The Shining

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Summary: "I'm not going to hurt you" unless you never saw this movie
Review: This Classic Horror Film by the one and the only Stanley Kubrick who delivers a great horror film where a writer named Jack Torrance(Jack Nicholson) is the caretaker for the Overlook Hotel for the winter. Some where during that period of time Jack got a bad case of writers block and tries to murder his wife, Wendy Torrance(Shelley Duvall), and his telapathic son Danny Torrance(Danny Loyd). Danny finds out about "The Shining" while talking to with the Overlook's hotel cook, Dick Hallorann(Scatman Crothers). If your looking for a great horror classic buy or rent The Shining.

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Summary: Kubrick at his best?
Review: I have just bought the DVD of this film and although it is a little light on features, the film still er... "shines" (sorry!).

There is an air of tension and creepiness throughout this film which I can only attribute to the clever camera shots which give the impression that the film's protagonists are being constantly watched. Not in an obvious handheld POV shot either, but in slow tracking shots that follow the subject from a distance, something of a Kubrick trademark.

The script always gives the impression that something very bad is about to happen, with some amazing mundane-sounding by ultimately portentious dialogue, particularly in the scene with Jack and the Overlook Hotel's manager and in the scene with Wendy and the social worker discussing Danny's 'accident'.

As far as the DVD is concerned, the picture quality and sound are quite poor (especially in the accompanying documentary), however, this does not detract from the overall quality of the DVD, such is the quality of film itself. And at least, being on DVD, it won't get any worse, unlike my PAL VHS copy...

An essential purchase then.

NB: For those of you with widescreen TVs who are worried about the 4:3 ratio, don't worry - Kubrick filmed many of his films in 4:3 but framed them so they could be matted them to 1.66:1 for convention's sake, so you'll find that the 14:9 (or even the 16:9) zoom setting on your TV will look fine.

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Summary: This one's in my top 5 of all time....
Review: This movie is excellent. Period. I have read Stephen King's novel and I strongly prefer Kubrick's version of the story. The made-for-TV version of this film, which closely followed King's novel, was TERRIBLE.

Two elements make this an essential film. First, I beleive this movie displays Jack Nicholson at his absolute best (however,all the actors in this movie do an incredible job). Secondly, Kubrick's films are both beautiful and effective. Just like any other Kubrick film, you sit back and take in the wonderful sets, acting, camera work, lighting, and dialogue. There is no other film like this...

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Summary: Unsuccessful adaptation that still has some creeps!
Review: The image of Jack Nicholson's head peering through the chopped hole in the bathroom door screaming, "Here's Johnny!" is one that remains in the mind long after it is first seen. That is the case with Stanley Kubrick's film version of Stephen King's "The Shining," a chilling tale of a hotel with a dark past, and the inhabitants it wishes to claim for its own. The movie does borrow from the plot of the novel, but sensationalism takes over and changes a lot of the novel's story. Still, on the basis of its own development, as well as the actors portrayal of the characters, the movie works very well, and delivers chills and suspense Kubrick-style.

Jack Torrance seems to be down on his luck until he is offered a job taking care of the expensive and illustrious Overlook Hotel in the mountains of Colorado. He sees it as the perfect opportunity to finish the writing of his play, while also making some money doing house chores for the owners, and jumps at the chance to take the job, ignoring the stories of past caretakers who never quite make it through the entire period without going insane. Meanwhile, back at his home, his wife, Wendy, and son, Danny, anxiously await any good news, although Danny already knows that his father got the job. He is told by his friend, Tony, who seems to be an imaginary childhood playmate but may play a much larger role than first assumed.

They arrive at the hotel as the last of the winter preparations are being made, and soon, it is just the three of them, left to do nothing but wander around in the vast expanse that is the Overlook. Kubrick brings a nice touch of the overpowering to this aspect of the film. His sets are ominous, large, and tower over the three inhabitants like pillars to some unknown realm, providing the perfect atmosphere for the cabin fever that seems to be plaguing Jack as the movie progresses. His attitude towards his wife begins to change, and he becomes more hostile and cold. What's more, he is seeing ghosts, who offer him alcohol and all the comforts of home, welcoming him and convincing him to invite his family to join the party as well.

The movie is, without a doubt, a classic, because, despite its flaws, it is able to incite fear in the audience. Much of the time, before something shocking is about to happen, Kubrick sets up the moment with a long period of silence and then hits us with the intended shock or scare. His sense of style and the non-stop movement of the camera in certain scenes gives the movie an unsettling appearance, that nothing is what it seems, and that something is always lurking in the shadows, waiting to disturb the happy family.

