The Shining (1980)

STANLEY KUBRICK

THE SHINING

USA, 1980

10/10

"I can remember when I was a little boy. My grandmother and I could hold conversations entirely without ever opening our mouths. She called it 'shining.' And for a long time, I thought it was just the two of us that had the shine to us. Just like you probably thought you was the only one. But there are other folks, though mostly they don't know it, or don't believe it."

THE SHINING (1980) is my all-time favorite horror film. Everything about the film, from the performances to the colors to the scenery and more is completely flawless. It is one of those films that you need to see in order to call yourself a horror fan. From the opening shot of Jack's car (complete with a famous error in the fact that you can see the shadow of the helicopter that shot was filmed in) and the unnerving soundtrack, you know you are in for a creepy journey.

The film is over 2 hours long, something very rarely heard of in mainstream horror, but the film never bores its viewer, even with the slightly slow pace. Those accustomed to the in-your-face jump scares of the recent horror films may find this movie dull and slow, yet Kubrick is masterfully building tension that pays off in a brilliant finale (the last 30 minutes of the film being incredibly creepy). When I first watched this movie, I wondered why some scenes were in there, because at the time I thought them to be irrelevant. For example, I initially found the interaction between Jack and Lloyd the Bartender to be boring and too drawn out, but now I see how it serves a very specific purpose in the plot of the movie.

There are many infamous scares featured in this film. Almost everyone has heard of the the twin girls in the hallway early on in the film, or the shot of Jack sticking his head through the broken bathroom door and saying "Here's Johnny!", but the entire film packs nonstop scares, thrills, and tension that become more and more unnerving the more times the film is viewed. This film is a perfect example of how to properly execute a non-ironic descent into darkness and insanity. 

Jack Nicholson gives a wonderful performance as the insane Jack Torrence, while some people criticize his performance as being comedic at some point (I've heard people say that they laughed while he describes his dream of killing Wendy and Danny, though I find no such comedy in that scene), or as not portraying Jack the way Stephen King described him in the original novel (Nicholson makes it seem that Jack was always slightly insane, whereas in the novel, is insanity is fully provoked by the hotel). Some critics make fun of Shelley Duvall as Wendy Torrence (she even was nominated for a Razzie award, an award for worst actress), but I, as well as many other modern day viewers, absolutely adore her performance. Duvall makes me care more about what happens to Wendy more than what happens to any of the other characters. Danny Lloyd gives a surprisingly good portrayal of Danny Torrence, even though is still very young. All in all, THE SHINING's performances are stellar, some of the best you'll find in horror films.

In conclusion, THE SHINING is a rare gem in the genre. I recommend for fans of the novel to treat THE SHINING as a movie separate from the book, because when viewed as an adaptation it's pretty shitty, and all around nothing like the book, but when viewed as a separate work it's one of the best films ever made. It is a truly horrifying film that will stick itself into your head and never let go.