The Shining (1980)

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

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

Stephen King (based upon the novel by), Stanley Kubrick (screenplay by)

Stars:

Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd

Top Rated Movies #63 | 4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Nicholson	...	Jack Torrance
Shelley Duvall	...	Wendy Torrance
Danny Lloyd	...	Danny
Scatman Crothers	...	Hallorann
Barry Nelson	...	Ullman
Philip Stone	...	Grady
Joe Turkel	...	Lloyd
Anne Jackson	...	Doctor
Tony Burton	...	Durkin
Lia Beldam	...	Young Woman in Bath
Billie Gibson	...	Old Woman in Bath
Barry Dennen	...	Watson
David Baxt	...	Forest Ranger 1
Manning Redwood	...	Forest Ranger 2
Lisa Burns	...	Grady Daughter

Storyline

Haunted by a persistent writer's block, the aspiring author and recovering alcoholic, Jack Torrance, drags his wife, Wendy, and his gifted son, Danny, up snow-capped Colorado's secluded Overlook Hotel after taking up a job as an off-season caretaker. As the cavernous hotel shuts down for the season, the manager gives Jack a grand tour, and the facility's chef, the ageing Mr Hallorann, has a fascinating chat with Danny about a rare psychic gift called "The Shining", making sure to warn him about the hotel's abandoned rooms, and, in particular, the off-limits Room 237. However, instead of overcoming the dismal creative rut, little by little, Jack starts losing his mind, trapped in an unforgiving environment of seemingly endless snowstorms, and a gargantuan silent prison riddled with strange occurrences and eerie visions. Now, the incessant voices inside Jack's head demand sacrifice. Is Jack capable of murder?

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Plot Keywords:

haunted hotel | labyrinth | identical twins | hotel | snow | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

R16

Did You Know?

Trivia

Approximately 4,000 people auditioned for the role of Danny Torrance over a six-month period. The interviews were carried out in Chicago, Denver, and Cincinnati by Stanley Kubrick's assistant Leon Vitali, and his wife, Kersti Vitali. Aspiring actors were asked to send in photographs of themselves, and from the photographs, a list was made of the boys who looked right, who were then called in to interview. Vitali would then have the boys do some minor improvisation on-camera, and Kubrick would review the footage, gradually narrowing the list down.

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Goofs

After Wendy has locked Jack in the pantry, we hear him slamming against the door repeatedly in an attempt to escape. The door doesn't move an inch, yet, in the interior shot, we see the door giving when he's saying "go check it out" and slamming his hands against it.

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

The movie's opening titles are also the only instance in any Kubrick film where scrolling credits, rather than title cards, are used.

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Alternate Versions

In all previous video versions of The Shining, (prior to the 2001 DVD re-release), each title card failed to change in synchronization with the music. Upon being released on DVD, each title card does in fact change in sync with the music, the way it was originally intended.

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Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXX (2019)

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Soundtracks

De Natura Sonoris No. 2
Music by Krzysztof Penderecki
Performed by Narodowa Orkiestra Symfoniczna Polskiego Radia w Katowicach (uncredited)
Conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki (uncredited)

User Reviews

One of the Scariest Movies Of All Time!!!

This is the classic horror! Stanley Kubrick's Finest! The scariest of the "Kubrick Stares" has to be Jack Nicholson looking through the door in the classic horror scene. The camera, music, acting, and scares are top notch! I highly recommend this movie to: Horror fans, Kubrick fans, psychological thriller fans, and even Nicholson fans. You will love this movie to death! Four out of four stars. A definative classic! SEE IT!

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shining

Filming Locations:

Stansted Airport, Essex, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$622,337, 26 May 1980

Gross USA:

$45,332,952

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$46,998,462

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Hawk Films, Peregrine

Technical Specs

Runtime:

144 min (cut) 119 min (cut) (European) 146 min (original) 142 min (US dvd release: B002VWNIDG)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Blu-ray release) Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1