Film enthusiasts, rejoice! A special offer awaits fans of Stanley Kubrick. Secure your copy of “Eyes Wide Shut” from The Criterion Collection with a 30% discount on pre-orders. This marks the debut of the cinematic enigma, Kubrick’s final directorial venture, on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, scheduled for release on November 25th. Score the 3-disc 4K Blu-ray edition of “Eyes Wide Shut” at a reduced price of $35 (originally $50) via Amazon. Additionally, Criterion is also simultaneously launching a revitalized 1080p Blu-ray version, also benefiting from a 30% price cut, bringing it down to $28.
Debated and dissected since its 1999 premiere, “Eyes Wide Shut,” a sexually charged exploration of marital anxieties, initially divided both audiences and critics, despite its box office success. The film, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, is now celebrated by many as a cinematic achievement. While this is only the second time Criterion has released a Kubrick film in 4K – following “Barry Lyndon” back in July – most of Kubrick’s iconic filmography can already be found in 4K Blu-ray format from various distributors.
$35 (was $50) | Releases November 25
This 4K release is presented as a three-disc package with a 4K UHD disc and two 1080p Blu-ray discs. As with other Criterion releases, this has been designed to be as close as possible to Kubrick’s vision, while being thoroughly meticulous in how it should be presented. Although the director passed away in 1999, less than a week after previewing the final version for Warner Bros., this Criterion restoration was supervised by the movie’s director of photography, Larry Smith. As the 1080p version is based on the 4K restoration, it should also be an upgrade compared to the current Blu-ray release.
Notably, Criterion restored the international edition–the final cut mentioned above–as opposed to the US version, which was censored in order to achieve an R rating.
Regarding audio/visual quality, the release will offer support for Dolby Vision HDR and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound.
A number of bonus materials have been filmed, including brand new interviews with Smith, photographer and second-unit director Lisa Leone, and Stanley Kubrick archivist Georgina Orgill.
Extras from previous Blu-ray releases of Eyes Wide Shut will also be included, featuring interviews with the actors, and a documentary that examines the unfinished films of Kubrick. All of these are available to view on the bonus Blu-ray disc. This standard Blu-ray edition is a two-disc set, featuring the same bonus content.
Inside the display case, you’ll also discover a booklet that includes 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 overseen 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
- Brand-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
Inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s “Dream Story,” “Eyes Wide Shut” delves into the subconscious desires and anxieties of Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) and his wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), within a surreal New York setting.
As mentioned above, this is the second 4K Blu-ray edition from Criterion to feature Kubrick’s work. However, the good news is that many of his other movies can be found in the same quality format from different distributors. “Barry Lyndon”, the director’s 1975 historical drama concerning an aspiring con man who infiltrates high society, is now available for $31.64 (originally $50) on 4K Blu-ray at Amazon. The film offers a visual feast due to the decadent cinematography, and extravagant costume designs. It also received the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
More 4K Blu-ray Kubrick releases are likely in the future from Criterion. “Barry Lyndon” has been in the company’s Blu-ray catalog since 2017. A few other Kubrick films, including “Dr. Strangelove” and “The Killing”, are also available in the standard Blu-ray format.
For fans who want to experience more of Kubrick’s popular films in 4K Blu-ray, they will need to look at other distributors, as The Criterion Collection is yet to release “The Shining”, “A Clockwork Orange”, “2001: A Space Odyssey”, and “Full Metal Jacket”. “The Shining” has now become part of “The Film Vault,” which is a series of limited-edition 4K Blu-rays designed by Vice Press in partnership with Warner Bros., complete with a new and impressive Steelbook Edition (featured above). Walmart is now taking preorders for “The Shining” Steelbook Edition, and orders will start shipping from October 3. There is also a Steelbook Edition of “Full Metal Jacket” on sale for only $30 on Amazon.
Amazon also has an offer on the Stanley Kubrick 3-Film 4K Collection, which has dropped in price to $43 (originally $85). This box set comes with “The Shining”, “Full Metal Jacket”, and “2001: A Space Odyssey”.
Stanley Kubrick Movies on Blu-ray
Not all of Kubrick’s movies have been restored on 4K Blu-ray. The 1956 film “The Killing”, and Kubrick’s 1962 adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov’s novel “Lolita”, can only be purchased on standard Blu-ray. Below, we have included a list of Kubrick movies that are available on 1080p Blu-ray. On certain occasions, the standard Blu-ray version is cheaper than the 4K edition. However, many 4K editions also come with standard Blu-ray discs. In addition to standalone editions, there are some Kubrick Blu-ray box sets, including a limited-edition Amazon exclusive called “The Masterpiece Collection”–this is out of print and expensive– and a region-free 9-film collection, which is very reasonably priced at just $37.
Stanley Kubrick Books
Those who love Kubrick’s work should check out some of Taschen’s books that detail the director’s work. The premium art book publisher recently released a two-volume hardcover set based on “The Shining.” This book is written by J.W. Rinzler, and dives deep into the interviews and the various research that was conducted during the film. It’s a definitive account of Kubrick’s most popular film. The second book is a scrapbook with previously unseen photographs and documents from the production. This nearly 1,400 page set is expensive, at a cost of $125, but it is incredibly detailed and comprehensive. We would highly recommend it.
We’d also recommend Taschen’s “The Stanley Kubrick Archives”, which can be purchased as a large coffee table book, or as a compact edition for $21. Taschen’s “The Making of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey” is currently sold out, but Michael Benson’s “Space Odyssey”, which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2018, is also a fantastic book. The 2024 book “Kubrick: An Odyssey” is a great biography of Kubrick.
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