Review of The Shining (1980) by Spielberg00 — 30 Sep 2011

If there's one pure horror film that deserves the Best Picture Oscar just for its overall terrific (and terrifying) atmosphere, it's THE SHINING. I've only seen one of Stanley Kubrick's other films, which was 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, and if you think that Stanley Kubrick only makes those kinds of films, think again.

This brilliant man takes mastermind Stephen King's already-horrific novel and crafts it into his own ingenious, twisted work that is probably more frightening than the book itself. And there's Jack Nicholson, who does an outstanding performance as psychopath Jack Torrance.

When I saw this film, my immediate thought was that Nicholson's character was just as I imagined Torrance's personality while reading the source novel. It's possible to admit that sometimes Jack Nicholson does go a little loopy with his role, making it often seem more like his role as the Joker in BATMAN nine years later, but he never seems to go overboard, and his character always enhances the eerie-ness of the entire film.

All in all, THE SHINING is a must-see. It's certainly not one of those "spewing guts" films where everything is grotesque blood and gore. Instead, the horror comes from the creepy, sadistic, intense mood, as this is a well-molded psychological horror.

Add this to your shopping list (or your renting list) if you haven't seen it. See it again if you have already.