Both a brilliant and frustrating film.

Rating: 8/10 (16 July 2000)

In the grand scale of Kubrick's films this is disappointing:- it's no Dr Strangelove. The Shining has very poor character development for Scatman Crothers, Shelley Duvall and Nicholson's characters. Duvall really is irritating, and you can understand Jack Torrance's isolation and lack of decent company in the hotel. Nicholson gives an amusing, insane turn, with bizarre proclamations like "Here's Johnny!" and the dialogue of the scene at the bar. The set design really is some of the best ever in film, and the direction of the scenes where Danny is riding around the floor is perfect. Visually it's great, and the extensively classical music is utilised to the full: that Bela Bartok piece is superb. It succeeds as a film in metaphorical areas, and as always, AMBIGUITY is the crucial element. The outright best part of the film is where Jack enters the luxurious 1920s Ball; the music there (sung by Al Bowlly?) is haunting, and again the architecture is eye-catching. Philip Stone's enigmatic English valet Delbert Grady adds just the right touch. The ending with the photograph affects in a similar unnerving way. The other great moment apart from the 1920s Ball is when Jack's writing is revealed. His character's motivation and depth is conveyed simply by this and the scene in the lonely bar with "Lloyd". The disparate elements of set design, music, brilliant visuals overshadow the actors and the story: that is perhaps the film's problem. Nicholson's character is far more sympathetic than Duvall's. It would make the world of difference if you'd have had a more engaging female actress, who wouldn't be so easily overshadowed (Faye Duneaway perhaps...?). Then perhaps we'd be more unnerved by Nicholson. It's one of the best horror films despite the standard horror part of the story being one of the drawbacks. Rating:- *** 1/2 (out of *****).