>>Funny, when I saw the thread title I thought I’d add EYES WIDE SHUT as a joke. So Matt, which part of EYES WIDE SHUT was a dream? There’s that little fantasy blue-lit stuff showing Bill’s idea of Alice sexing up the Naval Officer, but that’s about it.<,
Like Lindsey Anderson’s If…, the intriguing thing is deciding just where the “dream” begins and where (or if) it ends. There has been endless discussion I participated in somewhere (possible on this board) regarding EWS, and there’s no clear consensus.
Nathan, that’s not really a dream is it? More like a vision, or his imagination showing him images of his wife with the Naval officer.
Harry, I remember that discussion well. People kept saying that parts of EWS are a dream, and never ever offered any description of exactly what parts of the film they meant, despite repeated and repeated and repeated requests.
Well, for me, it starts after Kidman’s confession (though the images of Kidman copulating are not part of the dream) and ends after the discovery of the mask. There are too many nonrealistic details in that section, from my point of view, and there is something subtle that I’ve never quite put my finger on regarding the look of that section as opposed, particularly, to the deopartment store at the end.
That’s simply my interpretation … or rather the only way the film makes sense or works for me. Without that I’d have to believe that Kubrick was descending into senility & the film is inept.
I should also note that by my interpretation it may not literally be a dream – in that Cruise’s character goes to sleep and has one – but a fantasy by Cruise’s character. I admit that takes it somewhat into the realm of comedy, as Cruise can’t even get laid in his own "I’ll show her’ fantasy, but my feeling is that Kubrick’s humor is often Sahara dry & there are many sequences in his films that are “comic” but rarely perceived as such.
Thanks, Harry, you’re the first person to actually answer the question. I’m not at all sure I agree, the film has always seemed to me to be more dreamlike than actual dream. Is there anything in the film that backs up your interpretation, a shot of Cruise daydreaming or something? And I’m not sure I understand what you mean when you say that the images of Kidman copulating are not part of the dream. Can you elaborate? Thanks!
For films I have seen as of yet, the dream sequence in Vertigo really stands out.
>>Is there anything in the film that backs up your interpretation, a shot of Cruise daydreaming or something?<<
No such shot (& I’d bet that was deliberate on Kubrick’s part because he seems to be working overtime for this film to be ambiguous). There just seems to be something different (I did say it was subtle and not something I could put my finger on, remember) about the tone or the photography after Kidman’s confession. Or it could be all in my perception, (though it seems I recall signage on buildings changing from shot to shot) an interpration I’m making of the film because otherwise it would be a clunky, inept film.
>>And I’m not sure I understand what you mean when you say that the images of Kidman copulating are not part of the dream. Can you elaborate?<<
They are so quick (as I recall) that they strike me a Cruise getting visual flashes of his wife in the sack with another guy. They probably trigger his fantasy or dream.
Interesting, Harry. Thanks. I don’t agree, of course, I’ve always seen the entire film as Cruise’s waking experience. Admittedly it gets rather dreamlike, especially during the orgy sequence, but I’ve never doubted that it is all actually happening.
Moderated
8 1/2 and Wild Strawberries: the opening sequences. They are exquisite to my eyes and ears.
^ ^ That’s a joke, right?
Grease! The beauty school section with Frenchie.
And then the Big Lebowski.
Rosemary’s Baby
Repeating the mention of The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. Some excellent dream sequences there.
eraserhead is what came into my mind first.
eraserhead is what came into my mind first.
The ‘dream sequence’ in Werner Herzog’s Kaspar Hauser – Jeder für sich und Gott gegen alle is very grandiose. See the video clip at youtube (starting at 3:05).
Dead Of Night (1945)
The Night Of The Following Day (1968)
Don’t Look Now (1973)
I can’t remember if it’s a dream or a fantasy or something else altogether, but the sequence in Lynne Ramsay’s Ratcatcher when the boy ties a balloon to his pet mouse and sends it to the moon is a welcome distraction in an otherwise bleak coming-of-age tale. Beautiful, but bleak.
The Last Temptation of Christ. The last third of the film is a knockout.
Ditto Peter Smith!!! Also, I like the D sequences in Brazil, Wild Strawberries, 8 1/2, Spellbound (!), and Kurosawa’s Dreams
Ditto Peter Smith!!! Also, I like the D sequences in Brazil, Wild Strawberries, 8 1/2, Spellbound (!), and Kurosawa’s Dreams
Ditto PS! BRAZIL, 8 1/2, Wild Strawberries, Spellbound.
Harry/Roscoe,
In addition to what Harry’s already said suggesting that portions of the film are dream, if you know New York well, the “New York” Bill wonders through is not New York. Streets have names that don’t correlate to actual NYC streets, background details that seem to comment on the action—“Lucky to Be Alive,” “EROS”—etc. Jonathan Rosenbaum also pointed out a number of what he calls “rhyme effects” between Alice’s dreams and fantasies and Bill’s “reality”:
“some of the rhyme effects create disquieting connections—between a sexual invitation at Ziegler’s party (”Do you know where the rainbow ends?") and the name of the costume shop (Rainbow) and between the password to the orgy, “Fidelio,” which suggests the Italian word for “faithful,” and Bill’s failure to betray her there. (Schnitzler’s story is full of comparable echo effects: there the password to the orgy is “Denmark,” which happens to be where the hero’s wife was tempted to commit adultery.)"
Of course, the film is based on Arthur Schnitzler’s Tramnovelle (“Dream Novella”), which employs analogous strategies to make dream and reality rather indistinguishable. The point is that there is a point where reality and dream overlap to such an extent that it’s maybe artifice to try to approach them as seperate modalities.
As to the particulars of where the seams are, I’m not sure, I’d have to watch it again, but I remember it as most of the film seeming to be of Bill’s (or possibly Alice) dreaming.
Come on! Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is perfect when it comes to dream sequences!
Check out the animated feature “Paprika”, extremely visual.
“Altered States” (1980) is also visually pretty interesting, but maybe not exactly a dream. More like a combination of hallucinations and supernatural visions or something.
I agree with the “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Science of Sleep” suggestions, both from Michel Gondry. And does Aronofsky’s “The Fountain” have any dream sequences? Well it looks partially pretty dreamlike even if it doesn’t.
Right now I’m actually writing a thesis on dreams in films by the way… Should look like it’s finished in a week or so, but I’m not sure how perfect it will be. I’m under a lot of pressure and have to rush it a bit. Let me know if there’s interest in reading once it’s finished.
how come anyone forgot the delicious dreamy sequence from charlie chaplin’s “the kid”?
oh and also you should check out jake paltrow’s the good night, nice indie film about lucid dream
Raj Kapoor’s Awaara has one of the best and most memorable dream sequence, especially when the giant Judge appear holding the knife to the couple, sublime.
8 1/2
Kurosawa’s Dreams
Redrum4
The eye’s wide shut dream is when Tom Cruises’ character has a dream that his wife is having an affair