sex and 9istening to %hris 7saa6s de1ided9y un19assy 5Baby Did a Bad Bad

&hing+; And desite the steady 9ongueurs of ea1h s1ene' near9y every one 1uts out

abrut9y+

7n a9most a99 of these exam9es' the s1ene snas from drunen temtation to

dead9y soberness' #ith the suddenness of an axe-b9o#: rea9ity 1annot be evaded' and in

2!


25/46

arti1u9ar' the one ines1aab9e fa1t of rea9ity 1annot be es1aed+ Death is the destination

#hi1h a99 Bi996s @uesting 9eads to' both #ithin near9y every s1ene' and in the fi9m as a

#ho9e: #hether or not .andy %urran #as murdered' she is dead' and her death is the

1entra9 ga in the fi9m around #hi1h the #ho9e movie s#ir9s+ 7n individua9 s1enes' in a

number of the above exam9es' death serves as a mora9 rebue to his adu9terous

temtations=to have sex #ith .i9i1h6s daughter is to in1ur her father6s #rath' to have

sex #ith a rostitute is to in1ur the ris of A7D' and even to arti1iate in an anonymous

orgy is to ris being murdered=or sim9y' in eeing #ith Bi996s afaes@ue aranoia' as

a otentia9 unishment for sim9y being a9ive' as #hen the


26/46

more than a body=.andy is near9y dead or dead' and in their dai9y tass' A9i1e is

1on1erned #ith her o#n body as Bi99 is 1on1erned #ith the bodies of his atients=and in

un1ons1iousness or mere9y boredom' a99 aear fu99y stuefied+ ubri1 even sho#s

A9i1e and Bi996s tass in a montage' so that ea1h image is near9y a sti99 snashot that

ra1ti1a99y freees them in 9a1e as art of a tab9eau+ But eroti1ism ermeates ea1h of

these sti99-9ives+ &he ha9f-1ons1ious .andy has /ust been raed by Eieg9er' #hi9e he #as

#aiting for Bi99 to arriveC the images of A9i1e in her 9ingerie 3a11omanied by the musi1

of the oening s1enes' hostaovi1h6s Ga uite' 8a9t 24 a99 evoe the oening shot of

A9i1e taing off her 19othes' #hi9e one image of A9i1e from behind=the on9y oint in the

montage in #hi1h the 1amera moves' to og9e her from the bottom-u=is a 19ear doub9e

of that shotC A9i1e #i99 @uestion Bi996s sexua9 re9ation to his atients' and Bi99 himse9f #i99

even suggest that his examinations of beautifu9 nudes are tainted by the no#9edge that

#hat he dis1overs in their genita9ia 1ou9d de1ide their 9ives+ A hyotheti1a9 fema9e

atient' he says' is 5afraid of #hat 7 might find+;2

2(


27/46

2


28/46

But the most ex9i1it 9in bet#een death and sex o11urs in the 1u9minating moments of

the se1ond ha9f' as Bi99 must restrain himse9f from maing 9ove to a 1orse:

2"


29/46

Both sex and death reresent oints of 1onsummation' as #e6ve seen' and yet

both' the antiodes of any siren song' invite Bi99 and u99 him on in his ex9orations+

Death is the f9i-side to fantasiing' but a9so every fantasy6s enab9er and ennob9er: the

ris of death maes one6s a1tions va9orous+ &hese dua9 destinations' sex and death' must

exist for him to have a /ourney and adventure=but must not be rea1hed if the /ourney is

to 1ontinue to#ard them+ A 1oming and sexua9 attra1tion' death is #hat Bi99 heads for and

retreats from at on1e+

Neverthe9ess' though Bi99 must for1e himse9f to ris death and 9ive dangerous9y in

a 1ontinua9 effort to be9ie his essentia9 1o#ardi1e' death has its o#n im9i1it aea9' the

usua9 attra1tion for Bi99: a 1om9ete 9oss of autonomy+ 7t is the u9timate ob9iteration of

identity' though' #ithin the fi9m' it must be imitated by the 9iving through mimeti1 a1tion

and resonse that undermine the ossibi9ity of organi1 sontaneity and origina9ity+ As

