The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 35

NEWS EXTRA 3 THE AGE SATURDAY 17 JULY 1999 MOVIES QING DYNASTY CHINESE FURNITURE BARGAINS TrttMal Ohm TMflM 57 3 i2 2 new containers EC 3 just arrived MS Is unpredictable. Help turn life sentence into a life. 1600 816 113. 0 1 SN-- 7S This space is provided by The Age as a community service. Sei; Die mix 5V Ai.

The world has had its first peek at Eyes Wide Shut, the latest Cruise-Kidman movie. Stephanie Bunbury reports. our I WJ Aw. 5 rv I- Catch it finstcal MAY not have the digital hokum or the publicity budget of Star Wars, or the fancy-dress potential of Austin Powers, but in its own way Eyes Wide Shut, the last expression of cinematic will and testament by Stanley Victoria biggest classifieds are now on the net. Call 132 243.

if satisfactions of seeing famous stars entwined for the cameras and taking the audience in a more difficult direction. "Like other Kubrick films before it," wrote Alexander Walker in London's Evening Standard, "Eyes Wide Shut throws interpretation on to the viewer but even at its most baffling, it is an astonishing work made with masterly control." Kubrick prided himself on his control of proceedings. Reputedly, he identified with Napoleon, comparing the French emperor's minutely planned military campaigns with his own approach to filming. His first studio success was Spartacus, in I960, which he took over from Anthony Mann at Kirk Douglas's invitation; he was never happy with it, feeling the story needed more work. From then on, he managed to remain aloof from the system that supported his films by steering every facet of production, including financing, himself.

He was his own director, producer, screenwriter (on Eyes Wide Shut, in uneasy collaboration with Frederick Raphael) editor, special effects creator and business manager. He even had a clause written into his contracts that gave him the unprecedented right to recall and re-edit his films even after they were released. Inexplicably, the suits did as he said. Vincent D'Onofrio, whose first film was Full Metal Jacket, recently recalled asking the director why there was a van full of people parked nearby. "Those are the London film execs," Kubrick said.

"They're not allowed to get out." When Eyes Wide Shut was complete, it was he who dealt with the American censors when they decided the seven-minute orgy scene was too fleshy for the Midwest, devising a solution whereby digitally generated figures would be superimposed over the offending bare bodies. Kubrick, along with Warners' Terry Semel. devised a marketing strategy and the tantalising trailer, featuring a topless Kidman kissing Cruise while looking at herself in the mirror. On set, he was as obsessive as ever, redoing the simplest scene over and over again, often 50 times, although he didn't break his 100-take record on The Shining. An 18-week shoot turned into 52 weeks, interspersed with editing and rewrites.

Keitel, who was playing the role of patrician orgy host now taken by Sydney Pollack, was lost to the project when Kubrick decided his doorstep conversation with Cruise just wasn't working and that he would drop it and come back to it another time. Keitel's contractual arrangements would not allow him to hang around that long. Similarly, Jennifer Jason Leigh had to give up the part of the needy daughter of one of Harford's patients when Kubrick decided that he was not happy with the set he had used for her scenes and would rebuild them elsewhere. She had no more time to give him. Kubrick, on the other hand, gave himself all the time in the world.

SO, ASTONISHINGLY, did Warners, which had signed a three-picture deal with the director and provided him with an estimated working budget of $US65 million. Costs were not impossible, as Kubrick who came to film-making with a glittering reputation as a still photographer on Look magazine did much of the camera work himself, without even an assistant. It is a tribute to his power within his fiefdom, too, that neither of his discarded actors ever broke his pledge not to reveal anything about the film's story or the shooting. The whole project was suffused with intensity, even by Kubrick's standards. "It's been a really strange three years," Cruise said on the night of the Los Angeles premiere this week.

"And a really wonderful three years, too." Eyes Wide Shut opens in Melbourne on 5 August. Classifieds Online www.theage.com.au ft if'r i 1 i I 61 0 WEEKS TO GO l'5A! 4. Official information from the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise as they appear in this week's Time magazine. "No one else in the world knows us the way Stanley did and was privy to our relationship in that way," Kidman says. Kubrick, is already a must-see movie.

This is partly because of the rumors that surrounded the film, which premiered in Los Angeles on Thursday, and its strictly secret development in Kubrick's English country hideaway mansion. (Why was Harvey Keitel dropped from the cast? Did Tom and Nicole really need a sex therapist to help them fake passion convincingly?) But it is also, of course, because it is the last word of a master. Kubrick, an American born in the Bronx who moved to Britain because he detested Los Angeles, was as enigmatic and manipulative, if legend is to be believed, as Colonel Kurtz; this film, which was supposed to deal with sex in the same no-holds-barred way he had treated violence in A Clockwork Orange and war in Paths to Glory, Dr Strangelove and Full Metal Jacket, was his journey upriver. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, who star as a doctor and his wife who indulge in wild sexual experiments inside and outside their own relationship, have said that Kubrick took secrets about their sex lives to the grave that nobody else had shared. Kidman told Vogue magazine that they were often alone with Kubrick when they shot the most intimate scenes.

