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Finally, the film indexes the . The narrative structure mimics the disjointed, anxiety-ridden sensation of a nightmare. Characters appear and disappear without explanation (the daughter of the costume shop owner, the hotel receptionist); locations feel strangely empty yet populated by lurking observers. Bill’s nocturnal odyssey is a physical manifestation of Alice’s dream, which she recounts earlier with terrifying honesty. The film blurs the line between reality and fantasy so thoroughly that the viewer is left indexing the events themselves: Was the orgy real? Was the threat real? Kubrick refuses to clarify, suggesting that the difference is irrelevant. The jealousy and fear that Bill experiences are real, regardless of the objective truth of the events.
: Beyond the plot, the film is famous for its exploration of socioeconomic class and the secret culture of the ultra-wealthy elite. Notable Production Facts index of eyes wide shut