.i1he9 %iment has indi1ated 3#ithout e9aboration4' Eyes Wide Shut #as undoubted9y

inf9uen1ed by igmund ?reud6s The Uncanny' #hi1h ubri1 studied in rearation for

The Shining + ?reud offers a number of exam9es of the 5un1anny; in his brief essay'

a9ong #ith a digression on the eye6s ha99i1 1aa1ities2"C near9y a99 of these exam9es are

1ru1ia9 to the fi9m and serve as something of a handboo to one of the fi9m6s ey forma9

devi1es: the doub9e+2) 5&he most rominent of those motifs that rodu1e an un1anny

effe1t'; #rites ?reud' 5invo9ve the idea of the doub9e6 3the Do""elg/nger 4' in a99 its

nuan1es and manifestations=that is to say' the aearan1e of ersons #ho have to be

regarded as identi1a9 be1ause they 9oo a9ie+;2, 8ith the reetitions of doub9ing'

individua9ity @uite natura99y be1omes an imossibi9ity' and Bi99 9o1ates himse9f in the

outside #or9d on1e again' in a series of death9y 1ounterarts+

2)


30/46

A number of Eyes Wide Shut 6s 1ommentators have ointed out various doub9ings

and reetitions=of 1hara1ters' in1idents' and in19inations=throughout+ 8e6ve a9ready

seen' for exam9e' ho# the many beautifu9 #omen in the fi9m are mirrored

sim9ifi1ations of A9i1e' and ho# they often doub9e ea1h other in ob/e1tified' ostensib9y

non-sexua9 ositions+ reider has demonstrated ho# they6re doub9es of ea1h other in

even more detai9+ 5.andy and Domino Q3Hinessa ha#4 are 1onne1ted' as in dream-

asso1iations' by the identi1a9 1onsonants of their names'; says reider' adding that 5#hen

Domino disaears' she6s re9a1ed by a99y the next day' /ust as in dream-9ogi1 one

erson may turn into another yet remain the same+;

!0

$e goes on to mar the toys in the

fina9 s1ene as mode9 reiterations of revious 1ostumes' ob/e1ts' and events+ &homas A99en

Ne9son mat1hes the attendees of Eeig9er6s %hristmas arty #ith those of the orgy+! Lee

iege9' arguing that 5airs ro9iferate throughout the fi9m' reminders of our doub9e

natures'; finds doub9es in a statue of Eeig9er6s' in symmetri1a9 ha99#ays and interiors' in

t#o inea9es in Eeig9er6s bi99iard room' and in fre@uent doub9e entendres' as #hen

Eeig9er says that he6s been 5no1ing a fe# ba99s around+;!2

As for Bi996s o#n doub9es' %hion oints out that in the s1ene at .arion

Nathanson6s' Bi996s movements anti1iate those of fian1 %ar9 3&homas Mibson4' #hi9e

&im reider asserts that ubri16s near9y symmetri1a9 oening shot of the aartment

suggests the identi1a99y 1ostumed Bi99 and the maid as mirror images of hired he9:!!

2,


31/46

reider a9so 9ins Bi99' again as hired he9' to Ni1 Nightinga9e' as does Peter

Lo#enberg: 5Ni1 Nightinga9e' the iano 9ayer' is Bi996s doub9e6F #ho ursued the

ath not taen=he droed out of medi1a9 s1hoo9 and 9ives an aarent9y ex1iting

bohemian 9ife+;!* Ne9son mat1hes 5Bi996s ex9oitation of his o#n rofessiona9 status'

#hi1h he g9ib9y trades on in the ursuit of no1turna9 desire; #ith that of .i9i1h' #ho uses

his 1ostume sho to itse9f mas the more i99i1it rofessiona9 rose1ts of his daughter+!(

And in their noting that Eyes Wide Shut is 1onstru1ted symmetri1a99y' both Ne9son and

.i1he9 %iment suggest #hat 76ve attemted to demonstrate' that Bi99 is his o#n doub9e=

for Bi99 sends a9most the entirety of the se1ond ha9f of the fi9m retra1ing his stes' as he

restages his /ourney and revisits near9y every 9o1a9e from the night before+ ! 7t shou9d be

added that even these mat1hing aths ea1h have their doub9es+ Bi99 fo99o#s the trai9 of

