As the years have gone by, The Shining has reached that envious position where it finds itself in most people’s top ten horror films of all time. With legendary director Stanley Kubrick at the helm and an original story by the master of macabre, Stephen King, it seemed destined to reach lofty heights in the world of cinema. However, it was a rocky road full of Kubrick’s infamous retakes, an unsatisfied King, and not-so-enthralled critics at the time of release. Still, here we are today, still talking about the film, with some still debating what actually went on at the Overlook Hotel, a pretty good sign that someone did something right.
The film has many moving parts and stories within stories, but it relies heavily on isolation to drive the narrative and story. We are introduced to the Torrance family: Jack (Jack Nicholson), Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and their son Danny (Danny Lloyd). Jack is more than happy to take on the job as caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, completely snowed in and cut off for the winter, Jack enjoys the idea of the solitude to help him write, even with the knowledge that the last caretakers all died in a murder/suicide. For some reason, Jack thinks this will be fascinating and exciting for his wife, Wendy, but I’m pretty sure those are the last words she’d use to describe the situation they were about to enter.
While they try to settle into some sort of routine, the wildcard in all this is the son, Danny. Before he left, the chef Hallorann (Scatman Crothers) gave them a little tour, and while doing so, recognized in Danny the same abilities he had, a sort of extrasensory perception, if you will, an ability to see past and present, dubbed “the shining.” His chat with Danny did little, however, as the child’s own investigations of the massive hotel put him in contact with many eerie and strange things going on, including the now-infamous blood pouring from the elevators and the two little girls, and Room 237, that Hallorann warned him about.
RELATED: ‘Final Destination’ at 25: Death Is Still Coming for Us All
However, were the images Danny was seeing real or all in his head, things that had happened or would happen? This ties into the main theme of the whole film, which centers around Jack and his descent into madness. Jack has conversations with different people, but apparently, only he can see them. (The most memorable scenes feature the bartender Lloyd (Joe Turkel).) As the isolation takes hold and Jack’s grip on reality becomes dubious at best, he manifests his frustrations, anger, and failures on the two people we know are real, Wendy and Danny. It becomes a race for survival, with mother and son working to outwit Jack before they are killed, something that befalls poor chef Hallorann.
The question then becomes, what is real and what is simply a trick of the mind, insanity, or otherwise? It’s interesting to note the use of mirrors and reflections, which are almost always present when Jack is conversing with others in the hotel. Does this mean he’s simply talking to himself, or is there really a presence in the hotel that is manifesting itself, feeding on Jack’s unstable mind and being open to interpretation by an unknowing Danny? It’s fascinating that an argument can be made for both sides, making it a confusing puzzle for those on screen and the audience members watching the film.
RELATED: ‘Cruel Jaws’ At 30: The Unofficial Italian ‘Jaws’ Sequel You’ve Never Seen
The film is beautifully shot, and the Overlook Hotel (filmed at the real Stanley Hotel) is a great set piece for what Kubrick is hoping to achieve. The hotel becomes an important player in the whole feeling of isolation and dread, and to this end, it is a success. Kubrick creates a mood and a sense of dread, making the questions of reality inside the walls of the Overlook something for all to puzzle over. Of course, it’s not all hugs and kisses as Kubrick’s notorious reshoot issues caused real stress amongst the crew, especially with Duvall, who was honestly little more than a pawn here in Kubrick’s larger scheme of all things real or otherwise.
While often heralded as a masterpiece now, there are many detractors who say it simply isn’t scary, and just not a good movie. I will simply add that The Shining is a glorious mess, as Kubrick intended, in his design, meshing real and imaginary into a soup of dread whose meaning still has people wondering about it today. Regardless of how you feel about the film, it is a reminder that sometimes the scariest things you can experience all happen in the mind, even if there is no basis in reality.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
