The Shining

Hi All,
We watched my favorite horror movie the night before last: Kubrick's 'The Shining.' I've read that Stephen King was unhappy with this film adaptation based on his novel, because it was not completely faithful to the original story, and it included some Kubrick touches. It's beyond me, though, that anyone wouldn't be happy with this film. I was really worried I'd have a nightmare, since we watched it late at night. And, I did have weird dreams. But mostly, I really enjoyed the movie.

The plot, for anyone who may have missed this classic, is:
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes the winter-time overseer of the Overlook Hotel, a lavish hotel designed for dignitaries and the rich. So, this place is HUGE. It's an endless cavern of hotel rooms and hallways. And it's located at the top of the mountains in a remote area in Colorado. Since he will be there alone while the hotel is closed for several months, tending to the maintenance, Jack brings his family with him; his wife and son. While he's there, Jack starts to realize that he's been there before. And he's a frustrated novelist dealing with an alcohol problem, which seems to turn him a bit cranky.

Danny, Jack's son, has a gift called 'The Shining,' which is an ability to see the future, or the past, and to tune in to things that regular people can't see. So Danny begins to see what happened at The Overlook Hotel. And Jack's wife (Shelley Duvall) begins to realize that her husband is not entirely stable.

If you haven't seen the film, and plan to see it, stop reading here. Spoilers lie ahead!

Great scenes and motifs in 'The Shining:'

1) Massive amounts of blood flows from the elevators. This image bothered me so much the first time I saw it, I include it as one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen. It's just not something you expect to see, and it evokes a sense of utter horror and fear. At least, it did to me when I saw it as a teenager. It's been spoofed quite hilariously by The Simpsons: Homer sees the blood flowing out of the elevator, and says, "I thought the blood got off at the second floor."

2) Wendy, Jack's wife, sees a series of horrific visions in the hotel at the end of the film. My favorite was the room full of skeletons who look as if they're sitting around having coffee.

3) "Heeere's Johnny!!!" Jack Nicholson is a great actor. And his portrayal of a man going mad was brilliant. This scene, in which Jack breaks into the bathroom door with an axe to get to Wendy, is intense and cringe-inducing. Shelley Duvall was so nervous about this scene, she nearly had anxiety attacks on the set.

4) Those twin girls. From the first time Danny sees them, they give me the heebs. And when he sees how they died, I jumped with fright inside. Ghosts are always my favorites in scary movies.

5) The woman in room 237. I wished they'd done a whole lot more of this-showing us frightening things in different rooms. I have a novel idea with that very premise, which was influenced by this scene.

6) Delbert Grady. His overly calm demeanor makes him all the more scary, knowing what he did to his family. Plus, he's a ghost. I love ghosts!

7) That 1920's ballroom music. Hearing it coming down the hallway, knowing it was from another time (this was set in 1980), gives you chills. 'Ghost Ship' paid homage to 'The Shining' by including similar music and ghost themes. More reasons to love 'Ghost Ship.'

8) The hedge maze. An elaborate maze created out of hedges: what a great idea! As Danny runs for his life in the maze, you really feel his fear and desperation. And the final scene leaves you cold. Literally. haha

In other news, our second Halloween party was last night, and included a similar menu to the first. It was a good time; I always enjoy my family. The travel was too much on the little sweet peas, so I have been promised pics of their costumes.

Have a great day!