Moonwatchers

 

Bill pretends to examine Milich's balding head. The pale, bluish spot may suggest to us the idea of the moon, pale and circular in the night. Bill seems to be gazing at this spot, even divining it, like a palm-reader, or a reader of crystal balls, attempting to see into the future. It could be implied that Bill is asking himself "what would be the consequences of helping Milich?" After all, Kubrick obsessives have noted that very early on, Ziegler mentions the osteopath Bill referred him to, thanking him. I think Bill says "the best in New York." So, we know Bill probably knows a trichologist, or hair specialist, but is concealing this information because of skepticism, or arrogance - both stemming from class differences. The question remains: is Bill a "moon watcher?" Moonwatcher, of course, is the name of one of the hominid leaders in "The Dawn of Man" sequence of 2001. Moonwatcher, we're led to believe, "discovers" the power of violence and destruction. 

Bill is not outwardly violent. He smacks his hands together angrily while passing by the sleazy shops. That's about it. He doesn't literally destroy anything. He's angry, but his actions do not align with true violence. But it seems Bill understands the power of money. Bill understands the power of the "bill." This is a tautology, and yet it isn't quite true: Bill arguably begins to realize his strength is little more than hubris. His weakness is what makes him moral: married, a father, a doctor, a social outsider. 

Some read Bill's decision not to help Milich as Bill condescending, or, guarding himself from the lower class. Both are basically true, which makes it incredibly ambiguous. After all, Bill has used a "foot-in-the-door" technique in order to gain entrance to the Rainbow rental shop. He creates a facade of seeking an old patient he probably knows is dead or moved away. He offers something personal in order to do something impersonal: rent a costume. Milich grants the impersonal wish, yet, when asks a personal favor of Bill, is denied. Bill wins, 2/2. Milich wins 1/2. 22 vs 12. 

Also, concerning signs, check out this goofy "Clean up after your dog" sign that appears outside Gillespie's. The human figure is crouched, appearing more like a hominid, aka, "Moonwatcher," than a real person. The hominids are like "knuckle-draggers," and the sign seems to imply that the average people of New York are basically apes who have to be told to clean up after their pets. The sign also appears above Bill's head, implying that Bill might be a little dumb, aloof, and slow. The newspaper headline "LUCKY TO BE ALIVE" might even remind us of a common phrase: "dumb luck."