The Shining
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Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film forever redefined the boundaries of horror cinema. Inspired by Stephen King's novel, the work moves an ordinary family story into such deep layers that the viewer can't help asking if what he sees on the screen is really there. At the heart of the story is a writer who has fallen into the grip of creative block. Retreating to a remote and majestic hotel in the Colorado mountains promises him both peace and a fresh start. He is accompanied by his young son and wife. It's winter outside, and inside there's a slowly simmering restlessness you can't quite put a name to. Kubrick builds this tension moment by moment; instead of sudden scares, he envelops you with an underlying, creeping uneasiness. One secret behind the film's extraordinary success lies in its use of location as a character. The Overlook Hotel transforms into a living entity with its walls, corridors, and symmetrical architecture. Kubrick's famous tracking shots make the viewer feel as if they're lost inside the hotel. The camera never tells you exactly where it's looking; something seems to be hidden in a corner of every frame. Jack Nicholson shines on screen with a career-defining performance. They progress the inner turmoil of the character along such a subtle linear path that the audience cannot quite grasp when something is lost. Shelley Duvall, on the other hand, conveys helplessness and fragility with such realism that this performance has begun to receive the recognition it deserves over the years. The role that little Danny Lloyd takes on sets the spirit of the film; the surreal danger perceived through the eyes of a child has a much more devastating effect than the adult gaze. There are few films that intertwine fear and psychological collapse to such an extent. After watching it, it doesn't just end; it lingers in the mind, searching for meaning and asking questions. Some scenes sink so deeply into your memory that even ten years later, they pop up when you walk down a hotel corridor. Kubrick's cinema has always had this characteristic: It won't let you go with its questions; it haunts you.
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Reviews
Andres Gomez
November 05, 2012
10/10
A masterpiece. Kubrick chose a perfect cast and uses the timing and music to create a greatly opressing atmosphere. Nicholson is superb, but Duval and the kid are not less good.
John Chard
November 01, 2015
8/10
This rum is red, man! In spite of author Stephen King not being happy with Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of his novel, The Shining (1980) has proved to be a critical and commercial darling. It may not be in the spirit that King wanted, but it's undeniably a skillful piece of film making, a mixture of beauty and terror, of bravura techniques and simple but effective scares. With quality acting performances to match as well. The story unfolds at a deliberately slow pace, claustrophobia oozes ...
JPV852
October 06, 2019
8/10
Probably my favorite of the Stephen King adaptations (though not much for many of the others save for a one or two) but not amongst Stanley Kubrick's, watched this one for the first time in many years (maybe a decade) and while I did immensely enjoyed it, and really liked Nicholson towards the end, I never really bought into him early on. Still, atmospherically it was amazing and at times creepy. But can't place this as some sort of classic in my book, anyway. **4.0/5**
Manuel São Bento
October 30, 2019
10/10
If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog :) With Doctor Sleep, an almost 40-year sequel to The Shining, being released this week, now it’s the perfect time to revisit one of the greatest horror movies of all-time, as well as one of the most influential directors ever, Stanley Kubrick. I know, I know… Spoiler-free? For a movie released in 1980? Well, first of all, there’s always someone who still didn’t watch it. Secondly, as deeper we get into the 21st century, the ...
Repo Jack
November 27, 2020
9/10
"Darling, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just gonna bash your brains in." <i>The Shining</i> is a great example of how musical score and cinematography can elevate a movie to the best-of-the-best. I tend to agree with Stephen King that Jack Nicholson looked like a crazy loon from the beginning, making his decent into madness less dramatic. But that can be forgiven by all the iconic scenes masterfully weaved into a horror classic.
Repo Jack
November 27, 2020
9/10
"Darling, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just gonna bash your brains in." The Shining is a great example of how musical score and cinematography can elevate a movie to the best-of-the-best. I tend to agree with Stephen King that Jack Nicholson looked like a crazy loon from the beginning, making his decent into madness less dramatic. But that can be forgiven by all the iconic scenes masterfully weaved into a horror classic.
CinemaSerf
June 07, 2023
7/10
"Jack Torrance" is a writer who suffers from a chronic lack of inspiration. To help overcome his block, he takes a job as a winter caretaker and relocates his family to the remote, huge, "Overlook Hotel" where he hopes he can focus! Gradually, the bleak Arctic conditions outside and the never ending, brightly lit, corridors and rooms long since abandoned start to affect his mind. When he ventures towards the expressly off-limits room 237 it all begins to get truly out of hand. Shelley Duvall is ...
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Shining was released in 1980.
The Shining has a runtime of 2 hr 24 min (144 minutes).
The Shining belongs to the following genres: Horror, Thriller.
The Shining has a rating of 8.2/10 from 18,981 votes on TMDB.
In the United States, The Shining is available to watch on: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.