Stanley Kubrick fans can save 30% on their preorder for The Criterion Collection edition of Eyes Wide Shut. The legendary filmmaker’s polarizing final movie arrives on 4K Blu-ray for the first time November 25. Preorders for Eyes Wide Shut’s 3-disc 4K Blu-ray edition are discounted to $35 (was $50) at Amazon. Criterion is also releasing a new 1080p Blu-ray edition the same day, and it’s also on sale for 30% off, dropping the price to $28.
Arguably Kubrick’s strangest–and certainly the most sexually explicit–film, Eyes Wide Shut was a major box office hit, but it proved to be too unsettling and weird for some critics and fans back in 1999. These days, though, many critics and fans alike consider Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman film to be a masterpiece. While it’s only the second Kubrick 4K release from Criterion–Barry Lyndon became the first in July–nearly all of Kubrick’s movies are now available on 4K Blu-ray from other distributors.
Eyes Wide Shut: The Criterion Collection (4K Blu-ray)
$35 (was $50) | Releases November 25
The 4K release of Eyes Wide Shut is a three-disc set with one 4K UHD disc and two 1080p Blu-ray discs. Like other Criterion releases, this version is designed to be as close as possible to Kubrick’s thoroughly meticulous vision for how it should be presented. While the famed director passed away in 1999 less than a week after screening the final cut for Warner Bros., Criterion’s restoration was supervised by the movie’s director of photography, Larry Smith. Since the 1080p version is based on the 4K restoration, it should also be an improvement over the current Blu-ray edition.
Notably, Criterion restored the international version–the aforementioned final cut–not the US theatrical edition, which was censored in order to attain an R rating.
On a technical level, this release offers support for Dolby Vision HDR and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound.
For the bonus materials, new interviews have been filmed with Smith, photographer and second-unit director Lisa Leone, and Stanley Kubrick archivist Georgina Orgill.
There are also archival extras from previous Blu-ray releases of Eyes Wide Shut, like interviews with the actors, a documentary examining the unfinished films of Kubrick, and more. All of these are available to watch on the bonus standard Blu-ray disc. The standard Blu-ray edition is a two-disc set with the same bonus features.
Inside the display case you’ll also find a booklet with a 1999 interview with Kubrick and actor Sydney Pollack as well as a new essay by author Megan Abbott.
Eyes Wide Shut: The Criterion Collection Features
- 4K digital restoration supervised by director of photography Larry Smith
- 3-disc set: 4K Blu-ray & 2 standard Blu-rays
- Dolby Vision HDR
- DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- New interviews with Larry Smith, second-unit director Lisa Leone, and Kubrick archivist Georgina Orgill
- Archival interview with Kubrick’s wife Christiane Kubrick
- Never Just a Dream: 2019 interviews with producer Jan Harlan, Kubrick’s daughter Katharina Kubrick, and his personal assistant Anthony Frewin
- Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick
- Kubrick Remembered: Interviews with Steven Spielberg and actors Todd Field and Leelee Sobieski
- Kubrick’s 1998 acceptance speech for the Directors Guild of America’s D.W. Griffith Award
- 1999 press conference with executive producer Jan Harlan, Tom Cruise, and Nicole Kidman
- Trailers
- English subtitles
- Booklet with essay by author Megan Abbott and a 1999 interview with filmmaker and actor Sydney Pollack
Loosely adapted from Arthur Schnitzler’s novella Dream Story, Eyes Wide Shut follows doctor Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) and his wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), as they confront their unconscious desires, jealousies, and fears inside of a version of New York City that feels a step removed from reality.
This is exciting news for fans of Kubrick! The 4K uncensored edition of “Eyes Wide Shut” sounds like a great addition to any collection, especially with that preorder discount. It’s always nice to see classic films getting the high-quality treatment they deserve.
a fantastic addition to any collection. The improved visuals and sound quality can really enhance the experience of such a visually rich film. Plus, having it in the Criterion Collection means we’re likely to get some great special features too!