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:

He came as the caretaker, but this hotel had its own guardians - who'd been there a long time

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

R

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

When Wendy brings Jack breakfast in bed, she brings him eggs made sunny side up. Any eggs should have been frozen processed egg product. Fresh eggs would not be available because all food would have to withstand 6 months of storage. Any milk would have to be powdered. Their provisions would most likely be the same as those staying the winter at the south pole station in Antarctica. Any perishable items like fresh produce or vegetables would have been removed prior to the departure of the staff.

However, eggs can be stored frozen, with the yolk and white separated if need be. Certainly milk keeps fine in a freezer and defrosts into exactly the ordinary state it went in as. And this is only a month into their stay. Similarly many vegetables will keep for a long time kept cool and dry, that's what "root cellars" used to be for. Or you could freeze them, too.

With a bit of forethought, a hotel with hundreds of rooms can order in and store enough food to keep one family in omelettes through winter. They surely have large freezers as well as the great big pantry. It's 1980!

The hotel is on mainland USA, it's not isolated in the way an Antarctic base is. Plenty of access through busy roads to food suppliers, most of the time. 70 years in operation with almost no murderous rampages.

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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 END appears as the closing credits have finished.

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Alternate Versions

ABC edited 4 minutes from the film for its 1983 network television premiere.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Bunk Witch Project (2000)

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Soundtracks

Kanon for 52 String Orchestra and Tape
(uncredited)
Music by Krzysztof Penderecki

User Reviews

A classic horror from a master director

When Jack Torrance (Nicholson) is offered a job as winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel he accepts it as an opportunity to work on his novel in an isolated environment. He is told stories of the last caretaker going mad and butchering his family but isn't deterred. He arrives at the Overlook Hotel with his wife (Duvall) and child Danny (Lloyd) and is shown around the hotel by the cook (Scatman Crothers) who has the gift of perception. The cook warns Danny that the hotel can be of particular danger for those with the gift. It's only a matter of time before Jack begins to act increasingly erratic.

This is one of Jack Nicholson's finest roles, his increasingly unhinged character is amusing and terrifying in almost equal measures. Duvall plays the role of the terrorised wife quite well - she does look like she's genuinely filled with fear - but doesn't have much else to do. Lloyd is excellent as the boy, although he doesn't have too much emotion to express. However no doubt that this is Jack's show.

The story doesn't stick to King's novel and is better for it; this is Kubrick's Shining. The film has plenty of genuinely scary moments but manages to keep a creepy atmosphere all through - especially as the ghosts come out and Jack begins to move between his reality and the reality that is gradually claiming him.

Kubrick is excellent here, his cold direction adds to the overall creep factor of the film. It's one of the best examples of his masterful touch.

Overall this is an excellent horror movie - because the focus is on horror and fear rather than gore alone (as with modern horrors). Jack is excellent in one of his best roles ever and the whole package is delivered in a cold creepy manner by a sadly lost director.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The 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:

$46,952,592

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