THE SHINING
UK, 1980, 144 minutes, Colour.
Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Barry Nelson, Philip Stone, Joe Turkel.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick.
(Kubrick deleted 25 minutes from the original 169 minutes following the American release, including the role played by Anne Jackson.)
Stanley Kubrick has made many masterpieces. This film is a puzzle. An expert tries his hand at horror conventions. The genius is recognisable in guiding the camera over superb sets, getting Jack Nicholson to be expertly maniacal, drawing eerie significance out of an old hotel, ghosts, fear and mental collapse. But, on first viewing, it is disappointing. Perhaps the expectations have been wrong, but the plot does not seem to jell, aspects well presented initially seem partly unfulfilled: the E.S.P. shining itself, the strong early focus on the boy, the spectral inhabitants of the deserted hotel.
The film is admirable but unsatisfying. The techniques echo many of Kubrick's earlier films - especially the opening sequences in Colorado and the aerial photography, the continuous tracking around the hotel. Kubrick uses the hotel itself and its lighting and decor well, and also the maze outside. Kubrick deleted twenty-five minutes from the film after its American release.
1. The reputation of Stanley Kubrick? The quality of his films? The place of The Shining within his canon? His genius at visuals, atmosphere, themes? Writing screenplays? His attention to horror - traces of it in his other films?
2. The critical acclaim of the film? The elimination of 25 minutes and the effect?
3. Audience response to horror: atmosphere.. suspense? Horror films as the equivalent of nightmares - audiences immersing themselves in the dream to experience and to understand themselves, their fears, the possibilities e.g. of death? The elements of horror - natural, preternatural, supernatural? E.S.P.? The ordinary and the extraordinary? The conflict of good and evil? Evil remaining in the world and affecting those who come after? The scares, shocks? How well did Kubrick orchestrate these elements?
4. The budget of the film - and such a large budget for a horror film? Worthwhile? The impact of the sets especially the interior of the hotel? Jack Nicholson and the cast? The variety of music and electronic sounds used for the score - to what purpose and effect? The special effects for the atmosphere of the hotel, the initial flight in, the hotel itself and its rooms? The maze? The editing, for suspense, pace, shock? Expectations of the audience for horror on a grand and elaborate scale? The expectations of 'B' film - characters, situations, violence and gore - transferred to major budgeting?
5. The importance of the structure: for understanding the film, for pace and emphases? The various chapter headings: interview, closing day, a month later, four days later and the various days of the week named, the final 4 p.m..? The focus on the hotel itself.. the history of the hotel and its atmosphere, the focus onto Jack, onto Danny, to the shining, to Jack's madness, to Wendy, to the climax? The various shifts of emphases - and the image of the maze? Audience expectations for these to be followed through, for various dead ends, red herrings, shifting of attention?
6. Themes of haunted houses, houses taking possession of people? Audience expectations from the traditions? How did Kubrick use these, transcend them? The background of E.S.P. and the shining within the context of a haunted house? Halloran and his sense of what happened especially in room 237? Danny and his anticipation of the hotel, the two little girls, the violent deaths, fear of the future and what he saw? Sharing with Halloran? Halloran coming to the rescue but dying in the house? The house itself and its ghosts, evil traces? The manifestations - the woman in the bath, the guests in the ballroom, the odd people at the end especially the man with the bloodstained head? The story of Grady and his killing? Evil, madness, possession?
7. The impact of the opening? The aerial sequences and their beauty? The counterpoint of the solemn music and the overtones of the Dies Irae? The journey into Colorado and its remoteness? The mountains, lakes and rivers, the winding roads? The introduction to the Overlook Hotel? The explanation of its being built in 1907, the Indian legends and the grave? The largeness of the hotel, the light interior? Ullman and his smooth American talk, his assistant? The hearty introduction to Jack? His explanation of the hotel? His laughing and offhand telling of the story about Grady murdering his wife and children? Jack's reaction? The warning about going mad? Isolation? The importance of solitude and being able to cope with it? Ullman's speeches preparing the audience for what to happen? Jack saying that he hadn't heard the story about Grady, that he could manage?
8. The hotel as a character in the film? The impact of the exteriors and its natural setting? The walks around the hotel? The importance of the maze and the model inside the hotel? The change in weather and the snow keeping the family inside? The decor and space and light inside? The corridors and their decor, the lifts, the red and gold, the carpet? The family's apartments? The gold room and the guests there? Room 237? The huge hall where Jack did his typing? The kitchen and the store rooms? The ordinariness of the hotel? Its being given sinister overtones by the screenplay? The way that the hotel was used throughout the film and its impact on the characters, the taking over of Jack?