Ni1 to get to the orgyC the next night' a figure shado#s Bi99+

As this 9ast exam9e indi1ates' doub9es suggest a 1om9ete9y fata9isti1 #or9d of

1onnivan1es and 1om9ots+ 57n another set of exerien1es'; #rites ?reud' 5#e have no

diffi1u9ty in re1ogniing that it is on9y the fa1tor of unintended reetition that transforms

#hat #ou9d other#ise seem @uite harm9ess into something un1anny and for1es us to

entertain the idea of the fatefu9 and the ines1aab9e' #hen #e shou9d norma99y sea of

1han1e6+;!" %oin1iden1e betrays 1onsira1yC Bi99 is 1om9ete9y doomed+ Is1ae is never

!0


32/46

ossib9e' as Bi99 not on9y sees his o#n inner fears and desires doub9ed in the exterior

#or9d' but' even #ithin this exterior #or9d' sees doub9es that im9y entrament to the

same end9ess /ourney+ &he outside #or9d is a system' a #eb' and Bi99 is its target+ &here is

no ossibi9ity of rogress in Eyes Wide Shut =Bi996s /ourney is a99 over the 9a1e' to no

9a1e in arti1u9ar 3though the orgy is 1ertain9y the 1u9mination of his voyaging4=but

on9y reetition or termination+ A9ready fata9isti1 /ust by virtue of being reetitions' many

motifs even reeat the same message in their 1ontent of diseased hooers or 9ife-

threatening #arnings: that a99 aths' even fantasies' must end in death+

Gust as Bi996s retreats and the fi9m6s gas seem to osit 1ount9ess ossibi9ities' the

fi9m rea99y' reeated9y' on9y osits this one ossibi9ityC even #hi9e Bi99 end9ess9y de9ays

and ostones endings to the romanti1 narratives he usua99y initiates' on9y one ending' the

u9timate ending' is ever ossib9e=and it is one' as #e699 soon see further' #hi1h Bi99

embra1es+


33/46

doub9e in a 9ife9ess ainting on Eieg9er6s #a99' and the fi9m #i99 near9y end #ith the

$arfords6 b9onde daughter ho9ding a Barbie do99' other bodies find their doub9es in mass

and manne@uins6 etrified imitations of fa1es and torsos+ 5Loos 9ie a9ive' huh; .i9i1h

ass about his manne@uins in a 9ine that6s both off-hand and essentia9+ &hese manne@uins'

someho# vita9ied by mass that obs1ure the distin1tive features of their fa1e' are the

obvious doub9es of the arty gir9s+ &he oint' 9itera99y and figurative9y' is that those #ho

aear to 9ive behind a mas may not be a9ive at a99+

At the orgy' Bi99 aears to #a9 through a #ax museum: #ith the ex1etion of

the nudes thrashing about' in and out' 9ie sim9y rogrammed automatons' everyone but

Bi99 stands or sits around in tota9 sti99ness' and in in1reasing9y 1ontorted ositions+!, Iven

more than in the rest of the simi9ar9y fi9med fi9m' ubri1 stages ea1h s1ene as a tab9eau'

a sti99-9ife froen in time' or' given the thrashing of 1ou9ing bodies' an insta99ation ie1e+

Peo9e are nothing more than bodies' here' if that=behind the mass and 1aes' they

may be nothing more than mo9ded 19ay+

!2


34/46

8hat ubri1 resents in the infamous orgy s1ene is' as revie#ers ointed out'

anything but 9ive9yC it is an orgy of the dead' or at 9east the dehumanied+ Lie the