The real scares come from the performance of Jack Nicholson, whose portrayal of Jack Torrance is matsterful and ultra-creepy. He already has the look of a psychotic from the very beginning of the movie, and this helps give that added eeriness about his character when the time comes for him to advance from sane to going over the edge. Torrance goes beserk on his family, taunting his wife psychologically with her own fears and doubts about her son and her husband, as well as chasing the both of them with an ax as they try to escape him.

There are incredible amounts of tension in scenes such as those mentioned above. The bathroom scene, as well as the scene in which Wendy gets a first-hand look at Jack's finished play, are the key scenes that move us to fright. The music adds a lot in making the suspense work, sometimes playing low and mysterious to underline the tension, or playing high key notes and unsteady strings to indicate intensity and fear. All of this combines to keep the movie frightening and classic, remaining in our minds long after the final chilling sequence.

The only put-off for this movie is that it strays from the original focus of the novel, and that is the power that Danny possesses to see things as well as stop things from happening. In the novel, Danny and his father connect with one another psychologically in the end through his power, and they use that power to end the terror of the ghosts and apparitions. In this version, the focus of the story is Jack's descent into madness, and while it is nice to watch and works on its own, it does not do the book justice. Also, Danny is able to sense things with the help of his friend, Tony, who is merely a figure of his imagination in the novel. In the movie, Tony comes in the form of Danny's index finger, accompanied by a semi-Satanic voice from Danny, which makes us want to laugh and cringe rather than be frightened. Other small factors, such as Halloran's murder and events surrounding Room 237 (217 in the novel), are among the things that the movie changes.

The performances here give us a unique brand of chills and believability. Nicholson, as stated above, is brilliant as Jack Torrance. Shelly Duval is equally excellent as Wendy Torrance. Where Jack inspires the fear, she is there to receive it, her trembling hands and quivering lips the perfect adornment for a woman his is lost in her fright. Danny Lloyd plays Danny, who doesn't have as impacting a role in this film as the novel gives his character, but he does what he can, and does it well.

Even though it does not stick directly to its source material, "The Shining" is a horror classic because it is able to scare us time and again. Its sense of style, vision and grandeur are all employed by Kubrick to give us a chilling story that is heavily laden with slow building suspense and intensity that amounts to a surprisingly effective experience.

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Summary: THE SHINING
Review: JACK TORRANCE, PROSPECTIVE WRITER, ASSUMES A LONG TERM JOB AS A CARETAKER AT A SECLUDED HOTEL. ALONG FOR THE RIDE, HE TAKES HIS WIFE AND LITTLE BOY. AT FIRST THE HOTEL SEEMS LIKE THE IDEAL PLACE TO LIVE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY, BUT AFTER ABOUT A MONTH LIVING THERE, AND THE FIRST DROP OF SNOW, THE SENSE ISOLATION AND FAMILY TROUBLES ARE TOO MUCH FOR JACK TO COPE WITH. BETWEEN THE SUPERNATURAL ENTITIES THAT SUPPOSEDLY INHABIT THE HOTEL, JACK'S BAD TEMPER, AND JACK'S WIFE'S PASSIVE ABUSIVENESS. THE OUTCOME IS HORRENDOUS.

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Summary: A Must Own film, gets better with each viewing
Review: Try if you can to view Kubrick's "The Shining" as a seperate entity from King's masterpiece. The book is so good, that no matter what film adaption was created, it could never match the terror of your own imagination.

That said, Kubrick's film is a resounding success that I have seen many many times, and know I will enjoy watching again in the future.

The film deals with isolation, madness, and perhaps a haunting, perhaps not. The acting is among the best ever, I particularly like Shelley Duvall, who brings vulnerability and sympathy to her role as Wendy Torrance.

There are scenes in this movie that will stick with you long after you've viewed the film..the odd pattern of the rug Danny rides his big wheel on, the twins holding hands and calling Danny to come play...forever...and forever.....and forever, the snow piled high behind the door, the manuscript, and of course the infamous maze chase.

This film is especially effective to watch should you find yourself snowed in, much fun.

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Summary: Duvall Shined!
Review: This movie is definitely a must-see! Horrific suspense without gratuitous bloodshed. Don't watch this one alone.

A young family arrives at the historic Overlook Hotel where they will weather the harsh Colorado winter in isolation as the hotel's caretakers. The hotel has some unsavory history and seems alive with the past. The family begins to succumb to the malevolent forces within but young Danny appears to be the focus of the activity. Was it chance, destiny, or Danny's psychic abilities which brought them to the hotel in the first place? A contest between psychic forces ensues where evil grapples with innocence.

Sterling performances by all actors, including Ms. Duvall.

One must understand Ms. Duvall's character, Wendy, in order to understand the performance. He, Nicholson, a violent former alcoholic with an explosive temperament; she, a timid housewife who tries to softpedal the relationship to avoid acrimony and temperamental outbursts, has learned that "a soft answer turneth away wrath . . . ." It is, in fact, that very whining timidity which often goads Nicholson's bullying character into taunting her.