9. The associate characters: the staff of the hotel, Ullman and his smooth talk, showing Jack around the hotel and making it easy for him, the salesman's pitch? Halloran and his explaining everything about the kitchen? His friendship with Doc? The police and the fire brigade? The woman in room 237 and her changing into a hag? Grady and his presence at the ball, the discussion in the men's room, his letting Jack out? Lloyd and his sinister presence be~ hind the bar and his explanations? The ghosts in the ballroom, the ghosts in the various rooms especially the man with the split head? The realism of the Colorado police, Halloran's telephoning from Florida, the news on the Florida television?
10. The film's portrait of the family: Jack and his driving to the hotel, the interview with Ullman, the warnings, his self-assurance, his hopes for his writing career? The phone call to Wendy? Wendy and her devotion to Jack, her way of speaking, her love for her son? The importance of the journey to the hotel? The discussion about cannibals and disaster? Danny and his wariness about going to the hotel? The arrival, the prospects? Settling in, the tour of the hotel, making the hotel their home?
11. The portrait of Danny: the discovery of his friend Tony and the devices used to indicate this other self, the discussion in the car ride, his going to the games room, his seeing the two girls and the various times in which he saw them, especially covered in blood and dead? Their beckoning to him? The indication of the E.S.P. - anticipating his mother answering the phone? Halloran's discovery of his gift? The incident with the ice cream? Danny's later quoting Halloran? His bond with his mother and sharing the exploration of the hotel? The emphasis on his riding around the corridors, his fascination with room 237 after his intimations of evil and Halloran's warning? His suspicions of his father? The important sequence in the bedroom discussing things with his father, hoping that his father would never hurt his mother and himself? His being bruised around the throat and his going into a catatonic state? His exercising his E.S.P. to summon Halloran Colorado? The writing of the word 'murder' on the door and Tony's sounds? His hiding from his father after his mother let him through the window? The kitchen chase? The chase in the maze and his tricking his father? The final escape? How well delineated the character of Danny? His focus at the beginning of the film? The importance of his gift and its being called The Shining?
12. The character of Halloran, his presence in the hotel, the genial tour, his recognising Danny as Doc, discussion about the shining, his warnings about 237? The sudden transition to Florida, his apartment and its decor, the television and the information about the weather, his anxiety and telephone calls, flying, driving? The build-up and suspense about his arrival, his searching in the hotel, the audience knowing that Jack would kill him and the ugliness when it happened? Wendy's discovering the body?
13. Jack and Wendy after a month - the bed-and-breakfast scene, Jack throwing the ball in the large hall, his typing , Wendy ringing up the police and keeping in touch? The seeming ordinariness?
14. The scenes where Jack seemed to be beside himself and possessed by the hotel? Its happening in the typing room? The seizure and his being on the floor, Wendy's reassurance? His talking to Danny and promising that he wouldn't hurt him? The importance of this showing relationship between father and son? His typing and Wendy's walking across the hall and Jack's turning on her? Her being hurt? Her plea for him to find out about Danny's being hurt? Jack's change after being in room 237?
15. Jack being possessed by the hotel, walking by himself, going into the bar and discussing things with Lloyd, the money in his wallet, drinks on the house? Wendy getting him to go to room 237? The erotic sequence with the woman in the bath, the sensuous embrace and her turning into a hag? How much figments of Jack's imagination, ghosts in the house? His return to the gold room and the ball, the talking the Lloyd, the accident and the discussions with Grady, Jack trying to identify Grady, Grady's warning and the philosophy of killing? Had Jack gone mad, were these also figments of his imagination?
16. The final confrontation with Wendy, her bashing him and locking him in the store? The damage that he had done to communications and to the vehicle? His trying to plead with her to release him? The irony of Grady releasing him and charging him to murder? Wendy and Danny locked in the room? Wendy waking and discovering the word 'murder'? The frenzy, the chase, the axe sequence and Wendy's cutting Jack's hand? Wendy rushing through the house and seeing the weird ghosts? Danny and the chase in the maze? The relief in their both escaping?
17. The indication of Jack's typing as what had gone wrong? All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy? Wendy's discovery of it? The various ways in which the pages were typed? Jack's reaction?
18. Jack lurking around the hotel, killing Halloran in the hall, his shrewdness in chasing Danny through the maze, his being tricked by Danny's ruse and freezing to death?
19. Jack Nicholson's ability to show Jack becoming crazed and madder? His manner of speaking, the use of his face and mad grins? The final image of Jack frozen?
20. The final tracking sequence - the photo, the time? Reincarnation? An explanation to the mystery or not?
21. How satisfying was the film as a story? As a delineation of character? As a film of the occult? The atmosphere being made ominous within the ordinary context? Ordinary lighting used to create suspense for the audience? Their being invited to be involved? Nightmare and dream and the catharsis value of nightmare?
