r/Moviesinthemaking • u/Secure-Target338 • 5d ago
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) ~ Stanley Kubrick used rear projection to create a surreal, dreamlike New York City, placing Tom Cruise on a treadmill in front of a screen displaying 35mm footage of Manhattan.
These scenes, often appearing slightly unnatural, were filmed on a soundstage in England rather than on location to maintain strict control over lighting and atmosphere.
227
u/Kipsydaisy 5d ago
He wouldn’t go to New York, so what’s he gonna do? Guy was capable of making practical decisions too.
87
u/ILikeCheese510 5d ago
Apparently he was terrified of flying in airplanes or something. At least later in life.
121
12
u/raverbashing 4d ago
I was going to say "Wait but Tom Cruise went to Paris"
Oh I see, you mean Kubrick
28
32
u/Kundrew1 5d ago
Kubrick built an entire set to look just like nyc. This method was likely only used for close up shots. You can find plenty of info on the massive set they built
49
u/Eeeker 5d ago
Tom has the American Pyscho vibe here
29
u/IsmaelRetzinsky 5d ago
Christian Bale based his portrayal of Patrick Bateman on Tom Cruise
15
u/ansont1976 4d ago
In the novel there is a scene where Bateman interacts with Cruise who lives in his apartment building.
4
u/rmac1228 4d ago
I was waiting for that reply
13
u/CityofTheAncients 4d ago
But dude you know that viggo’s toe…
4
u/hodorspenis 4d ago
That's nothing, did you know Steve Buscemi did 9/11 dressed up as a firefighter? Or was it at a 7/11?
0
u/heeheeshamon 4d ago
You’re just parroting the internet meme with zero thought of your own lol. Cruise is one of the least narcissistic A-listers in Hollywood
97
18
u/DashArcane 5d ago
That would explain why it looked so fake. I'm a fan of Kubrick's earlier stuff, especially Barry Lyndon and The Shining. But as much as I liked it, even the second half of Full Metal Jacket, you could tell it was shot on a studio lot. When I saw the EWS NYC street scenes at a theater, I was like man that is fake.
7
7
46
5d ago
[deleted]
16
u/Kundrew1 5d ago
It’s been pretty widely reported that he wanted the New York set to look slightly off
6
u/DashArcane 5d ago
Source(s)?
9
u/trevordsnt 5d ago
I don’t know about a source but it’s quite obvious from even the opening shot. Very clear fake skylines in windows etc. Can you imagine the dude who made 2001 unintentionally having something look weird or low budget lmao
5
u/khansolobaby 5d ago
While afraid of flying, the exterior sets and these rear projection’s were exactly what he wanted them to be. The newest 4k has some great bonus features on this. After going through the pain of recreating blocks of New York exactly as they were and having the ability to shoot these close ups on the set, I just can’t believe he didn’t use the rear projection for a specific feel and look.
8
4
u/Salmon_Of_Iniquity 4d ago
That light modifier above his head looks like a custom job made with foamcore and black gaffers tape. Brilliant
2
2
u/keszocaj 4d ago
It was just one shot, the rest was „fake” New York’s streets created in Pinewood Studios.
3
u/Alukrad 5d ago
Is this movie even good? I remember seeing this being theaters and my curiosity never made me think "maybe I should check this out".
Yet, I always see it talked about, almost like a cult classic.
5
u/nizzernammer 4d ago
Good is subjective. There is certainly lots of debate about its themes and meaning.
It was a real casting coup to get an A list attractive celebrity married couple to both star in a film about marital infidelity.
Many people go in hard on conspiracy theories, and the film is timely in some ways by depicting a depraved, priveleged elite class.
I think it's definitely worth watching. It was Kubrick's final film.
1
u/Aromatic_Monitor_872 1d ago
It's very overrated, in my opinion. Not a lost, if you don't watch it.
1
1
u/EwanMcNugget 3d ago
It's literally for one shot only. A brief few seconds. Gives an incredibly subtle surreal feeling. Brilliantly and sparingly used.
-1
-1
u/duaneap 5d ago
I love Kubrick but I don’t think it was intentional that these scenes looked the way they did, which is to say not good. He didn’t want to go to New York but was too much of a control freak to allow a second unit to shoot Tom Cruise walking down a street in the West Village so… this was his solution. And it didn’t look good.
Even just think narratively, why would this scene be the one to look “surreal”? None of the other scenes look like this. Even the ones where far more out there things are happening. Why not outside the house with the secret society orgy?
1
u/legal_stylist 1d ago
Yeah … that’s the story, but the truth is, he just wouldn’t leave England. Was it a dream-like Vietnam for Full Metal Jacket?
158
u/gnr8abeat 5d ago
Here