The Shining
Fans of the late Stanley Kubrick know that some of his films contain a common theme: dehumanization. A Clockwork Orange involves conditioning hooligans to stop committing crimes; the result is limited free will. Full Metal Jacket shows how Marine training transforms soldiers into killing machines. Kubrick's only horror film, The Shining, illustrates how an annoying wife, withdrawal from alcohol, and ghosts can drive a well-meaning father to try to chop the humanity out of his family.
Jack Torrance (excitably portrayed by Jack Nicholson) is a novelist who accepts a job as an off-season caretaker of The Overlook Hotel in Colorado. His wife Wendy is excited about the opportunity, but their son Danny is worried for himself and his mother. Danny has a special gift called "The Shining," which lets him mentally communicate with other "Shiners" and gives Danny information he wouldn't otherwise know.
For a while, the Torrances get along fine in the hotel. However, Danny begins to see ghosts. One of them gives Danny a bruise, but Wendy blames Jack for it. Jack investigates the room where Danny went, and Jack sees a naked woman get out of the tub. Jack embraces her only to watch her rot in front of his eyes. Is this ghost real, or are the Torrances suffering from hallucinations due to cabin fever? Watch and decide.
The Jack Torrance character is interesting from a psychological point of view. Jack has been sober for five months. He quit drinking because he injured Danny over a trivial matter after a night of drinking. Jack feels that Wendy is holding that mistake like a wild card so she can play it when she feels the need. Wendy easily annoys Jack. When she interrupts him when Jack's working on his novel, Jack is rude to her. Later in the film, Wendy thinks Danny should be taken to the doctor; Jack thinks like a provider and yells at her the reasons why he can't dismiss his responsibilities to the hotel. Jack's contempt for Wendy can be summed up in this line, "I have let you fuck up my life, but I'm not going to let you fuck this up." During the movie, one can observe Jack transgress from a mild-mannered father/husband to a hot-tempered lunatic.
Stanley Kubrick was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Director, but I disagree. The movie is about two and a half hours, but every scene adds to the story. The camera work and editing are impressive. The beginning of the film shows great scenery shots as Jack drives to an interview. When the twin girls are talking to Danny, you can see bit flashes of their dismembered bodies. When Jack was locked in the pantry and tries to convince Wendy to let him out, the camera looks right up at him from the floor. One directing decision I didn't appreciate was the ending. The conclusion in author Stephen King's novel is more interesting.
Horror films can be good if they have an original foundation by a talented author. For the other 95 perecent of the genre, it's a bunch of nonsensical violence with a trace of an overused plotline. Luckily for you readers, I'm in a good mood; otherwise, I'd tell you my unfiltered opinion of horror flicks. Fortunately, The Shining rises above genre limitations and ranks as a horror classic.
Send any comments/ feedback to the author.
Alcohol and horror films together might require a change of pants.
Jack Torrance trying to kill his wife doesn't create a romantic atmosphere.
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