1autionary visions of the future 1rooge g9imses in A 0hristmas 0arol ' the s1ene is

un1anny be1ause it is a fearfu9 9itera9iation of Bi996s desires as 5un1anny harbingerQs of

death+;*0 As ?reud #rites' 5An un1anny effe1t often arises #hen the boundary bet#een

fantasy and rea9ity is b9urred' #hen #e are fa1ed #ith the rea9ity of something that #e

have unti9 no# 1onsidered imaginary' #hen a symbo9 taes on the fu99 fun1tion and

signifi1an1e of #hat it symbo9ies+;* Near9y a99 of Eyes Wide Shut 1ou9d se1ure this

des1rition' of 1ourse+ But the orgy' the on9y oint in the narrative in #hi1h eo9e are

seen having sex' *2 is the on9y time the fantasy 1u9minates' even though Bi99' 9ie the

vie#er' 1an on9y arti1iate in it vi1arious9y' voyeuristi1a99y+ Neverthe9ess' the s1ene

rovides a mirror of his mind better than any other: in it' #e see both his desire to 1heat

free9y on his #ife #ithout 1onse@uen1e as #e99 as his desire to suress his individua9ity'

!!


35/46

to 1onform 1om9ete9y to so1ieta9 regu9ations+ &he desires for sexua9 9iberation and so1ia9

submission interse1t erfe1t9y in an astounding9y ritua9ied 1eremony' something 9ie a

s9o#-motion Busby Bere9ey orno' in #hi1h a body is nothing more than a bodyC the

re9igious rites mae it 19ear that the 1u9t6s siritua9ity rovides not the ossibi9ity of

sub9ime' god9y heights' but rather resents the body itse9f as the u9timate ob/e1t of

#orshi+ And sex and death are fu99y merged as a sing9e drive to ob/e1tify the body+

Be1ause humans are treated on9y as 1adavers in the orgy' they may as #e99 be

deadC be1ause their distin1tions' fa1ia9 and menta9' go undistinguished' so1ia9 1onformity

dominates' even in a setting that6s dee9y e9itist in both its ostentatious dis9ay of #ea9th

and ex19usionary ta1ti1s+ Bi99' in other #ords' 1an fina99y attain his goa9 of both fitting

into so1iety and being sing9y imortant+ &here 1an be no re1ognition' a99egian1es or

betraya9s here' though Bi996s resen1e 1onstitutes one of the 9atter any#ay+ $is

unishment=#hi1h imortant9y 1onsists of his being noti1ed and sing9ed out=fu99y

asserts his a1tua9 individua9ity and fears of ex19usion+ But the romise of the orgy' in any

1ase' is one in #hi1h Bi99 1an yie9d u se9f-1ontro9' both by fina99y re9in@uishing his

reservations that have ti99 no# et him from 1ommitting infide9ities' and by doing so in

submitting to a ritua9ied system=9ie a 1onsira1y 1ome to 9ife=that #i99 1ontro9 him

instead+

&he fantasti1a9 diegeses' far removed from the oening s1ene6s rea9ism'

demonstrate /ust ho# mu1h Bi99 has 9ost any 1ontro9 over the #or9d around him+ 8hereas

the oening s1ene is a subt9e i99ustration of the 1hara1ters6 abi9ity to 1ontro9 resumab9y

extradiegeti1 e9ements #ithin a s1ene' the orgy osits the ossibi9ity that the entire

soundtra1 of this s1ene is extradiegeti1' and that nobody #ithin the s1ene is resonsib9e

!*


36/46

for #hat #e hear+ During the oening 1eremony' a 1hant seems to originate from #ithin

the s1ene' as #e see Ni1 Nightinga9e 9aying the organ to a11omany it+ Next' ho#ever'

a @uasi-re9igious string ie1e fo99o#s as Bi99 exits to the ha99#ays' but the sour1e is

un19ear' ese1ia99y #hen ubri1 resents a montage of Bi99 #a9ing through the 1hateauC

though s9o# disso9ves emhasie the dis/un1tions in time' the song 1ontinues steadi9y+

Ba1 in the ha99#ay' 5trangers in the Night; 1omes on' and it seems to be diegeti1: Bi99

#a9s through a room of nudes dan1ing in time to the tune+ But ba1 in the great ha99' a

s9o#' sim9e' sycho-9ie series of iano notes 1omes on' #hi1h #i99 9ater be reeated on

the soundtra1 at other inoortune moments in the fi9m+ 7t is again un19ear #hether these

iano notes are extradiegeti1 or not' though the fa1t that Ni1 has a9ready been seen being

es1orted out #ou9d indi1ate they are not from #ithin the s1ene' desite the musi16s

aroriateness to the s9o#' morbid in@uisition+ As #ith the 5dreamy; disso9ves' it is

un19ear #hat is rea9 and #hat is fantasy' as #e99 as #hat grounds us in the s1ene #e6re

