Eyes Wide Shut

BFI Film Classics

by Michel Chion

Michel Chion's study of this film makes the case that it is one of Kubrick's masterpieces and a fitting testament. To appreciate this, though it is necessary to look at what happens on the screen without bringing preconceptions to bear.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Art, Media Tie In, Essays

96 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2002

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was eager to get my first exposure to Chion, as I often see his criticism cited by others in publications that are difficult to access in America and/or remain untranslated. And I wasn't disappointed by his work here, a largely semiotic and formalist reading befitting a Kubrick film (his approach was perfectly tailored to the mood of this film, and I would particularly have loved to see his style applied to the kidnapping reading of the ending scene, though I suspect that reading was not yet in vogue at the time of writing). There are times where it seemed like he could have used some editorial reining-in; I thought initially that the structural choice of a series of short segments would keep him from trying to expound beyond the actual material he had (which it may have, but at other times also seems to cut him off perversely short, as if he is concerned with the length of certain sections being too far out of balance with the rest) but instead proves to not serve the purpose of the book very well, instead leading to the book overall being rather unfocused in aggregate. Too, one of his weakest arguments is made when he breaks his own rule about the inclusion in analysis of extratextual information, compelling him to stretch to make a point that demonstrates little beyond the exertion expended into making it seem almost plausible (if he felt the need to break this rule, perhaps a more interesting direction in which to go would have been an exploration of the public's general response to this film, which for many reasons feels inextricably linked to the text forever). Another odd choice was the putting forward in section 12 of what Chion describes as the optimal approach to films; it's an interesting and worthy opinion, but one wonders why it wasn't placed more forwardly, to better contextualize more specifically the angle from which Chion was approaching the work. There's also a reliance, not too heavy but in my opinion still much heavier than appropriate, on Frederic Raphael's disputed memoir, which Chion points out but fails to ever address more directly by including the opposing opinions of the complainants. Likewise, in another failure of balance, he addresses a number of alternate approaches to the source material that were considered but never seems actually interested in why the approach taken was chosen; he also notes how routines gestures gain unusual power in Eyes Wide Shut, but only in passing, never probing how the script, structure, or editing enabled that effect. This delineation of criticism is making it sound even to me as if I wasn't much impressed by this book, but I was in fact impressed by a number of Chion's sharp insights; if anything, I'm simply frustrated that they were interspersed with lazily unexamined offerings to create a significant killer/filler divide.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love the film as much as I do, this is a great purchase. Just don't expect a singular thesis on the themes of the film; instead Chion offers a bunch of mostly unrelated quirky insights.

[kelly]

a thoughtful addition to the ever-increasing scholarly conversation about the enigmatic finale of kubrick's illustrious career: eyes wide shut. while i have to admit that i personally find other readings of eyes wide shut more compelling, i appreciate how chion respects the film's ambiguity — noting that within the film's diegesis, "there are only signifiers with nothing signified."

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful analysis of Kubrick's last film. Like virtually every other of Kubrick's movies, critics and movie-goers alike were puzzled and disappointed by it. I say now: Eyes Wide Shut ranks w/ 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dr. Strangelove as one of Kubrick's greatest films. But they were all great, though few in number.

Wait a while. Chion's detailed and loving analysis is done with his eyes wide...open.

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent entry in the British Film Institute's collection of essays on contemporary cinema. This book rightly defends Kubricks last feature from the general consensus that the film lacked immediacy and was overly dream-like. Chion's essay brings out details often overlooked in this unfair assessment of Kubrick's final masterpiece.

[Ben De Bono · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite of the BFI Film Classics series I've read to date. Eyes Wide Shut is in some ways Kubrick's most challenging film in that everything is elusive and wildly open to interpretation. Chion does a great job both at offering possible readings of the film and pointing out things I'd never noticed

[Natalie Shibani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed reading it as it was part of the mandatory literature program for my school graduation. The ending is up to interpretation, which I've enjoyed very much. Worth reading in a book club as there is a lot to discuss and share.

[GJ]

If you want to spend two more hours thinking about the movie and getting some new observations on an old favorite, this scratches the itch

[David Klingenberger · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a number of ideas here, but what do they add up to?

[Levent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh çok tatmin edici değildi.

[Filippo Ulivieri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michel Chion, studioso di cinema francese che aveva già scritto un buon saggio sul 2001 di Kubrick, si cimenta con l'ultimo capolavoro del regista. Una serie di agili capitoletti introdotti da citazioni dal film cercano di porre l'attenzione del lettore su particolari facilmente trascurabili ma che si rivelano illuminanti per comprendere la complessità dell'opera. L'aspetto maggiormente positivo del libro sta appunto nella capacità di Chion di illustrare l'universo chiuso e autoreferenziale del film, permettendo di indagare sui suoi innumerevoli significati. Purtroppo il risultato si fa più debole quando Chion attacca a questi dettagli rivelatori le sue teorie interpretative, che a volte suonano un po' troppo azzardate. Ma la conoscenza del cinema dell'autore e la sua passione per Kubrick rendono comunque la lettura interessante e a tratti rivelatrice.

[bermudianabroad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfectly decent analysis of Kubrick's last film. Fairly light on the genesis of it, and heavy on the dissection of angles and cuts. Read for an interesting look at how the technical aspects affect interpretation rather than a look at what the actions of the characters themselves mean. Fairly logically laid out and easy to follow for the layman. He lost me when discussing the reasons the score was so effective, mentioning internvals and notes, major/minor keys. I personally just don't have the head for it.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read a treatise on this film that both intrigued and baffled me. The theories postulated here are at times hard to follow but merit multiple viewings of the work. Some great points about the dialogue and the acting choices make you want another viewing (which, in the end, is always the exciting thing about this brilliant series) but it is easy to get lost if you aren't actually watching along while reading it.

[Ryan Splenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice criticism of the movie that draws interesting comparisons to other Kubrick movies in terms of the director's use of lighting, music, blocking, shots, cuts, etc. However, I was looking for a deeper analysis of the orgy, dream-like sequence that dominates the movie.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good for a few things like background information and some worthwhile analysis, but I don't subscribe to much of Chion's interpretation. It's bold and ambitious, but hard to swallow.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts are eye opening to me.