Masked Ball Backwards - Video w/Subtitles

Masked Ball by Jocelyn Pook from "Eyes Wide Shut" in reverse. When played backwards, the singing is actually a recording of Romanian priests singing Orthodox Liturgy. Video contains English and Romanian subtitles. Eyes Wide Shut directed by Stanley Kubrick starring Tom Cruise.

[nogunk]

If youre not aware playing it backwards is actually playing it regularly. In the film the normal hymn is played bacwards as a mockery to god. Here its played normally basically which is a christian hymn. Its why it sounds more welcoming and soothing because its how its meant to be hard and has a religious message. In the film its backwards to symbolize how they are turning away from God.

[brjones]

I did NOT know this. Was curious why, in the movie, it sounded so haunting. Backwards Christian hymn makes all the sense in the world.

[tookurjaerbs]

I don't care what anyone says, this movie is flawless as it is

[thewoodsman]

I feel as if I was gifted to enjoy this version more than the one in the film.

[matthewscott]

From a liturgical expert:

This is not a hymn, though it is indeed Christian. Both priests are singing (in Romanian) short excerpts from standard liturgical prayers. Here are correct translations:

The lower-voiced priest sings:
"The Lord said to His disciples: I give you a new commandment"
(John 13:34)

The higher-voiced priest sings from the Triple Litany of Supplication (said during Holy Week, similar to the Good Friday intercessions of the Catholic and Anglican/Episcopal churches):
[To God] we pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, examination, and the forgiveness of sins for the servants of God: worshippers, charity-givers, and well-doers of this holy church."

The captions misspell "mantuirea", and the inclusion of "worshippers and charity-givers" replaces the Romanian original of "parishioners and builders" (enoriasi, ctitori), which may be intentional, since Pook created this piece specifically for Kubrick and most likely approached Romanian Orthodox priests to make her own recording of them, rather than using an existing recording which might not have had the correct acoustic or microphones appropriate for her intended use.

I point this out because it is one more way in which the text appears to have been altered slightly to place more of an emphasis on money, which would fit entirely within Kubrick's intention for this scene of ostentatious wealth.

Some have suggested in their comments that they feel this is intended as a mockery or a "Black Mass". I believe that Kubrick's intent was not necessarily to mock, but more to create an emphatically foreign liturgy. These are real priests singing real liturgy (a realism that is hard for actors to duplicate), but it's in a language most of the people seeing this movie would not recognize, and it's played backward to make sure that even those who speak Romanian or know the Romanian Orthodox liturgy would find it foreign.

[Codi]

As a Romanian this is so iconic and cool

[FayeLawnKrackd]

Putting the two songs together is just MAJESTIC ✨️

[antondavidovic]

So the occultists in this film played it in reverse to mock it. What they're doing is practically a "black liturgy", instead of a "black mass"...

[docbrown]

Kubrick let us with so many clues in this movie every detail unfortunately I am not smart enough to understand it all. Thank you for uploading this!

[zephaniah]

What are guys talking about, this still sounds haunting.

[cezarstehan]

This is the romanian orthodox liturgy this is a form of mockery

[KBKilla]

Watched this movie first time couple nights ago, very stoned. They were definitely saying ‘moloch’ in the reversed version played in the film.

[MrAnnymus]

The song used in the movie is haunting and somehow draws you in. But I'm afraid whenever I listen to it I'm going to summon a demon 😂🤔😬

[coreyholloway]

Still creepy tbh but at least it's on a higher vibration level

[TheCount-ye]

Thanks for this by the way! I appreciate the reverse, it feels as if I'm waking up from the nightmare...

[sidviscus]

In lower level devil worship they often refer to the devil as "God" or something that sounds benign, because lower level members of secret societies are still kept in the dark about the inner workings. These rituals are often disguised as sounding good, or at least not evil. Sometimes even sounding Christian or using biblical phrases. Only the inner circles of these societies know what they're really about. They know who they really worship, and that information is kept away from the lower members, as are their real rituals. This, by any standard of a secret society, would be considered a light ritual. The real rituals are too grotesque to be mentioned.

[fadal]

GOD TOLD TO HIS APPRENTICE
I GAVE YOU A COMMAND TO PRAY FOR THE MERCY LIFE PEACE HEALTH SALVATION THE SEARCH THE LEAVE AND THE FORGIVENESS OF THE SINS OF GOD'S CHILDREN THE ONES WHO PRAY THEY HAVE MERCY THE ONES WHO PRAY AND TOOK A GOOD CARE OF THIS HOLY PLACE

[GeorgeContreras-kzxf]

A masterpiece. Having Cruise and Kidman in this one was genius. Should go down in history as a classic ❤

[nebunucox]

niculae trepan avea dreptate nu a existat un neam mai conspirat decat neamu romanesc 💯💯💯🔥🔥🔥🗣️🗣️🗣️‼️‼️‼️🇷🇴🇷🇴🇷🇴

[myriam]

I knew this from the first time I saw this movie on ProTV. I am Romanian.