#at1hing+ &his same effe1t is 1reated by the a9ternative9y f9at and me9odramati1 voi1es of

those behind the mass+ &he soundtra1 of voi1es ta9ing on9y 1orresonds to an image of

t#o figures #a9ing or staring at ea1h otherC the 1hara1ters hard9y seem to be a11ountab9e

for #hat they6re saying+ ubri1 fu99y ex9oits the dis1onne1t bet#een voi1e and body in

an extreme9y subt9e 1ase of doub9ing' indi1ated by .i1he9 %hion' in #hi1h one #oman is

1om9ete9y re9a1ed by another #ithin the s1ene' even #hi9e her voi1e remains+*! &he

bodies are visib9y different=

!(


37/46

=even #hi9e their mass are the same' and the effe1t is hantasmagori1' as on1e again a

s1ene exists uneasi9y on the thresho9d bet#een rea9ity and fantasy' but 9eans for1ib9y

to#ard the 9atter+ &he #ho9e s1ene #ors as a tran1e' not on9y in the end9ess9y reetitive

musi1' but in the various #ays in #hi1h everyone seems to abandon resonsibi9ity for

their a1tions' from the biarre ritua9iations even do#n to resonsibi9ity for the sounds

they seem to mae+ As near9y everyone remains inert9y 9a1ed or moves in sim9e

me1hanied rhythms' and Bi99 s9o#9y #a9s from room to room' as if moving in a 1ir1uit'

the orgy resents the #ho9e of the fi9m in a mi1ro1osm: Bi99 in his 7nferno' seeing the

same things over and over' going no#here' doing nothing' fo99o#ing some hidden 9ine

through a sub1ons1ious #or9d of 9itera99y un1ons1ious' un#i99ed gestures and advan1es+

And yet #ith the dramati1 deve9oment of a gir9 a11eting his ne#9y de1reed fate

as her o#n' the s1ene a9so resents the sudden ossibi9ity of individua9 1hoi1e and

!


38/46

1onse@uen1e' even if this 1hoi1e isn6t Bi996s o#n' but that of a har9ot de1iding to die in his

9a1e+ 5&he doub9e'; #rites ?reud' 5#as origina99y an insuran1e against the extin1tion of

the se9fF the meaning of the doub9e6 1hanges: having on1e been an assuran1e of

immorta9ity' it be1omes the un1anny harbinger of death+;** he be1omes his doub9e+ 7n

a99o#ing Bi99 to dis9a1e his o#n morta9ity onto her' the in@uisitors have sti99 emhasied

the fa1t of his o#n morta9ity' of the 1onstant re1ariousness of his 9ife if he is not to tae

resonsibi9ity for it+ 5No one 1an 1hange her fate no#'; says the red 19oa+ 58hen a

romise has been made here' there is no turning ba1+; ?ata9ism revai9s' but this time'

there is no retreating from #hat has haened+ &hat Bi99 fee9s resonsibi9ity' gui9t'

a99egian1e' or a99 some 1ombination of a99 three to the mystery gir9 and to Ni1

Nightinga9e' #hose 9ives he may have he9ed to end' #i99 be borne out by his insisten1e

in the se1ond ha9f of the fi9m in retra1ing Ni16s stes' finding out #hat haened to

them' and figuring out his o#n ro9e in their 9ives+ &his ro9e 1an not be denied+ Bi99 has had

some 1onse@uen1e' the on9y 1onse@uen1e' death' #hi1h the fi9m seems to ever a99o#+


39/46

.attias ?rey have noted that A9i1e6s fantasies seem to find their rea9iation in Bi996s 9ife'

though this 1ru1ia9 oint re@uires some demonstration 3and mu1h ex9anation4+* 7n

A9i1e6s first 1onfession' she re9ates a memory in #hi1h the g9an1e of a sai9or both

immobi9ied her hysi1a99y and instigated a sy1ho9ogi1a9 fantasy+ 5And 7 thought if he

