Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of "The Shining" is a film that I really really want to like. It's a highly regarded classic as well as a staple of American cinema, ironically enough, made by one of the finest filmmakers the world has ever seen. However it's disastrous third act, laughable acting by Shelley Duvall, and Jack Nicholson's not so subtle performance make this an unforgivable film which goes to show that because it's a classic doesn't mean that it's good.
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) has taken on a job for the winter as the caretaker of The Overlook Hotel, 25 miles away from the small town of Sidewinder, Colorado. The hotel is extremely isolated and gets snowed in every winter, requiring a caretaker to do daily maintenance and repairs so that the elements don't get a foothold on the location when it shuts down from October until May of the following year. His wife and son Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and Danny (Danny Lloyd) come along. It is revealed that Jack had a history with alcoholism but has been 5 months sober after accidentally dislocating Danny's shoulder one night in a drunken rage. When they arrive at the Overlook, they are introduced to Dick Halloran (Scatman Crothers), who reveals to Danny that he has a special sort of psychic communication with people who also share the same ability. Halloran calls it "shining." But as Torrance and his family get deeper and deeper into isolation during the winter, he begins to slip into a more and more unstable state. Also, the Overlook begins to show its tenants that is a cold, cruel, and unforgiving place with a dark history.
My first problem with the film is the fact that I read Stephen King's excellent novel before seeing the movie. What King put down on paper is so terrifying and scary in my imagination that there was no way any director could live up to that expectation. Certainly enough, this was true. Nicholson's performance in the film tips us off right from the very beginning that something is not right with this man. It never seemed like he cared for Danny in the way that Wendy did, to me at least. Once scene has Stuart Ullman, manager of the Overlook showing the Torrances the apartment they will be living in for the winter. "Perfect for a child" is Jack's response when he's shown the room Danny will sleep in. He never really seemed like he had a personal connection. The book and film do tell the same story, but the message of that story is so much more blatantly obvious in the film, which isn't a good thing.
How could anyone with a face like this be crazy?
Another big complaint that I have is Shelley Duvall. She's so laughably terrible in this film as Wendy Torrance. Never once could I take her performance seriously. Although it sounded like she read her lines just before every scene, her performance was pretty damn consistent. She always had that weird chipper attitude about her, even when things were going to hell. In the third act, the way she was waving her arms around when she was running through the hotel was terrible.
Speaking of which, the third act had me scratching my head over Kubrick's creative choices, such as Wendy's waving arms and running around with the knife she was holding like Steve Carell wielding the hand grenade in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", the not so scary Jack Nicholson performance (because I already knew he was crazy right from the start and I didn't care for him very much anyway because he seemed so unrealistic and fake), and the waste of the best actor in the whole film, Scatman Crothers is wasted to the point of pissing me off beyond all liking of this film. There I said it. The Halloran character in the novel was so rich and important in the story's third act. For the film, he is simply cast aside, which is a damn shame because Crothers provides the best and most genuine performance in the entire film!
Don't you hate it when you're trying to grab the elevator quickly and thousands of gallons of blood come spilling out at you when the doors open?
However, it isn't all bad. I must say that upon re-watching this film, I enjoyed everything up to when the family begins to live at the Overlook. The interview sequence at the very beginning is charismatic due to Nicholson's weird mannerisms (however they ruin the character for the rest of the film if that makes any sense) and the scenes between Danny Lloyd and Crothers are some of the best in the entire movie. The electronic score by Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind is exactly what I love to hear in these types of films (what little original score this film has owes lots to John Carpenter). Loud and scary synths as well as effective usage of classical music, such as the moody and eerie piece Music for string, percussion and Celesta by Bella Bartok.
Overall, Stanley Kubrick delivers a pretty solid film that has stood the test of time and takes it's place among the ranks of horror classics such I've reviewed on my blog for the month of October such as "The Omen", "Carrie", "Dawn of the Dead", and "Rosemary's Baby." However, I think all of those listed are far better, more effective, and well acted films than "The Shining." Because I had read the book first, then watched the film, there was no way that the script could compare to King's excellent exposition, writing, and style. But don't blame me. Stephen King himself has said that he isn't a fan of this picture.
5/10
Rated R
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Adapted/Screenplay by Stanley Kubrick & Diane Johnson
Based on the novel by Stephen King
Runtime - 146 minutes
Suggested edition: Kubrick Triple feature on Blu Ray; also includes "2001" and "A Clockwork Orange" or individual DVD release for $3.99 on amazon
8.5 of 10 stars on IMDb
92% on Rotten Tomatoes
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