Review of The Shining (1980) by Brandon C — 17 Sep 2014

As someone who doesn't enjoy being scared it takes something special for me to call a horror film great. But, as most people know, The Shining is extremely special. I have caught scenes from this film in the past on TV, but this is the first time I've watched it from start to finish. The first thing that struck me is how meticulously Kubrick planned and executed each shot. From creative angles that take advantage of unique characteristics of the hotel (like the strangely patterned carpet,) to the dozens of extraordinarily smooth tracking shots that travel from room to room, I am simply astounded by the visuals in this movie. Then there is the music. I am convinced that you could watch the first hour or more of The Shining without being even slightly startled, perhaps even bored, if it weren't for the music. From the very first chords this score had me on edge and it was used so brilliantly to add an ominous tone to the entire film. Combining the perfect visuals and the amazing selection of music made even the most mundane things absolutely terrifying. I couldn't breathe when Shelley Duvall is merely flipping through pages of paper, because Kubrick had used everything up to that point in order to completely manipulate me into a state of absolute terror. I also have to say that Jack Nicholson is the only actor who could pull off the role of Jack Torrance. He is so perfect, even a scene where he's merely looking out a window feels spooky because of how he can create those psychotic expressions.

As you can see, this film made quite an impression on me. I was petrified (I'm willing to admit, as a grown man, that I had trouble sleeping after watching this movie) but it also surprised me in its artistry. Where I didn't love the film is when it comes to the story, and I'll put this more on Stephen King than on anyone involved in the film. I'm very intrigued by the idea of a father going insane, perhaps even making a deal with the devil, and becoming the biggest danger to the family that once saw him as their protector. I even enjoyed the concept of little Danny having these psychic abilities that allowed him to read minds, communicate with others over long distances, and see glimpses of the past. What didn't work for me was the haunted house angle. I was content believing that all the people were in Jack's head as he slowly goes insane. But then the movie hits a breaking point where ghosts are unlocking doors, choking Danny, and even appearing to Wendy. Strangely the movie becomes less scary to me at this point. It's as if my threshold for supernatural events was just pushed too far, and they broke through my suspension of disbelief. Frankly there are moments, like when the guy with the blood on his head appears to Shelley Duvall, that just feel like lame jump scares that you'd find in your local high school haunted house. Of course the final chase through the hedge maze is amazing and extremely tense once again, so the section of the film I didn't enjoy was relatively small. I do love a large portion of The Shining and it's one of the rare horror films that I would willingly watch again even if it was just for the amazing artistry of that cinematography and score.