Kurbick's Flawed but Still a Noteworthy Horror Film.

Rating: 8/10 (11 August 2005)

Jack Torrance (Three Time Oscar-Winner:Jack Nicholson) has been hired to look after as a Caretaker in the isolated Overlook Hotel with his wife (Shelley Duvall) and his son (Danny Lloyd). But each of the family are experiencing something different. Jack is slowly spinning out of control and having a feeling that he was there before in a different time in the Overlook Hotel. Jack's son is seeing spirits trying to warm or scare him what did happen in the Overlook Hotel in the past and future. Jack's wife is worried about his husband's behavior and her son's fear of the Overlook Hotel.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange, Eyes Wide Shut, Full Metal Jacket) made a flawed but extremely well made horror film that is superbly shot by John Alcott (Barry Lyndon, The Beastmaster, Terror Train). Based on a Novel by Stephen King (Dreamcatcher, The Shawshank Redemption, The Stand). Although not as faithful as King's novel. King actually wrote a screenplay for the T.V. version directed by Mick Garris (Psycho 4:The Beginning, Riding the Bullet, Sleepwalkers).
This DVD is actually an improvement over the original DVD with Picture Quality and Sound. DVD has an sharp Pan & Scan (1.33:1) transfer and an digitally remastered-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The DVD does contain a new feature, an 35 minute commentary track by Stanley Kubrick's daughter-Vivian on the making of The Shining. Nicholson's performance is so good but there's no time to get involved in his plight. The film is highlighted by some eerie scenes but the film is quite long and slow at times. Kubrick cut several key scenes after the film's premiere. Remade for T.V. in 1997. (*** Â½/*****).