"It was just him and the two of us in the room, so you were able to become aroused or feel whatever you felt," she said. "No one else in the world knows us the way Stanley did and was privy to our relationship in that way." Even so, when they first saw the finished film they were so shocked they could not move afterwards. She scribbled notes to him, then the film started rolling again. It was only after the second screening, Kidman said, that she thought: "Wow! It's going to be controversial." Making the film had taken its toll. It took nearly a year and a half to shoot; the starring couple rented a house in Hertfordshire near Kubrick's so they could be always on call.

Cruise, who refused all other work for the duration of the shoot and has thus been off the screen for three, years since he starred in Cameron Crowe's lerry Maguire a long time in stardom was so exhausted by the long shoot that he was often close to tears and actually developed an ulcer. "I didn't want to tell Stanley," he said to Time maga.ine. "I wanted this to work, but you're playing with dynamite when you act. Emotions kick up you go through things you can't help." Dealing with jealousy and sex on a set for so long, said Kidman in the same interview, meant that the mood was always with them. "You never quite walk away from it.

Stanley as well." Stanley, in the end, was the one who paid most dearly. Kubrick was 70 when he died of a heart attack. Five days before, he had shown Hyes Wide Shut to the chairmen of Warner Bros, Bob Daly and Terry Semel. He had not been a prolific film maker, but some of his 13 features Ijolita in 1962, 2001, A Space Odyssey in 1968, A Clockwork Orange, made'in 1971, TheShiningof9B0 became emblematic of their eras. They also defined the careers of their stars; lack Nicholson will always be that manically laughing murderer, while Malcolm McDowell never outshone his droog alter ego.

In the case of Sue Lyon who played Lolita, it virtually ended it; she now says the nymphette ruined her life. Eyes Wide Shut is based on a 1926 novel by Arthur Schnitzler, who also wrote The Blue Room, the play adapted by David Hare last year in which the naked Kidman was dubbed "theatrical Given that Cruise and Kidman have never before appeared together in a film that was remotely watchable try Days of Thunder for size if you doubt me Eyes Wide Shut is the first stretch from their celebrated showbiz marriage to a screen partnership. In the film, Dr William Harford, played by Cruise, and his wife, Alice (Kidman), become aware of the cracks in their apparently picture-perfect marriage when they are each propositioned at a party. In their moment of crisis, Bill and Alice admit to other temptations and fantasies that, once uncorked, lead Bill into a series of sexual adventures, real and imagined, involving prostitutes, his patients and a brace of models. His walk on the wild side culminates in an orgy in a country house complete with capes, whips and restrictive clothing.

"There is always a risk with films featuring masks," wrote one journalist in Los Angeles who had seen an early preview, "that there is nothing underneath." "I don't believe in the relationship," said a Yugoslav film producer and friend of Kubrick's, Ika Hanajotovic, after that screening. "And if the audience doesn't believe in that, then the movie's in trouble." Cruise and Kidman sued an American magazine earlier this year when it was reported that two English sex therapists, Wendy and John Duffield, had been brought on set after they "failed to produce any In fact, according to the Time critic, the film is less about sex than fear; at the crucial moments it pulls back from the per hour. Others weren't far behind. Take the average speed ol Australia's pitching lineup. Tanya Harding throws 108 kph; Sue Fairhurst 107.

Brooke Wilkins throws 105, and Melanie Roche 100. Roche, the' team's Shane Wame, is. also known for her other baffling pitches. Thorn in the USA This month's US Olympic Cup in Sand Diego will be a preview of what the Australian Olympic team can expect at the finals ol the Sydney 2000 Games. Australia is trying to Iook at the Games as a one-on-one showdown with the reigning dynasty, the United States.

After finishing third to the US in Atlanta and second to the US in the World Championship, the dream is to go one step further. It won't be easy. The US won 106 consecutive games until an upset loss to China before the 1996 Olympic Games. Pitching star Lisa Fernandez, one ol the best players in the history of the game, struct, out 14 batters when a US split squad beat Australia In a league of their own Three newcomers to women's Olympic Softball, including natural rival. New Zealand, have filled out the field for the Sydney 2(MX) Games.

Cuba and Italv are the other new faces among the eight teams just finalised through qualifying tournaments. They join Australia, Canada, China, japan and the United States, the veterans of top international competition. The United States is the defending gold medallist, its near-perfect performance in the 1996 Atlanta Games marred only by Australia's Joanne Brown, who hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run home run in the 10th inning to win the game 2-1. China won the silver medal, with Australia taking bronze. Australia finished second to the United States in the 199S World Championship with Japan taking third.

The next major step is Olympic competition set to run fur 11) days-September 17-26. Top end punt The Countdown Auction of collectable art pieces headed to Darwin last week and this week it moves on to Newcastle and Brisbane. The steel pieces, designed and manufactured by BHP, are inlaid with the same silver used to strike the Sydney 20U0 medals. For future locations, phone (02) 9297-2391. For advance bid forms, visit Snap-happy An exhibition of 60 colour and black-and-white photos by Sydney-born David Moore opened at the State Library of Hawaii in Honolulu this week as part of the continuing 1999 Olympic Arts Festival, Reaching the World.

