Questions posed by EWS

[Richard Romeo]

some good points here>
>
>'Over the rainbow'
>
>Cruise is invited to go 'otr' by the two girl in the beginning.  This is 
>the
>costume shop's sign.  Connection?  Does the costume shop provide all
>outfits?
______________________________________
Possibly.  No evidence either way.  But how did Cruise find that particular 
shop and wouldn't he find it ironic considering the proposal at the party? 
And note that Cruise almost finds death "over that rainbow" twice, at the 
party with the hooker whom he saves and at the masquerade ball (the party in 
the beginning could seem to be a masquerade ball all its own).
>
>Mask
>
>How did the mask get on the bed?  Did Kidman find it, was it placed?
____________________________
Again, possibly.  If so, Kidman's role becomes even more sinister.  But I 
lean towards the "cabal." If they can get to the mask, they can get to them.
>
>
>Navy Officer
>
>It would seem that Kidman did indeed fuck the navy officer after all. . . .
____________________________
Not sure.  The movie gives the impression that these b/w scenes are from 
Cruise's mind.
>
>Password
>
>What was the password's significance?  I have to research that.
>
----------------
Fidelio.  According to Otto Klemperer:

Fidelio is Beethoven's only opera - it is unique, alike in number and 
quality. Fidelio is a companion to Mozart's Entführung and Zauberflöte (the 
only previous German operas with spoken dialogue
instead of secco recitativ). Beethoven was particularly fond of Zauberflöte, 
as we can see from the fact that he chose a theme from it for a set of 
variations for cello and piano on 'Bei Männern, welche
Liebe fühlen'.

Fidelio, or Conjugal Love, an opera in three acts freely adapted from the 
French by Joseph Sonnleithner, was first performed on 20 November 1805, in 
the Theater an der Wien. Since the French army under Napoleon had occupied 
Vienna a short while before, the first performance was
given before an audience of French officers and had little success. After 
the misfortunes of the premier, which deeply disappointed Beethoven, he 
accepted the advice of his friends to make some radical alterations, 
particularly with the object of considerably shortening the opera. To 
discuss this, a meeting was held at the palace of the Prince Karl 
Lichnowsky. Beethoven defended every note of his original score like a 
lioness protecting her cubs, but he was defeated.
Radical alterations were made, the most important being the reshaping of the 
opera in two acts instead of three. In this form the
opera was given on 29 March and 10 April 1806, and was more successful than 
it had been in the previous year. However,
there was a dispute between Beethoven and the manager of the theatre and the 
composer withdrew his score.

Fidelio was for Beethoven a child of sorrow. In a letter to his librettist, 
Treitschke, he writes as follows: 'I assure you, dear
Treitschke, that this opera will win me a martyr's crown. You have by your 
co-operation saved what is best from the
shipwreck. For all this I shall be eternally grateful to you.'


>Nightengale
>
>Significance of name besides that of the fact that he 'sung' to Cruise? 
> >Historical, it sounds familiar but I'm not quite sure where I've heard it 
> >before. . . .Also, he is called away at the beginning party scene by a 
>non >band member.  Why?  He had been in on the orgies for some time now, 
>they >weren't just telling him then.
--------------------------------
Yes, the name has connotations of singing, imparting clues, etc. about 
secrets.  His being called away could mean something, maybe not.  No 
evidence either way. Next we see Cruise w/ the girls, right? hmm...

>
>Quiet
>
>What does the girl [prostitute?] in the costume shop whisper to Cruise?
>Something about a closet or a cloak?
------------------------
Whatever it is, Cruise is shocked.  Possibly, her attempt to seduce him?

>
>
>Costume shop parlor tricks
>
>What was the deal with the Asian men?  What was Milich's [significance of
>name?] m.o. to be so infuriated and then strike a deal?  Because the girl
>was not sharing her profits with him perhaps?  In addition, why was the
>original owner said to be 'out of town in CHicago?'
>
-----------------------
Leads me to the question of how he picked that store>  Think that has more 
importance than the above, which is easily explained, as typical perverted 
goings-on.

>
>Red cloak
>
>Who was he?  The Hungarian perhaps?  Who were his assistants, the only ones
>with matching masks!
-------------------------------
For a sec thought it might be Sidney Lumet's character (he was there but he 
was the dude nodding with the tri-corn hat on the upper level gazing at 
Cruise, I beleive).  As for who it is, could be Thomas Pynchon for all we 
can ascertain by the evidence.

>
>HIV+
>
>Was Domino's character's only reason for contracting HIV so that Cruise
>would not end up fucking her towards the end?  Significance?  He seemed to
>be calling all around to get some information or action or both.
-----------------------------------------
No, I think it exhibits the peril of free love and blind lust in today's 
atmosphere.  Of course, I thought the cabal could have easily did away with 
her, either so she wouldn't talk or as another warning.
>
>
>Dresses
>
>Why were some in standard dresses at the orgy?
---------------------------------
Some guys (and gals) wanted their ladies to be dressed.  I was surprised to 
see that only heterosexual activities were going on. But hey, this club was 
mostly het.  Hardly a reason to crticize as some of the reviewers did.  
Would it make them feel better if there was other stuff happening at the 
ball--those critics.

>
>Woman whose father died
>
>What was her significance?  Her math professor fiance?  Was it only to
>reinforce Cruise's power over women?  Or to get him out of the house?
>
----------------------
It did seem odd and out of the blue, but one could look at it as the 
beginning of Cruise's spiral into a sexual abyss, desire so forthright, and 
obviously dangerous.  So close to Death'll do that to anyone...


>Domino
>
>She had masks on the wall and a sociology book on the bookshelf. . . .hmmm
>
----------------
I initally thought she could've been the gal that saved Cruise at the ball. 
It would explain the later disappearance due to HIV and the story of the OD 
of the other hooker plausible.

>Victor
>
>He was the one with the half mask or whatever.  Was that his wife with him?
>It was a female mask....not a question, butI but say Pollock was 
>INCREDIBLE.
>Also, what ball did he pick up of the pool table?
>
---------->
Plausible. Lumet was pretty creepy. I liked the line about him telling 
Cruise the names of some of the people at the party which he won't to save 
cruise's sanity. who? The Pope? Maybe that was the red-gowned dude.

>Newspaper
>
>Did anyone get to read most of the article, it said something of Mandy's
>sister saying it must be an accident.  And that thankful to be alive part
>was great.
----------------
Yup, but it's The New York Post, after all. Couldn't get The Times w/ a 
headline like that.>
>
>
>
>There's much more, but I'm tired and I need to view it again. . . .
>----------------
Yes. Bears another viewing.

>
>
>Alexander
>
thx.
Rich


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com