Despite the de riguer practice of releasing unrated versions of films on DVD, six years ago Warner Home Video decided to release only the digitally covered-up version of Stanley Kubrick‘s Eyes Wide Shut (i.e., the one with the hooded CG figures standing in front of sex acts in the orgy scene) because, it was said, they wanted to respect Kubrick’s vision. In fact, Kubrick’s original vision didn’t include the cover-ups (which were inserted after his death in early ’99), so the WHV people who said this were totally full of it.

In any event, the just-released Eyes Wide Shut Special Edition DVD (which includes two discs) signals a major turnaround because it contains the unrated, uncensored, European version of the film. Whomever was insisting on releasing only the covered-up version has either seen the light, died or been fired.

That said, there’s a mistake on the packaging. The disk, it says on the back, is supposed to contain both versions of the film (unrated and rated), but pop in the disc and you see right away that only the European version is included. Totally fine with me — it should have been this version all along — but someone who works in the WHV packaging division screwed up. But please don’t fire them. .