The Shining (1980)

Release Date: 23 May, 1980


What's It About: Recovering alcoholic and strugging writer Jack Torrance is employed to be the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, and along with his family, stay there over the winter.


The Good: Impressively filmed and produced, as expected of Stanley Kubrick, the film has his trademark touch and style. The cinematography is excellent, and filled with hidden cues that help express the scenes better. The acting is strong, particularly of the film's leads, and even background characters feel like personalities in their own right. The tension builds slowly but does so to a chilling climax as Jack's madness overwhelms him and he finally turns on his family. Some of cinema's most famous quotes and scenes originate in this film.


The Bad: The film deviates significantly from the novel, particularly in the portrayal of the Torrance family, which alters the character motivations in subtle but important ways. The changes are almost to the point that one could consider that Kubrick used the novel as inspiration rather than actually adapting it. The film's pace is slow, contrary to popular horror films of the time, and features less jumpscares than mainstream Hollywood films. Some also consider Shelley Duvall's performance to be melodramatic.


Best Performance: Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance. His characterization actually starts off as somewhat sinister and isolated from his family to begin with, and staying at the Overlook Hotel serves only to aggravate and inflame this pre-existent sociopathy. He begins seeing visions of other people in the hotel whom he believes are real and they slowly begin to erode his mind and corrupt his sanity.


Should I Watch It: One of the most psychological and scary films ever made, The Shining is frequently cited on many best-of lists and famous scenes are referenced in other media. The film features a rich, balanced cast full of psychology and an exploration of the descent into madness. The shoot lasted over a year and many of the cast and crew grew frustrated with Kubrick's directing, which showed in the film and added to its grittiness. It is a film that gets better as it ages, and nearly 40 years later, is one of the preeminent horror films of cinema.


Post-Credits Scene: No


Similar Films: Rosemary's Baby (1968), Psycho (1960), The Omen (1976)


Trailer: