Stanley Kubrick’s death:
Stanley Kubrick died on March 7th 1999, the ‘final cut’ was pre-screened for the first time on March 2nd 1999, 5 days before Kubrick’s death.
Those who attended the pre-screening:
Bob Daly (Warner Bro. Co-Chairman)
Terry Semel (Warner Bro. Co-Chairman)
Tom Cruise
Nichole Kidman
Additional pre-release viewers:
Stanley Kubrick
Kubrick’s personal editing assistant
Potential additional pre-release viewers:
Christiane Kubrick
The projection operator
The hand delivered print delivery man?
Additional theater staff member?
Viewers of the filming/set for the cut scene:
Film crew
Set designer
Actors
Extras
The contract:
Everyone on set signed a lengthy contract securing the privacy and strict secrecy of the project, even to this day Warner Brothers could take action against anyone who broke this contract. Bob Daly, Terry Semel, Tom Cruise and Nichole Kidman are not likely to reveal the filming or viewing of the missing scene cut from Eyes Wide Shut, it could cost them their career or more. At the world premiere for Eyes Wide Shut both Bob Daly & Terry Semel announced their simultaneous retirement as the co-head of Warner Bros. During this announcement they also announced their donation of $100,000 to The Film Foundation (urging awareness of the urgent need to preserve motion picture history). At the same time they knowingly mutilated motion picture history by not giving Stanley Kubrick the final cut on Eyes Wide Shut.
The cut scene as described by the firsthand source:
The original cut of Eyes Wide shut contained a scene which was cut out prior to public release. The existence of this scene is only known among a select few people who signed strict secrecy contracts with Kubrick/Warner Bros. The length of this scene was approximately 22 seconds.
Dr. Harford is Tom Cruise’s character.
At 1:19:27 Dr. Harford finds himself separated from the masked woman. He walks down a hallway distantly following a couple. He turns to see an empty room with a pentagram-like circle in the center. The reaction in his eyes can be seen in a close up. Acting as if he did not see the ceremonial room he continues to walk down the hallway which can be seen at 1:19:30.
My analysis of what this scene would have done for Eyes Wide Shut:
This scene would have been the climax of the entire movie, perhaps only as a subliminal climax. The sex scenes afterwards seem to be a conditioning for the audience to almost forget about the empty ceremonial room, causing Dr. Harford’s character to relax a bit.
As we later find out the masked woman says, “Take me, I am ready to redeem him.”, The red robed leader asks, “You are ready to redeem him?”, “Yes” replies the masked woman. The red robed one confirms, “Are you sure you understand what you’re taking upon yourself in doing this?”, “Yes” replies the masked woman. At this point Dr. Harford and the audience would forget about the sex scenes and recall the brief viewing of the empty ceremonial room.
The red robed leader then says the following to Dr. Harford, “Very well, you are free, but I warn you, if you make any further inquiries, or if you say a single word to anyone about what you have seen, there will be the most dire consequences for you and your family, do you understand?” Dr. Harford nods in a shaken way and looks up to the woman, who is then escorted away.
Dr. Harford is thinking about the safety of his family & the masked woman who just saved him, in the back of his mind he is also thinking about the empty ceremonial room. With the cut scene in mind, the audience and Dr. Harford are drawn to the human sacrifice conclusion more clearly while seeing the newspaper for the first time. Questions would arise in the mind of the audience, was she sacrificed in the ceremonial room? Is she mutilated? Are the police involved? As Dr. Harford laments over her body at the morgue some of these questions are answered as we see the condition of the body.
The overall theme of the movie is heightened dramatically with the addition of a single 15 second scene. A masterpiece is reduced from great to only good. The lack of Kubrick’s last minute finalized editing especially involving the music score is also a major reason the film felt a little flat. During the pre-screening the film didn’t have any music whatsoever, the final editors relied on Kubrick’s notes to pick and choose what song should go where. I do not believe Kubrick would have chosen that repetitious piano note which plays over and over throughout the film. When a work of art is left in the hands of corporate executives, this sentence needs no conclusion.
The iconic scene that was never seen, can only be viewed in a dream. Stanley, you were promised the final cut for Eyes Wide Shut, I release this information in your memory.
— illum1nat1
P.S. out of respect for the late Stanley Kubrick I have not referenced any conspiracies concerning his death or the illuminati or any rituals outside the film. I have written only of the factual content that was intended on being in the film. Stanley was a true artist, a master of cinema, every time I watch Eyes Wide Shut I will now see the missing scene which he not only intended on keeping in, but a key scene which he clearly intended on being a pinnacle moment, without this moment the film focuses primarily on sex and relationship issues. Only when the lost moment is included does it transform into something more. /April 29th 2013 illum1nat1
illum1nat1 