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The Shining (1980)

 -  Horror | Mystery  -  23 May 1980 (USA)
8.5
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Ratings: 8.5/10 from 343,592 users   Metascore: 61/100
Reviews: 1,147 user | 195 critic | 10 from Metacritic.com

A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future.

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(novel), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Danny Lloyd ...
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Philip Stone ...
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Lia Beldam ...
Billie Gibson ...
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David Baxt ...
Forest Ranger #1
Manning Redwood ...
Forest Ranger #2
Lisa Burns ...
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Storyline

A man, his son and wife become the winter caretakers of an isolated hotel where Danny, the son, sees disturbing visions of the hotel's past using a telepathic gift known as "The Shining". The father, Jack Torrance, is underway in a writing project when he slowly slips into insanity as a result of cabin fever and former guests of the hotel's ghosts. After being convinced by a waiter's ghost to "correct" the family, Jack goes completely insane. The only thing that can save Danny and his mother is "The Shining". Written by ipreach4ever

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

hotel | caretaker | winter | ghost | insanity | See more »

Taglines:

The tide of terror that swept America IS HERE[UK Poster] See more »

Genres:

Horror | Mystery

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

|

Language:

Release Date:

23 May 1980 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining'  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

SEK 6,140,088 (Sweden)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

, ,  »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (cut) | (cut) (European) | (original)

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the shots in the part where Jack is bouncing a ball against a wall took several days to film. This was because the shot entailed the ball bouncing from the wall onto the camera lens as it filmed. As Stanley Kubrick was so determined to get this precise shot, the camera kept rolling while the ball was continually hit against the wall in the hope of it bouncing back and hitting the lens. It took everyone on the entire unit having a go at it in between other shots before the shot was finally achieved after several days. See more »

Goofs

During Hallorann's phone conversation with Larry, the box on Larry's table changes angles between shots (red-blue turns into red-only). See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Jack Torrance: Hi, I've got an appointment with Mr. Ullman. My name is Jack Torrance.
See more »

Crazy Credits

After the 146 minute version of the film was met with poor reviews and weak box office in the US, Stanley Kubrick re-edited the film for European release, removing 24 minutes of footage. Included in the removed footage were the entire performances of Anne Jackson as the Doctor and Tony Burton as Larry. However, both Jackson and Burton's names were still listed in the opening credits despite them no longer appearing in the film. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Hot Fuzz (2007) See more »

Soundtracks

"It's All Forgotten Now"
(uncredited)
Written by Ray Noble
Performed by Ray Noble Orchestra with Al Bowlly
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
One of the scariest movies ever---8/10
28 February 2005 | by (San Francisco) – See all my reviews

I was never a big fan of horror movies. They usually try cheap tricks to scare their audiences like loud noises and creepy children. They usually lack originality and contain overacting galore. The only horror movie i like was Stir of Echoes with Kevin Bacon. It was well-acted, and had a great story. But it has been joined and maybe even surpassed by Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, quite possibly the scariest movie ever.

The movie follows a writer (Jack Nicholson) and his family who agree to watch over a hotel while it is closed for the winter. There were rumors of the place being haunted and the last resident went crazy and murdered his family. But Jack is convinced it will be OK and he can use the quiet to overcome his writer's block. After months of solitude and silence however, Jack becomes a grumpy and later violent. Is it cabin fever or is there something in the hotel that is driving him mad?

One of the creepiest parts about the movie is the feeling of isolation that Kubrick makes. The hotel is very silent, and the rooms are huge, yet always empty. It is also eerily calm when Jack's son is riding his bike through the barren hallways. Jack Nicholson's performance is also one of his very best, scaring the hell out of me and making me sure to get out once in awhile. My favorite scene is when he is talking to a ghost from inside a walk-in refrigerator.

The Shining is tops for horror movies in my opinion, beating the snot out of crap like the Ring and The Blair Witch Project. It may be a oldie, but is definitely a goodie. 8/10


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