Released in 1999 to mixed responses, Eyes Wide Shut has since garnered considerable interest and has come to be regarded as one of Kubrick's finest works. INTRODUCTION: A MISUNDERSTOOD MASTERPIECEĮyes Wide Shut is the last work of famed movie director Stanley Kubrick, and like many of his films it contains layers of meaning not easily deciphered or understood on first viewing.

Watching Eyes Wide Shut has opened my mind and eyes, but writing about it has opened them even more. It's been an education working on this essay, because as you'll see, the movie's reach goes far and wide. This analysis is for people who like to think deeply about works of art-movies, music, literature-and draw comparisons to our own real world so that we may evolve to navigate through it with greater wisdom and understanding. I'm continuing to add links and citations, but I wanted to put out what I have-which is still quite thorough-in time for Eyes Wide Shut's 20-year anniversary. To avoid rehashing what's already been extensively discussed by others, I've focused primarily on my own observations and interpretations-although much research was required to understand the film's many facets. While written purely from my own interest and not for profit, I've excluded many ideas with the intention of expanding it all into a book-which would be for sale-so, stay tuned. So, this article is my contribution to the ongoing Stanley Kubrick film analyses swirling around out there. I've been haunted by the film since I first saw it upon its release in 1999, and have studied it in an attempt to understand it.

Eyes Wide Shut, more than any other movie, gave rise to my interest in cinema as a compelling storytelling medium.

Random Acts by Alison Stone