‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (1999): How Symbols Make Us Feel

Within film, symbols hold a major influence, as it helps guide the audience through the narrative and the world it creates. ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (1999), by Stanley Kubrick, serves as an intriguing masterpiece of the exploration of semiotics in film.

Kubrick, a genius in storytelling, weaves a tapestry of symbols in ‘Eyes Wide Shut’. By using recurring elements such as masks, robes, empty doorways and colours, he gives us the key to open hidden meanings within the film. Semiotics do not only enrich the films visual experience but it also invites the audience to travel through the world of the image before them, experiencing every thought and emotion the characters do, helping them to decipher the depths of the narrative.

The scene which overflowed symbols the most is ‘The Masked Ball Scene’, in which William Harford experiences the masked sexual cult of elites for the first time. The elaborate masks and robes worn by those in attendance not only hold aesthetic value but also become symbols of hidden identities and agendas. It can be translated as the veil people wear in their day to day life, ultimately choosing what the show and what not. The mise-en-scene is bathed in a bright focal light, establishing the symbol of who has the most power in the room while also heightening the aura of the atmosphere on screen. Here the characters have to navigate their way through a symbolic labyrinth, in which the audience also follows.

Eyes Wide Shut Ritual Scene (Full Scene) - YouTube

These symbols hold the power to engage emotions. For example, the recurring use of red bathes the scene in the feeling of lust, anger, power and danger. Therefore, these symbols evoke subconscious responses, making the viewers experience multi-layered. In order to get a deeper understanding of the narrative, filmmakers must enhance the power of symbols to bridge the gap between the visual elements and emotion to connect with the audience.

Furthermore, semiotics acts as doorway, inviting the audience to ponder the questions that lies before them, encouraging them to grapple with deeper existential issues than they might face in everyday life. By unravelling the intricacies of ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ the audience can establish the complexities of the human experience.

Kubrick made a film that testifies the unlimited potential semiotics must bring a narrative to life. His film skips over the conventional values of storytelling, creating a world in which everything has a meaning, so you better keep your eyes peeled for any subtle incentive. In conclusion, as we unravel this world, we find that symbols hold the power to make us feel.