Search - Eyes Wide Shut [Fullscreen] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1999 DVD Release: 03/07/2000 Format: DVD - Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 39 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Total Copies: 15 Genres: Drama, Psychological Drama, Erotic Drama, Marriage Drama, Paranoid Thriller See Also: Eyes Wide Shut [Fullscreen], Eyes Wide Shut [Blu-ray], Eyes Wide Shut [Special Edition], Eyes Wide Shut [HD DVD], Eyes Wide Shut, Eyes Wide Shut [Special Edition], Eyes Wide Shut [Blu-ray], Eyes Wide Shut [HD DVD]

The final work of legendary director Stanley Kubrick, who died within a week of completing the edit, stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, at the time Hollywood's most bankable celebrity couple, and was shot on a open-ended schedule (finally totaling over 400 days), with closed sets in London standing in for New York City. Cruise and Kidman play William and Alice Harford, a physician and a gallery manager who are wealthy, successful, and travel in a sophisticated social circle; however, a certain amount of decadence crosses their paths on occasion, and a visit to a formal-dress party leads them into sexual temptation when William is drafted into helping a beautiful girl who has overdosed on drugs while Alice is charmed by a man bent on seduction. While neither William and Alice act on their adulterous impulses, once the issue has been brought into the open, it begins a dangerous season of erotic gamesmanship for the couple, with William in particular openly confronting his desire for new sexual experiences. What didn't make the final cut of Eyes Wide Shut may have been as fascinating as what finally appeared on screen: Harvey Keitel was replaced almost immediately by Sydney Pollack, while Jennifer Jason Leigh was replaced by Marie Richardson after she had shot all her scenes and left town. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Tom Cruise - William Harford
Nicole Kidman - Alice Harford
Sydney Pollack - Victor Ziegler
Marie Richardson - Marion
Rade Serbedzija - Milich
Todd Field - Nick Nightingale
Vinessa Shaw - Domino

Stanley Kubrick's controversial final movie makes for a technically acceptable, enjoyable DVD. The first thing one notices is that there is no option for widescreen viewing. The DVD case explains that Kubrick wanted the film to be presented in the full aspect ratio of the original camera negative. The picture quality is quite good. Eyes Wide Shut is perhaps Kubrick's darkest movie in terms of cinematography, and the DVD reproduces the rich hues and textures of the master. Audio quality is also superb throughout.
There's not much to gain from the "Special Features" section. Of primary note is the lack of deleted scenes; there's not even the option to watch the uncensored European release of the movie. Brief filmographies are provided for Kubrick and actors Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, and Cruise, Kidman, and Steven Spielberg appear in interview segments, which unfortunately aren't illuminating (the three interviewees mostly gush uncontrollably about the late director). The included TV spots aren't worth more than a single watch, as they're simply shorter versions of the theatrical trailer (also included), which isn't that exciting itself. "Scene Selections" allows instant access to all of the DVD's 38 chapters. Overall, this is a technically fine but relatively bare-bones DVD. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide