Review of The Shining (1980) by Michael — 10 Oct 2010

My first viewing of Stanley Kubrick's classic 'The Shining' left me somewhat...underwhelmed. As a 15 year old boy, my underdeveloped, action oriented brain, desired gore and cheap thrills...something that this film avoids.

Viewing 'The Shining' as an adult however, was a truly unforgettable experience. So here are my two cents.... Hearing the term 'adaptation of a Stephen King novel' makes me want to vomit. With such duds as 'Storm of the Century', 'Rose Red' and 'Tommyknockers' falling within this category, I was sceptical.

But thankfully, Kubrick diverts drastically from the source material, playing down the supernatural elements of horror. The fear of the characters' deteriorating mental health, and the potential of what they could do to one another, is far more terrifying than the threat of ghosts.

This makes for a human, relatable, and intelligent horror; more frightening than the typical ghost story. Kudos to the screenwriters for taking a chance. Like most Kubrick films, the performances are strangely enigmatic.

Shelly Duvall's portrayal of the seemingly 'desperate to please' Wendy, was irritating in the initial stages of the film. There was a self-consciousness to the performance, that felt slightly superficial.

HOWEVER, when the hysteria sets in, Duvall delivers the goods. She is chillingly authentic, and utterly electrifying. It actually heightens the experience in the final third of the film. Apparently Kubrick was a prick to her on set in order to 'push her' into that place.

..so thankyou for that! It's magic. I find Jack Nicholson a difficult actor to really warm to, and his performance here is no exception to that. It's over the top, comical, frightening...and unpredictably mad.

I think I would have preferred Jack Torrance to be a more likeable character in the developing stages, but nonetheless, he is fascinating. And Danny Lloyd would have to go on the list of 'best child performances ever'.

The facial expressions, body language, and the eyes, are completely believable and nuanced! They struck gold with him. Typical of Kubrick, the film is a visual spectacle. Even by todays standards, the cinematography is mesmerising - a testament to Kubrick and John Alcott.

Visually, the film is so absorbing. The camera rarely stops moving, in inventive (but non-distracting) ways. There is a sense that the characters are being watched by 'another presence' that is constantly tracking their movements.

The camera work is subtly unsettling. It is so refreshing for a modern audience to watch a film like this, that relies on a slow and contemplative build up, and resonating images for scares. There is a genuinely creepy tone throughout, and the climax absolutely soars with thrills.

And, strangely enough for this genre, 'The Shining' gets better with every single viewing.