The Shining

Director, Stanley Kubrick, dramatizes The Shining’s suspense in all the right ways. Basing the thrilling screenplay upon Stephen King’s novel, Kubrick is able to deliver a classic modern horror film through his style of taking a realistic fiction through a slow and suspenseful thrill with an unrestricted type of narration, a question of reality and distant cinematography.

The basis of the plot line is realistic with some unlikely aspects. It is possible that a mountaneous hotel would shut down for the entire winter due to belligerent storms, but it isn’t likely to exist. Spirits taking over and influencing the mental health of a father may be possible but it also isn’t likely. It is easier to believe that the severe isolation and cold is what’s driving Jack nearer to insanity, but he urges that he “loves it here.” The “shining” gift of having conversations with people not using your mouth is another unlikely aspect. The psychic ability of Danny and also the cook, Dick Halloran (Scatman Crothers), is unheard of in modern life. But that’s what is intriguing about the film. There is an uncertainty that brings out one’s imagination and creativity. What will they do next? How will they do it? We ask because we have never had the shining visions before ourselves.

The cinematography of the film is very authorial, distant, and eerie. Many shots seem to be subjective, because it is at eye level to the character; we see their back as they move forward and the camera follows. There are also authorial when the director controls what we are seeing. Many shots of the scenes keep the characters far away, as in a long shot. The screen displays the space of the room, as well as the distance between characters, which is growing as they continue to live in the hotel. The slow panning and tracking movements also help to show the setting and create the desired mood. The director employed close-ups when there was important dialogue between two characters, while majority of the shots are long or medium.

The film moves slowly but surely with a driven plot and carefully directed sequences. It is very intense for a 1980 film, horrifying and shocking. Kubrick creates a captivating and haunting storyline, so I'm excited to see if this style follows into his other works.