The Shining, along with The Exorcist, is amongst the most revered of all horror films. And
while the latter may have lost just a sliver of its original impact over the
past three decades, The Shining
remains as powerful as ever.
Released in
1980 and directed by the late, great Stanley Kubrick, The Shining stands as testament to what the horror genre is capable
of. Originally an adaption of a Steven King novel, Kubrick twisted and
manipulated The Shining to the extent
that King wanted nothing to do with production, denouncing the film on its
release. Jack Nicholson plays Jack Torrance, who has assumed the role of
caretaker at the Overlook hotel over the winter months. Torrance is accompanied
by his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Daniel Lloyd). Unbeknownst to
his parents, Danny harbours psychic abilities. Upon arrival at the hotel,
Torrance is informed that the previous caretaker developed cabin fever and in a
fit of rage massacred his family. As the family become increasingly isolated
from the outside world, Danny senses something strange happening to his father…
Nobody does
insanity like Jack Nicholson. His portrayal of MacMurphy in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest is
infused with maniacal qualities, but in The
Shining Nicholson turns the dial up to eleven. Boasting the most expressive
eyebrows in Hollywood history, Nicholsons slow mental decay is unbearable to
behold. From the outset it’s clear that
something isn’t quite right about Torrance - a history of alcohol and child
abuse is hinted at but never clarified - yet it isn’t until much later that our
suspicions are confirmed. Oozing menace, Nicholsons transformation from
makeshift father to murderous lunatic is utterly terrifying. Duvall and Lloyd
are impressive in their respective roles, but this is undoubtedly Nicholsons
film. This is exactly the brand of “over acting” that the maverick performer
has become synonymous with throughout his career, and makes for tremendous
viewing.
The Shining is an incredibly difficult film to
define. Haunted house horror? Ghost story? Psychological thriller? Slasher? All
of these at once, Kubrick’s oddity transcends the horror genre. Immediately
recognisable as a Kubrickian endeavour, The
Shining is meticulously constructed; each frame loaded with significance.
Kubrick’s compositions have never been so eerily balanced, his colour palette
never more pronounced, and his use of the tracking shot never more effective.
This is clearly a master at work.
In a film
boasting so many incredible scenes, it would be unfair to pick one out. But
where The Shining really excels, is
in the build-up. Indeed, nothing much happens for the first half of the film,
yet the sense of fear is omnipresent. Partly the wonderfully sinister sound
effects, partly the eerie setting, partly the look in Nicholsons eye – we know
something is going to happen. We don’t know what, we don’t know when, but we
know; in every frame, the terror is palpable.
The Shining is deliberately left open to
interpretation. It could almost be argued that The Shining is the perfect bookend to 2001: a Space Odyssey – the ambiguities of both films are endless.
While it is painfully clear that The
Shining is a somewhat intellectual endeavour, it also represents Kubrick at
his most accessible for a mainstream audience.
The Shining is a deeply disturbing, enthralling
masterpiece. A chilling study in madness, Stanley Kubrick’s sole journey into
the horror genre is essential viewing. Probably the best horror film ever made,
bar none.
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