Yet, while up against the tremendous energy of Nicholson's fine performance, Duvall does not fade into the woodwork. To the contrary, some of the most frightening scenes are those where Wendy's timid, frightened nature are juxtaposed against the violent, menacing actions of her partner; she all but slobbers out of fear! It is that unrelenting fear that heightens audience response.

I've seen this film no fewer than 40 times and still hyperventilate along with Wendy in the final bathroom scene--the woman is so terrified she cannot gather sufficient composure to tackle a single door lock or even to coordinate whole limbs, each of which appears to have a life of its own!

The bunny/bear-suit scene also heightens the bizarre and surreal context. Here, Duvall, who has just escaped being hacked to death by a husband who has clearly lost his mind, now discovers not only that there are other entities in this huge, isolated, creepy hotel, but some of them are performing what appear to be Soddom-and-Gommorah-like rituals in fuzzy little suits. Something warm and fuzzy which normally endears us now becomes something foul; again, evil juxtaposed against innocence.

No matter how many times I've seen it, whenever I feel the need to frighten myself I put this one on and it never fails to produce a rush of adrenaline. I wouldn't change one single thing about this flick.

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Summary: review question
Review: o.k., this is not a review, but an important question. Why are kubrick films always in full screen or letterbox format? his films are great, but the dvds don't do justice. full metal jacket in full screen? Spartacus in letterbox? The Shining in full screen? what is going on here? no one should buy these dvds until the studios release them in a way that gives the full benefit to the viewer -- widescreen anamorphic!

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Summary: Lets get a few things straight here!!!
Review: The book is better than the film but the film itself is far more satisfying. This is probably the only film in the world that really gave me nightmares with its creepy shots of the hotel and the two girls. The scariest scenes for me where the old woman in the bathtub and the last shots of the girls. I think that certain aspects of the script are so well written and Jack Nicholsons performance is A1. You really have to sympathise with poor Jack for the monster he is turned into. Now my rants.

1. The film was shot in 4'3 so you are getting the full picture aspect and you see even more than the cinema version which was cropped at the top and bottom. Any wide screen version that may come out in the future will be cropped just the same. It is an impossibility to get an anamorphic or letterbox edition of this film so you people should really learn a few things. JFK was transferred to widescreen like this and blatently had black lines stuck over at the top and bottom. 2. It was originally recorded in mono sound being 1979-80 and was played theatrically like this. This edition was overseen by Kubrick himself and the point of it is to restore it to how it originally was not to make any modifications. Splitting up mono tracks always takes the depth away from the sound. 3. The picture has been restored suitably enough and shows a gritty image the same as Aliens did. The picture is fine and I cant imagine it ever looked this good before. There. No more waiting for a true version which you make believe will come out some day because I dont ever think there will ever be another. GREAT FILM BY THE WAY.

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Summary: Jack, Yes! Kubrick, Yes! Duvall....well....
Review: People who view "The Shining" usually fall into one of two categories: those who love it (having never read the novel), and those who hate it (having loved the novel). My opinion falls somewhere in the middle. If you don't know the story by now, you can read the other reviews to check out the details; I won't present them here. I also will not judge the film on the merits of the book. Such a comparison would not be fair.

Many fans and critics will agree that Kubrick's "2001" is a masterpiece of science-fiction film making. "The Shining" came so close to being a horror masterpiece, that you just wish someone could fix it. But, it's too late for that. In Kubrick's defense, the images look wonderful. Kubrick had a great eye for what he wanted to paint on the screen. He was so careful and meticulous that every scene "looks" right. The scenes are clear, uncluttered, and exactly what he wanted. And of course the Nicholson performance is great, as we have come to expect. Kubrick's choices of music are creepy and set just the right mood.

Now for the problems I have with the film. For those unfamiliar with the story, the pace is extremely slow. I know that Kubrick wants to build a certain amount of tension and build a reasonable foundation, but he also asks his audience to stay with him for a very long time. Some of the scenes don't work well. I really like him, but I thought Crothers's scenes were very stiff and unrelaxed. Sadly, very few of the scenes with Shelley Duvall work. It's a very weak performance. Any actress who wants to work opposite Nicholson had better be up to the task, and she just wasn't. An almost great film.

The DVD itself is rather disappointing as well. It was a real let-down to see that Kubrick had not chosen the widescreen format, but I got over that. The distributors, however, SHOULD have taken care that the print that we see was the best one, free from scratches and dirt. The video transfer is very poor in some places. I was really looking forward to the documentary by Kubrick's wife about the making of the film. This too was a disappointment. While she gives us a glimpse of how her husband worked, Mrs. Kubrick includes too many scenes that don't really tell us anything about the making of the film. Also included are long scenes from the film that we've already seen. Again, a disappointment, but better than nothing.