The exhibition runs until August 15 and includes photos of Sydney Harbour from 1947 to 1997. Liter, it moves to Washington. Speed thrills "Fnst pitch" softball, as the sport is also known, is exactly what it says. One pitch at Atlanta was clocked at 118 kilometres Goodbye Tom Cruise, hello sailor 1-U last weekend at the Canada Cup. However, Australia defeated the US three times last year.

Australia's Tanya Harding is another of the top-ranked pitchers in the world. A ring endorsement Former national tiible-tennis champion Ann Middlcton of South Australia is the first person to design and market a limited collection of fine hallmarked jewellery for an Olympia Games. She released her' Olympic Millennium Collection in Sydney thi week. The collection features 32 pieces of intricately designed items, including rings, bracelets, earrings cufflinks and pendants. Each carries a unique image of the Sydney 2XX) Games from the Southern Cross to masctrts Millie, 5yd and Oily.

Sales support the 2000 Games -and the Australian Olympic team. By John Hiscock EYES WIDE SHUT had one of the longest shoots ever. Two stars fell by the wayside during the 18 months it lasted, and rumors flew about the supposed ordeals to which director Stanley Kubrick was subjecting Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. But all those involved remained tight-lipped. The film opened in the United States this week, and Cruise and Kidman have now spoken out about making the film; the traumatic effect it had on them and their sadness at the death of the director.

"It somehow cheapens it to talk about it," says Kidman. "It was a big, intense experience we went through together, and I think it has made us stronger and closer." Both know thm comparisons are inevitable between themselves and the film's rich married couple who have secret sexual fantasies. And they admit that the scenes involving sexual jealously and infidelity were particularly difficult. "The whole thing is so personal that it is very hard to talk about the film without getting upset. Emotionally, I am very connected to it," says Kidman.

At one point during our interview she sobs. "I couldn't Imagine doing this film with anyone else hut Tom, and I'm so glad it was him," she says. "There is nn element of voyeurism in this, and I suppose that's why Stanley wanted a married couple. We put so much of our life Into the film," one thing to be in a room with Stanley, doing that with your wife, and then suddenly there it is on the screen." "Recently I showed the movie to my mother," Kidman said, "and she and my stepfather were both shaking. She just hugged me and said how incredible it was, what a moving piece of work it was.

It's kind of weird, hut I guess that's what I was most concerned about." Kidman planned to take her parents to the premiere, although she admits that her explicit scenes with the naval officer, played by Gary Goba, were difficult. "We filmed them over three days and we shot a lot of stuff. 1 don't think I would do what I did for any other director. Stanley wanted it to be almost pornographic, but he did not exploit me. "I did it because I thought it was important for the film.

The film deals with sex and sexual obsession, and the scenes could not have been of me in a bra and panties pretending to have sex with somebody. It had to have a graphic quality to it. "It was difficult going home to my husband after those scenes, but we both decided we were basically going to get lost in this world for a year and a half, and that's what we did. It is a great memory for us, and at times it was almost a dreamlike state," she says. "Unfortunately our director is not with us, and that takes a lot of joy out of it." TELEGRAPH appreciated it.

1 think he knew what it cost us to go through with these don't like to bring work home, but sometimes, because of the characters and the nature of the scenes, it was very difficult not to think about it and become slightly obsessed with it. I worked every day on the movie, except the day Nicole did those scenes with the naval officer, and sometimes it would wear on me. We really had to take time to try and be good to each other and kind to each other." Cruise says he and Kidman had been married long enough to cope. "A relationship is something you always have to be creative in. I think Nic and I have learnt that together.

And this picture has given me a stronger belief in our friendship and our love. I'm glad we had been married as long as we were, because it would have been a lot more difficult if we had been in the first year of our marriage." Kidman agrees. "It came along at a time in our marriage when we were ready for it," she says in a separate interview. "We were both nervous because we were dealing with subject matter that is quite dangerous. But we had been married for seven years and we were willing to start talking about and dealing with things that a lot of the time you try to pretend aren't there: desire, attraction to other people, all sorts of things." Cruise was shocked when he saw the Kubrick's trailer, featuring 90 seconds of Cruise caressing a naked Kidman.

"It's Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise at the premier of Eyes Wide Shut. Eyes Wide Shut is based on Traum-novelle, a 1926 novella by Viennese playwright and physician Arthur Schnitzler, a friend of Sigmund Freud. Director Staney Kubrick died just after he finished editing it. The film veers between erotica and melodrama. Ian Hurling, the executive producer, said; "Stanley wanted to show the worst of decadence and sinfulness." From the opening shot of Kidman shrugging off her dress until two hours 40 minutes later when she sneaks the four-letter word that ends the film.

Eyes Wide Shut is concerned with sins of the flesh. Many of the scenes some filmed over and over again in Kubrick's quest for perfection were emotionally harrowing. "It could have destroyed our marriage, but I think it has brought us together, and we have this experience to remember for the rest of our lives," says Cruise. "NIc and I have good communication, but when you are dealing with the kind of issues that the film is confronting, you really have to go through with It and discuss it. There are a lot of things we brought to the picture, and I think Stanley (IAA ftl.