The latest chapter in the Hollywood saga features Tom Cruise, a legendary superstar known for his intense dedication to his craft, and Frederic Raphael, an Oscar-winning screenwriter who worked with Stanley Kubrick on the mysterious and controversial film Eyes Wide Shut.
Frederic Raphael steps forward with revelations in his latest book, Last Post, that lift the veil on Tom Cruise’s need for creative ownership and the intricate dynamics between actors and the visionaries behind the scenes.
Frederic Raphael’s Imagination Amidst Ego Clash
Moviegoers in 1999 were thrown headfirst into a world of mystery and sensuality with the release of Eyes Wide Shut. Starring Tom Cruise and his then-wife Nicole Kidman, the mysterious Stanley Kubrick directed the film.
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The plot’s complex choreography of desire and deception kept viewers enthralled, and the novel depiction of sexuality generated interest and debate. The film’s distinctive story and the palpable chemistry between the on-screen couple continue to spark discussions more than two decades after its release.
Frederic Raphael, now 91 years old, writes about the difficult process of writing Eyes Wide Shut in his most recent book, Last Post. The book provides an unfiltered look at Raphael’s experiences behind the scenes of the silver screen and is written in the form of imaginary letters to key figures who shaped his career.
Against the backdrop of a multimillion-dollar production, a portrait of ego, control, and the complex dance of artistic collaboration emerges. In Last Post, Raphael lays it all out there. He aims at Kubrick, who has since passed away, and Cruise.
Tom Cruise And His Need For Control
Raphael has been accused of having his online presence tampered with and having his contributions cut from the film’s final cut.
“I have never been called a liar by anyone as I have been by the Harlan clan and by Tom Cruise, egocentric control freak to whom I have never spoken.”
Raphael’s claim that Cruise offered him a job after filming wrapped is one of the most shocking revelations in Last Post because he sees it as an attempt by Tom Cruise to keep him under control. Raphael also critiques Kubrick’s use of a real-life married couple, Cruise and Kidman, instead of a fictional one in his letters.
“He [Cruise] did offer me a job though, soon after you finished shooting; the better to have me on a leash, no doubt. In his turn, he too seems to need the control he finds in Scientology.”
While this choice could have been interpreted as an attempt at realism, Raphael doubts the credibility of their on-screen romance. In addition to Cruise and Kubrick, another Hollywood heavy hitter who comes under Raphael’s critical eye is Nicole Kidman.
Raphael questions her star power and the success of her previous films before he even sees Eyes Wide Shut. On the contrary, the screenwriter may have been wrong about Kidman, as she went on to win an Oscar and give performances that cemented her status as a Hollywood heavyweight in the years after the film’s release.
Source: Daily Mail
