E's Reviews RETRO The 80's: The Shining (1980)



THE SHINING was directed by Stanley Kubrick based on a the novel by Stephen King, and was written by Stanley Kubrick and Diane Johnson. The film stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd as a family who head to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future. Let's begin with saying that this is a classic tale of horror, one that has terrified audiences for years. The Stephen King novel is one of my favorites and is downright chilling. The film, however, took some liberties, Kubrick putting his own touches, creating his own vision for the movie. Despite all that, this film is labeled as a classic. So let's get to it...

To begin, let's talk about the things I dislike about the movie. The dialogue at the beginning of the film is downright cheesy to listen to. The back and forth between the characters was really hard to watch, the dialogue seeming almost like it was a really bad high school play. The dialogue doesn't really get better as the film progresses, until about midway through the movie, which is where we really get to see Jack Nicholson shine.

The film itself is beautifully shot. The Overlook Hotel is a gorgeous, secluded, sad place filled with horrors and terrifying imagery. The cinematography is so well done, each shot showing off this amazing hotel. After you get to the middle of the film, when Jack Nicholson's Jack Torrance really gets to show off his acting chops, he totally owns the film. Jack Nicholson is scary and downright insane in this film, especially when he begins imagining the people in the ballroom and is beginning to give in to the spirits haunting the hotel. The score is amazing and terrifying. The visuals are chilling, especially the twins that Jack's young son, Danny, sees. There are also some moments with Danny that freaked me out whenever I watched it. Shelley Duvall's performance actually grew on me as the film went on, the sheer terror in her eyes as Jack broke through the bathroom door was definitely genuine.

This film is a genuine classic and a staple for horror fans everywhere. Sure, it doesn't hold up when you pit it against the excellent book, but it is definitely one for the ages. This film will definitely be watched for years to come.

Final Score: 9/10

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