For the first time on my public podcast feed (although not the first time on my YouTube channel), I'm publishing an episode with a guest. Andrew Cook joins to discuss Stanley Kubrick's last film, an erotic thriller about marital jealousy and an elite secret society, which may seem even more relevant twenty years after its release than it did at the time (and this episode was originally recorded for patrons back in 2018, before Jeffrey Epstein's re-arrest and infamous "suicide"). Connecting Eyes Wide Shut to public scandals that suggested an underside to various ruling classes, we also examine Kubrick's manipulation of Cruise's public image and possible insecurities, Kidman's acclaimed mannered performance style, the Christmas glow of the cinematography, and the question of whether the cult is as dangerous as the main character (or its own participants) think it is - among many other topics. The podcast also includes some great feedback from listeners who muse about the film's depiction of the nineties and its connections to Twin Peaks. (To chime in on the conversation and have your feedback read in future podcasts, please share your thoughts about Eyes Wide Shut as a comment, on Twitter, or wherever works for you.)
