The Shining Reviews

One of the best

Stanley Kubrick was a gifted director and this is my favourite of his films.

Its a subtle masterpiece of tension, fine acting, design and horror atmosphere. The cinematography is exceptional and there are little details referring to the American Indians in many shots, giving a subtext to the whole story.

This is Jack Nicholson's best role without doubt but he's nowhere near as scary as the two little girls who keep appearing in the haunted corridors of the magnificent Overlook Hotel.

The mysterious appearance of party goers in the Gold room, with Grady and the bartender and the most beautiful gents toilet I've ever seen.

"All work and no play...." - I get shivers just thinking about it...

There is only one thing wrong with this film: the kid needs a haircut.

That's pretty good going, you have to admit...

I can't recommend it more highly.

Some of the most truly scary sequences ever

I'd have to say this rates as one of the best horror films ever, and you MUST watch it. Full of atmosphere (and took over a year to film!) the gradual decline of the main character and scary plot shine though. Rent it now!

Spine chilling horror

The scariest movie of all time with brilliant performance from Jack Nicholson and Shelly duvall.

Jack nicholson excels as a mentally deranged/possessed man who is hell bent on murdering his isolated family in an icy cold hotel. The most terrifying film I have ever seen without grotesque scenes, but with blood curdling story line and spine chilling horror.

A must see for a horror movie fan.

[Highly rated reviewer]

One of the best horror films ever made. A perfectly cast Nicholson in one of Kubrick's best films. Stephen King proved once more what a nob he was by disowning this work of genius because it veers from the book in places. Personally, I like the changes (the whole hedgemaze doesn't appear in the book), i think we'd all agree (with the exception of Mr King) that Kubrick's version is far superior to King's own, more true to the book and made-for-tv-over-two-nights version. It's called artistic licence, stephen. At least he's got rid of that stupid moustache these days.

OMFG NOT WIDESCREEN

One of my favourite films--butchered! What was the point of digitally remastering the film only to 'Pan & Scan' it into a 4:3 ratio? Very disappointed.

The definitive horror film

Kubrick's 1980 adaptation of Stephen King's novel, for all the 'scariest film ever' plaudits bestowed upon it, remains a film with a chequered critical reputation.

Many critics felt that Kubrick's stately pace and style did not suit the physical ferocity required for a horror film, a sentiment echoed by King, who famously said Kubrick knew nothing about the genre.

In fact, Kubrick was so ahead of the game that he was incorporating many horror devices that had not yet been invented, and have never been bettered (or even attempted again).

The genius of Kubrick's take on the material is that the story could be about a man's psychological breakdown (and the breakdown of his family) just as it could be a traditional haunted house tale, this being achieved by reining in King's more outre horror touches. Kubrick, meanwhile, pulls out all the stops with a series of the most terrifying sequences ever seen on film.

Anyone with an interest in cinema is urged to rent this landmark film, one of the few times that a horror film has escaped the confines of the genre, and entered the realm of classic cinema.

Classic Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick's horror movie and a movie unlike no other... 24 years later it still has all the creepy edgyness it ever had with Jack Nicholson at his most outrageous - playing Jack Torrence - the new caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, an isolated maze of a building in the Colorando mountains cut off from civilisation when winter hits. Some terrible events occured to the previous caretaker and his family and when Jack's gifted son Danny starts seeing the reality things start happening all over again.

If you haven't seen this movie and you are a fan of Kubrick, Nicholson or of the scariest of physcological horror, this is a must-see. Its only weakness was the casting of Shelly Duvall as Jack's wife Wendy, her consistant over-acting becomes quite tiresome especially towards the end, this does not however spoil what is essentially a classic piece of cinema.

More Time Out nonsense

'eerie aerial shots that turn out to be nothing more than that', what is he expecting, a killer albatross? That criticism is rather forced. From the opening shots Kubrick sets the level of horror opera to be expected. 'Kubrick makes it warm, well-lit and devoid of threat', Kubrick delineates with greater detail than any other film the environment in which the horrors will take place. The lighting need not be conventionally underlit, instead Kubrick shows everything with great depth, creating a sense of place so keen that ones imagination can work wonders.

He does indeed undercut the conventions of the horror film, and The Shining is also darkly comic, for you know that Jack has brought his troubles with him. This suspenseful expectation is what makes Nicholson's hyperbolic performance such a pleasure to watch. A more gradual and understated psychological breakdown would have lessened the impact of the film, and provide only the illusion of depth. Torrance is faced with the demons of failure and alcoholism, and a consequent resentment toward his family. These demons drive out what little feeling or thought is inside his head, and eventually he succumbs to this vacuity till all he can shout are corny TV slogans. This psychology is simply expressed in a higher key of performance. Apart from that, the best direction in cinema, with the most unsettling soundtrack you'll ever hear. Superb!

(Get hold of the American version, it is half an hour longer, all of it good!)

[Highly rated reviewer]

The scariest thing is the 1970's decoration - especially the carpet!

Why do people find this scary? Let's face it - if this movie was released today it would be a B-movie, but for Jack Nicholson's acting.

If you've hear all the hype, then go ahead and rent it. At least it isn't that dull that you'll want to turn off half way through. Personally, I'm beginning to thing Kubrick was a bit over-hyped!

Do not listen to the TimeOut Review!

If you haven't seen this film but are put off by the featured review from TimeOut, then please reconsider. This is one of the all time scariest films, and it isn't even a traditional horror film. In this film, Kubrick manages to turn the hollow, cheesy genre of horror films into something intense, chilling and artistic.

Nicholson is magnificent and the only downside is Shelley Duvall, who maybe portrays her character as a bit too weak. I think who ever wrote the TimeOut Review should have been fired on the spot, or at least had his/her performance as a journalist re-evaluated. I think this is the first negative review I've heard for The Shining and I'd like to think it'll be the last!