#anted me' even if it #as for on9y one night' 7 #as ready to give u everything'; she

says+ 5


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9ater fantasy #i99 rovide 9itt9e 1onso9ation to either of them=on9y more taunting+

5Iveryone #as fu1ing' and then 7F 7 #as fu1ing other men' so manyF 7 don6t no#

ho# many 7 #as #ith+ And 7 ne# you 1ou9d see me in the arms of a99 these men' /ust

fu1ing a99 these men' and 7F 7 #anted to mae fun of you' to 9augh in your fa1e+;

A9i1e6s dream humi9iates her' but aroriates the events of the re1eding s1ene' an orgy

in #hi1h naed #omen s9o#9y strut about serving men' and artia99y reverses the sexist

imu9se: A9i1e6s sub/ugation at the hands 3and other members4 of the many men

aradoxi1a99y gives her some sort of domination over Bi99' #ho is even more he99ess

than she+ 8hereas the sai9or6s g9an1e revious9y asserted o#er and ossibi9ity' Bi996s

gae is imotentC as he he99ess9y re9ays the s1ene in his mind for the rest of the fi9m' he

1annot 1ontro9 #hat he sees+ $e is the true vi1tim of this fantasy' even #hi9e A9i1e' in one

of the fe# 1om9ete9y sontaneous gestures of the fi9m' 19ings to him for suort+ Of

1ourse' her fantasy is an e1ho of the immediate9y re1eding s1ene' in #hi1h Bi99 finds

himse9f #at1hing the orgy' #hi1h' 9ie the one in A9i1e6s dream' romises both 1om9ete

sexua9 freedom and submission' as #e6ve seen+ .ore humi9iation is romised if #e are to

trust that Bi99 sees his #ife in the orgy6s ho9y #hores' as he seems to en1ounter his #ife in

every other #oman of the fi9m' and in any 1ase' humi9iation is du9y de9ivered' as it is in

A9i1e6s dream' #hen he is for1ed to exose himse9f to the in@uisitors6 s1orn+

&hese doub9ings indi1ate that Bi99 and A9i1e6s marriage is one of the mind' even

#hi9e they mar the 1hasm bet#een the 1ou9e: A9i1e6s 9atent desires' of 1ourse' are Bi996s

#orst fears' but then' that is robab9y #hy they are her desires+ As she admits 1onfused9y

in her first 1onfession about the sai9or' 5and yet it #as #eird be1ause at the same time

you #ere dearer to me than everF and at that moment my 9ove for you #as both tender

!,


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and sad+; And as #e see in her se1ond fantasy' humi9iation is a form of 1ontro9C Bi99 1an

be humi9iated on9y as mu1h as he 9oves her+ A9i1e6s fantasies of other men' mirroring

Bi996s fantasies of other #omen' exist on9y as roof that she needs his 9ove' or more

re1ise9y' needs to no# /ust ho# mu1h he needs her+ Iven in 1onfessing her fantasies'

she is ab9e to humi9iate him and test his devotion' as her dreams not on9y re1a99 bad

memories for Bi99 but resumab9y serve' on1e again' to mae him fantasti1a99y /ea9ous+

ti99' in sim9y #anting to betray him' she is his doub9e+

But #hat is fata9ism e9se#here is 9iberation here=the fina9 ossibi9ity' roosed

in the fi9m6s fina9 9ine' of fu1ing and moving on+ ex and 9ove' as the u9timate a1ts of

merging' rovide the fina9 ba1 door' the 5straight fu1ing ans#er'; to es1ae the 1ir1uit

of end9ess' reeated frustrations' but the so9ution is a9so the u9timate in the fi9m6s

1onsiderab9e aradoxes+ After his 1onfrontations #ith Eieg9er' in his mansion' and then

#ith himse9f' #hen he sees his mas s9eeing next to his #ife' Bi99 fina99y 1onfronts his

