NEW AND INTRIGUING SHINING ANALYSIS

In the coming weeks and months, I'll probably have more to say about the surprise hit documentary film Room 237 - things about it that I like and agree with, and things about it that I most definitely do NOT like or agree with. Having said that, I'm always up for "deep readings" of my favorite artworks, even if and when said deep readings veer off into goofier territory. Roughly half of Room 237 is spent in that goofy zone. Those of you who've seen it will know what I mean. 

Now we have a new interpretation of The Shining, by Darren Foley of Must See Films Vimeo channel. The whole thing lasts less than 10 minutes, but it has more interesting things to say than the entirety of Room 237's 90-plus minute run time. I am particularly intrigued by the point he raises about connecting the ghostly twin girls with the bathroom crone... or is that crones? Watch the video and decide for yourself!

COMPETING KUBRICKEAN CLICKBAIT!

On July 18, 2014, the Huffington Post published a top-linked article by Mathew Jacobs in their Entertainment section, called 13 Facts You May Not Know About Eyes Wide Shut. Meanwhile, one whole day later over at FlavorWire, someone named Alison Nastasi published an article called Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut: 25 Things You Didn't Know. Needless to say, there's quite a bit of overlap between the two articles, and not much there will be new to most of my fellow Kubrick obsessives. I did, however, learn a few new things from both.

For instance, from the Jacobs piece, there's this intriguing revelation from director Paul Thomas Anderson, who is himself frequently cited as a potential Kubrick heir apparent...

Kubrick allowed only a skeleton crew to remain on the set throughout filming... Cruise was in talks for the lead role in Anderson's "Magnolia" and had to sneak him past security. ''I asked [Kubrick], 'Do you always work with so few people?' Anderson recalled. "He gave me this look and said, 'Why? How many people do you need?' I felt like such a Hollywood asshole.''

And from the Nastasi piece, there are these tidbits...

The Star of Venus can be seen throughout the film. It’s sometimes known as the [8-pointed] Star of Ishtar — the Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. 

And, perhaps most intriguingly, there is this...

Filmmaker Filippo Biagianti created a documentary about the Venetian Carnival masks used in the film, which features an interview with the artist, Franco Cecamore.

 I had no idea of this documentary's existence, and was chuffed to learn that it could be seen, online, for free, at Vimeo. Or, you could watch it here, below, if you are so inclined. Enjoy. I know I did!

Eyes Wide Shut masks - DOC (HD) SUB_ENG from Formacinema on Vimeo.