There are horror movies, and then there are horror movies. The truly scary movies aren't those that rely on suspense and gore so much as the unknown and events that take place outside the normal human psyche. The Shining, a 1980 film by renowned director Stanley Kubrick, is not your typical thriller. (Then again, what Kubrick film is typical?)
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The Shining, based on a 1977 Stephen King novel of the same name, portrays Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), a recovering alcoholic and schoolteacher, along with his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and son Danny (Danny Lloyd). The family accepts a position as caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel. The Overlook, which is nestled in the Rocky Mountains, becomes inaccessible in the winter, due to storms. The family will be the only residents of the hotel during its worst season. Well, the only living residents.
The plot is reminiscent of The Eagles' hit song Hotel California, "You can checkout any time you like, but you can never leave!" Once Danny and his family arrive at the hotel, things will never be the same. It becomes clear that Danny possesses a powerful talent, known as "the Shine." Danny's inherent telepathic powers awaken residual traces of a previous murder spree which took place in the hotel. The hotel seeks to reenact its past history of madness, insanity, and murder through Danny's family. The beautiful Overlook Hotel, vacation spot of the jet-set, becomes a nightmare beyond imagination. The film's dark ambiance and incredible acting merge to create a story that won't easily be forgotten. Kubrick's final revelation adds additional questions and possibilities to the plot, ensuring that each viewing of the film is unique.
Kubrick is said to have first been a photographer, and then a director. This is evident from the grandiose opening panoramas of the forest to the sharp and contrasting angles used inside the hotel. The movement and scale of the camera is one of the definite highlights of the film; inspiring emotions from fear to awe. There is no calm medium in The Shining; everything is enormous and open (the ball room and forest) or cramped and angular (the hedge maze). Kubrick's atmospheric filming is accompanied by a pulsing, rhythmic, score that helps to build up the perpetual suspense and fear. Power Wheels and typewriters will never be looked at the same again. Overall, The Shining is a remarkable film, well worth seeing if you're in the mood for a scare or something to think about.