Review of The Shining (1980) by Joe C — 04 Jan 2015
The reason there is no other film like The Shining is because no other director before or since Kubrick has ever committed such time to a film. No one else has ever been so obsessed with details no one will ever notice, and no one else can create a tone that is so unnerving that even the presence of a lamp sends shivers.
It cannot be stressed enough how monumentally brilliant The Shining is. It's the masterpiece from the master himself. Steven King's book is largely ignored as Jack Nicholson and his reluctant family descend into a visceral hell of his own making.
Kubrick's borderline-insane attention to detail never shined better than here, as each frame is delivered with astonishing visual power, a spine-tingling soundtrack, and camera movements so precise that the camera almost feels like a character itself.
I know that sounds like hot air, but either take my word for it or experience it for yourself; this movie is *beep* alive. All this amounts to a film that is the purest cinema experience ever created, and one that can also deliver an uppercut of terror at whim.
The Shining rightfully graces the list of literally every credible "best horror films" list, but write it off as "just another horror movie" at your own peril. This is THE definitive benchmark of cinematic film making.
It just so happens to be the most horrifying, claustrophobic film ever as well as an example of the best doing what he does best.
This review of The Shining (1980) was written by Joe C on 04 Jan 2015.
The Shining has generally received very positive reviews.
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