The Shining

UK Release Date: 05 October 1980

Certification: 15 

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Cast: Scatman Crothers, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Barry Nelson, Jack Nicholson, Phillip Stone 

Rating: 92%

"Here's Johnny!"

Review: 

The Shining is an exceptional, suspenseful horror movie that is left open ended and up to interpretation due to it's brilliant but ambiguous ending. 

The Shining is my first exposure to iconic filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, with a filmography containing movies such as; 2001: A Space Odyssey, Paths of Glory and Dr Strangelove or: How I learned to stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. His unique style is what makes the movie really work. He'd have actors shoot several takes until they became unhinged, displaying the effect The Overlook Hotel would have on them. Some of his imagery is utterly beautiful which isn't expected in a horror movie making the film utterly unique. 

Jack Nicholson is mental, and I mean that in the best possible way. His performance as deranged father, Jack Torrance, is arguably one of the greatest of all time. The range displayed on screen is phenomenal - he's comedic, chilling and unsettling all in a matter of mere moments. His facial expressions are unnerving and uncomfortable to watch and his line delivery is always on point with his best being his immediate switch from telling Wendy, "Darling? Light of my life." to "I'm just going to bash your brains in!" He was an insane character from the start but watching him derail further and further into madness is mesmerising. Shelley Duvall is often over hated for her performance, receiving a razzie nomination, but she's great. It's well documented the abuse she received whilst shooting becoming dehydrated and crying for days on end all in an attempt to be able to convey a petrified performance in The Shining which she certainly was able to do. Danny Lloyd gives an excellent portrayal of Danny Torrance. He was the one who came up with the idea for the now iconic finger wag that is part of his alter ego Tony.  

The opening shot of the movie is exquisite. Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind produce one of the best movie themes of all time and their eerie score instantly confuses the reader as it shouldn't be placed alongside a stunning, picturesque landscape. And that's what impressed me the most whilst watching The Shining, the tension created is unreal. Except from the maze, there isn't a single scene that takes place in darkness the horrifying elements are created during the day which is a testament to how good The Shining really is. 

There are a couple moments in The Shining that feel a little bit dated but ultimately it's an utterly terrifying horror movie that makes both the Torrance's and the audience feel uneasy.