The shining is one of the greatest horror films ever made. It's one of Kubrick's master pieces.
You can watch it as a simple horror movie, and enjoy the spookiness, but also view it as a deeper film to be analyzed.
Jack and his family are to watch over the overlook hotel during the winter. The isolation drives them crazy, as they also experience super natural horrors. Early on in the film we learn that jack has potentially been abuses to his son, and we also learn the hotel has a troubling past. Built over Indian barrel grounds, and home to a grizzly murder by a former care taker. I think a major them of the film is the past, it's ability to repeat itself, and haunt us. We learn all theses things within the first 20 minutes of the film building suspense as we know it's inevitable something bad will happen. The film lets that sit for a while as nothing really significant happens for quite a while, as you sit there in suspense.
Eventually the past comes back to haunt this family. Jack try's to kill his family. His abuses personally returns. The horrors that happened to the family before are happening again. We also see death brought back to this area that started with genocide of the native Americans who are reference through the film.
There are hundreds of interpretations of the film. That's something so interesting about this movie. It's so ambiguous. What does that the last shot mean? What is that bear guy? What is hidden meaning? Is there a hidden meaning? What is Kubrick trying to say? The book is more about a man's struggle with Alcoholism and being a good father. But the film never makes it seem like jack is trying to overcome his issues, and be a good husband and father. Without this depth to jack It kinda just seems like it's a simple horror film, but if you know Kubrick you know there is something more. But what is it? That will be debated for ever.
Whatever Kubrick was trying to say he directs a very creepy movie. As mentioned before you are completely aware of the possible dangers of the film. You know Jack could be dangerous, and you know people go crazy in isolation, you know the hotel is dangerous, but nothing happens. The hotel doesn't look scary, jack it's kinda weird but never does or say's anything bad Yet you feel dread. Then when the horrors being the film becomes successful.
I love the long shots, and wide shots, with the creepy music. The music is randomly successful when nothing is happening, and calm when something happens making things unpredictable. And the unnatural sounds give you the creeps.
The film making is just fantastic. When you watch a older horror film today you are going to find something that are kinda cheesy, but you won't find anything like that here. There's no fake effects, no stupid jump scares, nothing like that at all. It's quality film making. You will also notice it doesn't feel like an average horror movie.
Jack Nicholson was born to play this role. I mean his name is the same as the character, and Danny Lloyed does an amazing job for a child so young.
This movie really stuck in my mind the first time I saw it. I was a teenager about 14, and it didn't scare me but definitely left an impression. The creepy feeling stayed with me for days. Now that I've seen it so many times that effect has kinda worn off but I still find the movie fascinating. I will continue thinking about the movie long after I watched it. It was one of the first movies that really impressed me on how a movie can effect someone.
You can watch it as a simple horror movie, and enjoy the spookiness, but also view it as a deeper film to be analyzed.
Jack and his family are to watch over the overlook hotel during the winter. The isolation drives them crazy, as they also experience super natural horrors. Early on in the film we learn that jack has potentially been abuses to his son, and we also learn the hotel has a troubling past. Built over Indian barrel grounds, and home to a grizzly murder by a former care taker. I think a major them of the film is the past, it's ability to repeat itself, and haunt us. We learn all theses things within the first 20 minutes of the film building suspense as we know it's inevitable something bad will happen. The film lets that sit for a while as nothing really significant happens for quite a while, as you sit there in suspense.
Eventually the past comes back to haunt this family. Jack try's to kill his family. His abuses personally returns. The horrors that happened to the family before are happening again. We also see death brought back to this area that started with genocide of the native Americans who are reference through the film.
There are hundreds of interpretations of the film. That's something so interesting about this movie. It's so ambiguous. What does that the last shot mean? What is that bear guy? What is hidden meaning? Is there a hidden meaning? What is Kubrick trying to say? The book is more about a man's struggle with Alcoholism and being a good father. But the film never makes it seem like jack is trying to overcome his issues, and be a good husband and father. Without this depth to jack It kinda just seems like it's a simple horror film, but if you know Kubrick you know there is something more. But what is it? That will be debated for ever.
Whatever Kubrick was trying to say he directs a very creepy movie. As mentioned before you are completely aware of the possible dangers of the film. You know Jack could be dangerous, and you know people go crazy in isolation, you know the hotel is dangerous, but nothing happens. The hotel doesn't look scary, jack it's kinda weird but never does or say's anything bad Yet you feel dread. Then when the horrors being the film becomes successful.
I love the long shots, and wide shots, with the creepy music. The music is randomly successful when nothing is happening, and calm when something happens making things unpredictable. And the unnatural sounds give you the creeps.
The film making is just fantastic. When you watch a older horror film today you are going to find something that are kinda cheesy, but you won't find anything like that here. There's no fake effects, no stupid jump scares, nothing like that at all. It's quality film making. You will also notice it doesn't feel like an average horror movie.
Jack Nicholson was born to play this role. I mean his name is the same as the character, and Danny Lloyed does an amazing job for a child so young.
This movie really stuck in my mind the first time I saw it. I was a teenager about 14, and it didn't scare me but definitely left an impression. The creepy feeling stayed with me for days. Now that I've seen it so many times that effect has kinda worn off but I still find the movie fascinating. I will continue thinking about the movie long after I watched it. It was one of the first movies that really impressed me on how a movie can effect someone.