A horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick based upon the bestselling novel by Stephen King.
Opening with spectacular aerial shots of a beautiful, mountainous landscape, Stanley Kubrick's horror classic THE SHINING sucks the viewer into his frightening tale with quiet, relaxing visuals--but the ominous soundtrack warns that all is not right at the gorgeous Overlook Hotel. Based on Stephen King's best-selling novel, the film stars Jack Nicholson at his eyebrow-raising best in his portrayal of Jack Torrance, a Vermont schoolteacher working at the Overlook as a winter caretaker. The glorious early-20th century resort only operates in warm weather because the snowy roads deny access in the colder months, so Jack brings his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), with him, as well as his young son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who possesses some unique psychic powers. As the Torrances settle in for the long, lonely months ahead, strange, unexplainable things start occurring in the hotel--and in every scene Jack seems to be growing a little more evil and dangerous.... <br> <br> Cinematographer John Alcott (who also wo...
**** out of **** Some of the best films are the ones which provoke us to return to their often questionable realms for a second coming, not long after we've tried to - or succeeded in - absorb every last bit of information that we possibly can. Perhaps we come back because we still have questions left unanswered, or maybe we just want to experience it all again. The places that I speak of are sometimes pleasant (the beach resort of "Mr. Hulot's Holiday"), and other times … more
While I still haven't chosen which Kubrick movie is my favorite, The Shining is easily one of my favorite movies ever. Since I'm not one that's easy to scare, this movie is one of the extremely rare specimens that'll haunt me when I go to bed after watching it. Even though all the acting is top-notch, it's Jack Nicholson that stole the show in this one because he was PERFECT as the isolated man on a descent into total madness. Thanks to this … more
They say that sometimes when a person is isolated from other people or things he or she is familiar with you start to slowly loose your mind, you start seeing things that aren't real, hearing voices in your head, walking nightmares. It is called Cabin Fever and In Stanley Kubrick's psychological horror thriller explores what happens when a recovering alcoholic ex-teacher (Jack Nicholson) starts to literally loose his mind when isolated in a beautiful hotel … more
Kubrick's classic adaption of Steven King's classic horror novel is errie and amazing to watch. Strays far from the source material in some places and drags on in scenes but it does help add to the tension of a family taking care of a mountain hotel and the father slowly going insane.
Over the years Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" has become one of his most well known films, but only because either won't shut up about how it isn't close to the book at all (we hear you, and would invite you to stop reminding us now) or because people are often quick to jump up and say just how much the movie frightens them. The "Heeeeeeeere's Johnny!" moment is perhaps one of the most quoted lines in Hollywood. As I've said before, when it comes to movies being … more
The Shining was Stanley Kubrick's attempt to make a bona fide horror film. Despite the fact that he has never really directed one, he was infatuated with the project. He read the novel by Stephen King and set out to recreate the novel, his own way. What we get is a cold ans sterile film that resembles the original source material some what. We get a maniacal and crazed Jack Nicholson, a doormat Shelly Duvall and a minor actor/performer Scatman Crothers a shot a some big time acting. The actors were … more
Pros: Duvall Cons: the talking finger & cast speech patterns The Bottom Line: "Come on you raver, you seer of visions, come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine!" ~Pink Floyd Although The Shining is considered one of the classic horror movies and there is much to love about the film, there are also some glaring negatives as well. That certainly … more
Though me and my mom normally share various points of views on certain film makers, we tend to split when it comes to Stanley Kubrick. My mom says, "he's so weird." I tell her "yeah, but he's a brilliant film maker, who films visually stunning films that are also mesmerizing." To this she just shrugs and says, "I don't care, he's still weird." Though a big fan of the director, for some reason his 80's horror film, "The Shining," escaped me for the longest time. Based off the best selling book by … more
(4 1/2 *'s) After all these years, I hedged at the prospect of watching `The Shining`. Having seen the snippets of Jack Nicholson's skillful performance, I partly dismissed the movie. In my mind, thinking of his famous line, "Here's Johnny!" the film seemed a novelty, something entertaining in a way it wasn't intended. Between Stanley Kubrick's amazing direction and Nicholson's and Shelly Duvall's excellent performances, first impressions can be misleading. Watching `The Shining' is a real treat. & … more
Pros: Jack Nicholson is one of the world's great psycho actors Cons: May make you paranoid The Bottom Line: Here's Johnny! I love that. Just what do you think of when you think of a haunted house? The stereotypical haunted house is little more than a large shack, very loosely boarded up with rotting wood, creaking floorboards and stairs, loose doors and a massive maze of codwebs. The ghosts that often haunt these places are … more