Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film version of the Stephen King novel THE SHINING is a masterpiece.
And…it just gets better and richer with every subsequent viewing.
Starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall (more on them later), THE SHINING is Stephen King’s “haunted house” story, but in the hands of a Master like Kubrick, it’s much, much more.
Kubrick uses his usual keen eye for detail to great effect as he draws a visual picture of the eeriness, loneliness and isolation of a couple, Jack and Wendy Torrance (and their son, Danny) sequestered in an old Hotel - that has some history - as the Winter caretakers. The ghosts of the hotel begin to haunt/possess Jack and only Danny’s ability to “Shine” can save them.
This film is the very definition of “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey” and, boy, what a journey Kubrick takes the audience on, dialing up the creepiness and eeriness until it becomes horror. This is all accomplished through Kubrick’s trained eye and the images on the screen are beautiful and mesmerizing until they turn terrifying. It is Kubrick’s finest screen cinematographic work.
Jack Nicholson, of course, holds your attention every second he is on screen. While some say that Nicholson starts off a bit too crazy, it is the gradual decent into murderous madness that is the tour-de-force for the renowned performer.
On this screening, I was struck by how strong Shelley Duvall’s performance as Jack’s wife, Wendy, is. This is necessary for Duvall’s performance perfectly balances Nicholson’s which makes the acting very rich, indeed.
Young Danny Lloyd is astonishing as young Danny Torrance. How Kubrick got such a nuanced and layered performance out of a child as young as Lloyd is beyond me, but he did and this character works as well as the work of the 2 actors playing his parents.
Scatman Carothers and Kubrick “regulars” Joe Turkel and Philip Stone round out the strong cast in supporting roles that adds to the tension of the film.
This movie works because Kubrick perfectly mixes performance, mood, visuals and pacing, never missing a beat nor lingering too long and knows when to “get out while the getting’s good”.
A superb way to while away a night during the “spooky season”.
Letter Grade: A+
10 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to theBank (ofMarquis)
NEXT MONTH: FULL METAL JACKET (1987)
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