There are horror movies that cause unease and jump scares for various reasons, but this one is unsettling because of its simplicity. At the Overlook Hotel, there are no hidden monsters or demons threatening its visitors, only ghosts that play with the viewer's mind to divert attention from the true monster.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the legendary obsessive and perfectionist filmmaker, and based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, "The Shining" is a film that many might define as a descent into an abyss of madness.
More than four decades have passed since its theatrical release, and this film remains a cornerstone in the cinematic industry, gaining worldwide recognition: it has been referenced in other movies and TV series. The fear it conveys does not come from jumpscares in the dark but from stark, well-lit harshness; it’s an oppressive and suffocating presence in the hallways of a completely empty hotel.
The premise of this story is as follows: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), a frustrated writer, accepts the job of caretaker at the Overlook Hotel. He is accompanied by his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their young son Danny (Danny Lloyd), who possesses a strange ability known as the “Shining” While living in the hotel, the evil forces inhabiting the place manifest to torment the family, especially Jack.
Jack Torrance is presented as a bitter and frustrated man who takes the caretaker job as an opportunity to have time to write his novel, but suffering from writer’s block and isolated in a remote place, his mind begins to unravel. Unlike Stephen King's book, where the character is a good man who becomes corrupted and drawn into darkness due to the influence of the hotel's spirits.
In Kubrick’s film, rather than driving Jack insane, the hotel’s influence causes him to act as he truly is deep down: a violent man.
Although the haunted hotel is the main problem, the real antagonist of the film is not the Overlook Hotel itself. Kubrick depicts this vast place as a labyrinth where anything can happen.
The movie exemplifies Kubrick’s cinematic style: the shots are geometric and symmetrical, creating acute discomfort in the viewer. This is evident in the scene with Danny’s tricycle; the camera perfectly follows the wheels as they move from the carpet until they stop.
Jack Nicholson performance as Jack Torrance is legendary in film history. His portrayal is theatrical and genuinely terrifying. He appears as a man whose resentment and frustration lead him to destruction. Alongside him, Shelley Duvall immortalized her best role, a harrowing performance that evokes compassion.
It’s no secret that the production of this film was complete chaos due to the director’s demands; actress Shelley Duvall had to repeat the baseball bat confrontation scene about 127 times. This caused her significant anxiety and a nervous breakdown.
Though her performance was debated at the time, when you know the background and see up close the authenticity of her anguish and panic, it makes you reflect: for whom was this a horror movie, for the viewer or the cast?
Stephen King has openly said he hates the film for not being faithful to the original material, but I believe many (including myself) were introduced to this classic story through this movie or The Simpsons parody. I want to believe the film is Kubrick’s interpretation of “The Shining” adapted for Hollywood cinema.
Stephen King’s horror story focused firmly on literal ghosts, yet Kubrick’s vision posed the question many readers wondered: Did the hotel drive Jack insane, or did it simply awaken a monster already living within him?
“The Shining” is not just a movie about a haunted hotel; after marking a before and after in the world of cinema, it has shown that the horror genre has many nuances and that a story can have multiple points of view.
Rating: 95/100
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