We discuss a classic now. At least, I discuss it. I certainly always encourage you readers to comment below though.
The Shining is one of the most acclaimed horror movies ever. It represents a rare collaboration between two utter legends, Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick. Kind of.
King was unhappy at the changes made from his vision but said despite being a bad adaptation it was still a scary movie. The esoteric supernatural elements that do remain from his epic novel help turn The Shining from a simple haunted house movie about cabin fever into a deeply unsettling masterpiece of which people debate the meaning to this day. While Kubrick has given a simple, explicit explanation of what goes in the movie, he was known to say things just to mess with fans. Also, the movie’s iconic hedge maze was Kubrick’s idea. Sorry King – it’s better than the hedge animals.
As far as what objectively happens in the movie, besides the beyond exciting scenes in the hedge maze, Jack Nicholson portrays Jack Torrance, a middle-aged writer disgusted with the responsibilities of being husband to an ugly wife and father to an unsettling kid. I’m not trying to be mean to Shelley Duvall with that description, but the choice by Kubrick to cast her for a character who’s written as conventionally attractive in the book was deliberate. So was the casting of Jack Nicholson, the choice of whom upset King, as the legendary actor seemed too innately creepy to play Torrance as a loving husband and father prior to getting warped by the hotel.
Let’s focus on what we do have though. A borderline-abusive father is a ticking time bomb, and while on some level he wants to be a better person, he’s got too much evil inside him and The Overlook Hotel recruits people just like him. That’s bad news for his weak-willed wife and his already mentally ill son, but the good news is the latter befriends the hotel’s cook Dick Halloran, who shares Danny’s ability to communicate telepathically. Not just with other similarly gifted people, but with The Overlook Hotel itself.
Intrigued yet? You should be! It’s hard to imagine a more horrifying place to be trapped for nine months than The Overlook, besides Bernardo Yorba Middle School.*
Watch this classic if you haven’t already. Even if you have seen the movie itself watch the trailer I posted below. Best teaser in film history!
Bottom line: Well done Stanley (and Stephen)!
Up Next: A further look see.
*That’s where my business manager and I met. I’ve been looking for an excuse to rip into them publicly. 😉
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