#ife in 1onfessing his /ourneys' and by extension' his rea9 desires to 1heat on her=

though' as has been ointed out' this 1onfrontation o11urs in an e99isis' so it is

imossib9e to verify #hether Bi99 te99s the truth+ Neverthe9ess' the entire fi9m has been

bui9ding to#ard it+ &his 1onfession is an obvious rebue to his ear9ier de19aration that he

#ou9d never 9ie to her or 1heat on herC in 9a1e of his ear9ier' @uite sta9e guarantee of a

vita9 marriage' he no# vita9ies the marriage #ith his honesty+ ti99' this honesty 1an

hard9y be an admission of rea9ity=a sim9e reversa9 of his ear9ier 9ies=sin1e even if his

voyages have been rea9' he has on9y imagined and anti1iated his sins+ Rather' his

1onfession must in any 1ase be an admission of his fantasies+


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the on9y reason any man #ants to ta9 to me is be1ause he #ants to fu1 me> 7s that #hat

you6re saying; A9i1e demands ear9y in the fi9m+ But a99 Bi996s 1onfessions 1ou9d ossib9y

exose is his stereotyi1a9' near9y universa9' and entire9y suerfi1ia9 ma9e desire to be

desired by #omen=that this might be the rea9 reason they ta9 to him+ Bi996s reve9ation'

#hatever it is' at best sim9y grants the 1ou9e the abi9ity to see their marriage as it is' but

this is not mu1h of a reve9ation' and not arti1u9ar9y so9a1ing+ Bi99 sti99 1an6t understand

the outside #or9d as anything but a ref9e1tion of himse9f in#ard9y' and his marriage as an

a11umu9ation of 9ies' misgivings' and fantasies about adu9tery and de1etion+ And the

best the 1ou9e 1an do is to re1ognie it as su1h+

8hi1h is' of 1ourse' the oint+ 5Don6t you thin one of the 1harms of marriage is

that it maes de1etion a ne1essity for both arties; ass avost' the devi9ish

$ungarian at the oening ba99' and yet his #ords may be the most revea9ing in the fi9m+

Gust as Bi99 and A9i1e6s mutua99y a1no#9edged f9irtations at the ba99 seem to re1iitate

their sex ba1 at home' their 1onfessions throughout the rest of the fi9m=#hi1h on9y

serve to humi9iate ea1h other' and most9y fai9 to revea9 anything embarrassing about

themse9ves besides the fa1t that they are some#hat embarrassing9y attra1tive=are a99 that

enab9e the suosed9y hay ending+ &here 1an be no exosure #ithout sinfu9 de1etions

and temtations first to exose' and the marriage 1an on9y seem meaningfu9 in the fa1e of

trauma+ Bi996s and A9i1e6s is a re9ationshi tru9y bui9t on 9ies and the raising of fa9se

ossibi9ities+

ti99' Bi996s u9timate exosure and re1ognition of his fantasies fina99y indi1ates his

o#n a1no#9edgement that he has had motivations' has been a1ting out of his fears and

desires' and erhas has even had some 1onse@uen1e on the 9ives of eo9e around him'

*


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if not at a99 a bettering one+ 7f nothing e9se' by treating his odyssey as a sub/e1t #orthy of

ersona9 1onfession' Bi99 a1no#9edges his ersona9 resonsibi9ity for his movements

through the #or9d' #hi1h are never fu99y assive+ &hough his a1tions are un1onsummated'

and voyeurism is his on9y transgression' the sim9e a1t of #at1hing is one that is a

1onse@uen1e of Bi996s 1hoi1es and itse9f 1an have 1onse@uen1es for those #at1hed as

#e99: as the orgy roves' so mu1h of Bi996s #or9d' rotating around him' exists for the sae

of the se1tator' #hi1h from his erse1tive' of 1ourse' #i99 ne1essari9y a9#ays be

himse9f+ &he a1tions of the #at1hed' in other #ords' are enab9ed by the #at1hers+ &he

a1tions of those around Bi99 are enab9ed by Bi99+

*"


