Wednesday, July 21. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Eyes Wide Shut: sexual eye opener
By Rob Pazell
Kansan staff writer
Start with psychological sexual encounters; add Hollywood hotties Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman under the direction of late filmmaster Stanley Kubrick who brought us A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Full Metal Jacket, and you end up with the steamy new film Eyes Wide Shut.
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman engage in sexual mind games in Eyes Wide Shut. It was the last film that icon Stanley Kubrick directed before his death. Contributed Photo
It is the last offering from Kubrick, who died March 7 in his sleep on March of a heart attack, Eyes Wide Shut tackles many different sexual values, including martial discontent, prostitution and, above all, jealousy.
The movie stars Cruise as William Hartford, a successful Manhattan physician, married nine years to Alice Hartford, a homemaker who is portrayed by real-life spouse, Kidman. The film takes a turn when antagonist Alice describes a sexual dream to William involving her and another man, which sends William into a jealous quest for answers.
Kubrick uses plot devices similar to A Clockwork Orange to take us through a dark world of marital deceit, prostitution and a Shakepearean masquerade party turned erotic orgy, only to bring us right back through each situation.
The main issue of the movie involves William's jealousy, sparked by Alice's telling of a
dream in which she has sex with a sailor. Kubrick cleverly uses the dream as a flash in William's mind, and it pops up many times throughout the movie as the symbol of his jealousy. The vision is so powerful that William thinks that he needs to counter it. He runs into a prostitute on the street and follows her to her apartment — ironically reflecting Alice's erotic dream. Both situations are tempting but carry dark consequences.
Commentary
Kubrick shows that reacting to jealousy by cheating is rash and wrong. He also makes comparisons between the rich and the poor sexual worlds, conveying that sex plays a role in everyone's life. Regardless of economic or ethnic situation, everyone is susceptible to sexual degeneracy. Kubrick employs anecdotal situations and peripheral characters to tackle complex moral issues. He used the same strategy to address peace issues during the Vietnam War in Full Metal Jacket.
Running long and dragging at times, Eyes Wide Shut makes up for its length with its intriguing and often times shocking look at the world of sex and the role of everyone in it. See it with a significant other; keep an open mind, and remember Kubrick's words: "I have found it always the best policy to allow the film to speak for itself."
World music helps to narrow culture gaps
In the information-laden close of the 20th century, cultural barriers are about as asal as the average ska band's lineup. Technology and travel have narrowed borders, and some distinctly world music now is being produced right here in America.
Japanese duo Cibo Matto will be in Lawrence tomorrow on tour for their new album Stereotype A. Though the title references the ease with which the band might be pigeonholed into a Shonen Knife-style "cutesy Japanese girl pop" category, Cibo Matto shouldn't be mistaken for that, particularly after the new album.
Shifting away from the heavy hip-hop influence of the debut album Viva La Woman! 'Stereotype A' sees Cibo Matto run through a wide variety of musical genres, including funky
The lyrics of the songs tend to focus on relationships, with some considera-
numbers like "Lint of Love," slower, spacity tracks like "Spoon" and the novelty-ready horn-section rap of "Sci-Fi Wasabi," the album's first single.
Commentary
The yshift away from the food obsession of earlier work. In the studio, keyboardist Yuka Honda has come into her own as a skilled producer, and several guest musicians perform, including
Chris Eckert
Kansan columnist
Mark Ribot, Arto Lindsay and John Medeski.
Live, expect to hear the full band that helped record the album, including Sean Lennon and Timo Ellis, who will be per-
tion to the simple pleasures of utensils, bicycles and the like.
forming opening solo sets. The diverse influences shine through in live performance. In concert, the band regularly covers songs by Andy Williams, Antonio Carlos Jobin, Serge Gainsbourg and the Rolling Stones.
Another internationally-influenced act will land at the Bottle.
Macha, whose second album,
See it Another Way, will be released August 3, will preview the new songs along with those from their self-titled debut, playing alongside American Analog Set.
neck Sunday.
Although the group hails from Athens, Ga., the genesis for Macha came when frontman Joshua McKay visited Indonesia. There he studied and recorded Gamelan troupes performances. After returning to the States, McKay formed a band. He ignored many rock conventions and instrumentation and instead attempted to capture the spirit of the Gamelan. The result is mostly instrumental music that is alternately sparse and cacophonous, usually slow and trance-like, but never dull or boring.
Eckert is a Towaco, N.J., junior in English.
UPCOMING CONCERTS
Tomorrow
Cibo Matto, Sean Lennon, Timo Ellis Bottleneck
Self Righteous Brothers
Grand Emporium (Kansas City, Mo.)
■ The Bent Scepters, $9 Melon Baller
Hurricane (Kansas City, Mo.)
Hurricane (Kansas City, Mo.)
Michukareal
Davey's Uptown (Kansas City, Mo.) Friday
Grovel, Recliner
Bodie's (Warrensburg)
- The Cult, New American Shame
Uptown Theatre (Kansas City, Mo.)
- Mr. Bungle, Dillinger Escape Plan
Bottleneck
Creature Comforts, Reflector, Podstar, Shiner
Gee Coffee (Olathe, Kan.)
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Warnock Lake (Archison, Marshall Tucker Band
Marshall Tucker Band Mahoning City East
Atchison City Fest
Station Casino (Kansas City, Mo.)
Saturday
Hate Dept, Eight Degrees
Paladins
Station Casino Sunday
American Analog Set, Macha, Jet set
Bottleneck Tuesday
Ruskabank, Rayguns, Effigy, Sunshine Vandals Bottleneck
The Etc. Shop
Brighton sunglasses
928 Mass. Lawrence, KS
Open
Mon.. Fri.
10:30 - 6:30
Sat.
9:00 - 5:00
749-0500
1301 E, 25th
South of 23rd and Ponder
Two blocks South of 23rd and Ponderosa Dr.
SUNFLOWER BIKE SHOP
Specialized Summer Sale!
July is the best month to jump on a
new Specialized The Sunflower Bike
Shop! We've marked down all of our 1999 Specialized inventory to unheard of prices! Bikes start at just $239! So hurry in for the best selection!
804 Massachusetts St.; Lawrence, Ks.; (785) 843-5000
THE UNIVERSITY THEATRE PRESENTS
KANSAS SUMMER THEATRE
The University of Kansas
HAUE SOME FUN THIS SUMMER!!
Tickets are on sale in the KU box offices: Murphy Hall. 864-3982; Lied Center. 864-ARTS. SUA Office. 864-3477; public $16, all students $8,senior citizens $15. both VISA and Mastercard are accepted for phone orders THE UNIVERSITY THEATRE