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7n the end' even Bi996s fantasies of se9f-annu9ment and se9f-imortan1e define him:

they mar every ste of a voyage that may 1hange his 9ife' and that 1ertain9y 1hanges his

marriage+ At the very 9east' Bi99 is no# ab9e to humi9iate A9i1e' and' in #anting to do so'

demonstrate /ust ho# mu1h she means to him and ho# mu1h he #ants to mean to her+

8hat his 1onfession rea99y revea9s' then' is the signifi1an1e he ho9ds in her eyes+ 8ith it'

he fina99y gains a sense of his o#n autonomy and resonsibi9ity in the #or9d even as he

ties himse9f tighter to her+ $e is imortant at 9astC yet he and A9i1e 1an obvious9y 9ove

ea1h other on9y as 9ong as they need ea1h other' and 1an on9y rove their need by taunting

one another #ith 1onfessions+ 7t6s the 9ast aradox in a fi9m of aradoxes: Bi99 returns

home' 1onfronts himse9f' and sti99 ends the fi9m' as he sends most of the fi9m' moments

a#ay from sex' from the 1onsummation of his desires' a ba9m that is at best a temorary

so9ution+ &he oint' of 1ourse' is that for Bi99 and A9i1e to rea99y 9ove ea1h other' they

must desire both ea1h other and ea1h other6s tota9 9ove=that they must a9#ays #ant

something that they don6t @uite have' but' even in the fina9 moments of the fi9m' must

fantasie+

*!


45/46

Arthur 1hnit9er' Dream Story' trans+ G+.+S+ Davies 3London: Penguin' ,,,4+ )+2 7bid+' 2!+! 7bid+' *!+* 7bid+' !*+( 7bid+' *(+ 7bid+' )2+" 7bid+' ,+) 7bid+' ,)+, .ario ?a9setto' Stanely Ku1ric,' a narrative and stylistic analysis 38estort: Praeger' 2004' !,+0 &im reider' 57ntrodu1ing o1io9ogy'; in De"th of )ield' Stanley Ku1ric,2 )ilm2 and the Uses of 3istory' ed+ Meoffrey

%o1s' Games Diedri1' and M9enn Peruse 3.adison: niversity of 8is1onsin Press' ,,4' 2,2-2,!+ 1hnit9er' ,0+2 Lee iege9' 5Iyes 8ide hut'; 3ar"er.s *aga4ine' O1tober ,,,' )+! reider' 2))+* 7bid+( &homas A99en Ne9son' Ku1ric,' Inside a )ilm Artist.s *a4e 3B9oomington: 7ndiana P' 20004' 2)+ %e9estino De9eyto' 5,,,' A %9oset Odyssey: exua9 Dis1ourses in Eyes Wide Shut '; Atlantis' 2)+ 32004' !,+" ee ese1ia99y Ne9son6s 1omrehensive 1ata9oguing of su1h in1identsC Ne9son' 2"-2"!+) .i1he9 %iment' Ku1ric,' The Definitive Edition' trans+ Mi9bert Adair 3Ne#


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*" &o see is to a1t' in the fi9m' and in taing resonsibi9ity for his 9ife' Bi99 must tae resonsibi9ity for his visions=it is they'if nothing e9se' that mae him uni@ue+ 7t is here that #e see the most 1onsi1uous ara99e9s #ith another fi9m about a hero

#ho dis1overs voyeurism to be an a1tive for1e di1tating his 9ife and ime99ing him to di1tate the 9ives of those around him:

A9fred $it1h1o16s 8ertigo+ Lie 8ertigo' a9so ma9igned at its re9ease' Eyes Wide Shut features a dete1tive rotagonist

fo99o#ing the aths of others' doing 9itt9e but #at1hing' yet u9timate9y seeing to ob/e1tify the #or9d to mat1h his sexua9fantasies+ 1ottie is doomed #hen he is abandoned to a more 1om9i1ated rea9ity that refuses to suort these fantasiesC

Eyes Wide Shut is a resumab9y more frustrating fi9m' sin1e Bi99 remains in the same rea9m=rea9ity or fantasy' it is un19ear

=for the entirety of the fi9m' even #hi9e both the oening and 19osing shots demonstrate the inade@ua1ies of a 1om9i1ated

rea9ity to a99o# for any sort of sim9e-minded sexua9 fantasy+

Nights of the Living Dead: Autonomy and Automatons in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut

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