An Adaptation That Might Be Even Better Than The Source Material...and I love Stephen King!!

Rating: 10/10 (22 November 2019)

Stephen King notoriously didn't take kindly to this film, often flip flopping from grudging respect to completely disliking it. To be fair, it's not hard to see why. There are considerable differences between the source material and the film and King didn't like how Jack wasn't as developed as he was in the original novel, and less sympathetic. As much as I love King's work, I must sadly disagree with his statement. The Shining is one of the few adaptations that is as remarkable as the source material, but also one I dare to say could be better.
The other major motif that comes from discussing the film is all of the outlandish theories that have come from interpretations of the film, with theories about it being a critique of the American Dream, and some saying that it's Kubrick apologizing for his role in supposedly faking the Moon landing (though if you watch 2001, you could see where some are coming from there) some of these theories became so prevalent that a documentary was made discussing the rampant fan theories that have come with the film. But to be fair, the film, much like all great films, invites discussion and discourse about its themes and motifs. Though for me, this film is an exploration of a man's capacity for self-destruction.
One of the main differences of the novel and the film is the portrayal of Jack Torrence, Jack in the book is a tortured man wrestling with the demons of his past, while the film version, played iconically by Jack Nicholson, he is a twisted mind that's barely holding back the cruelty and barbarism that he's capable of. Even in the scenes where he isn't completely insane, there's always this uncomfortable presence that he eschews throughout the film. It's almost as if when he does eventually snap and go insane, we're not supposed to be surprised, which brings a deeper sense of dread and despair. Where the book has a much more hopeful, bittersweet ending, the film is very bleak, showing that Jack has always had that darkness inside of him, and it was the hotel that finally caused him to fully lose control and go completely bonkers. Another main difference is the portrayal of Wendy, and Shelley Duvall's performance in the movie has been criticized, unfairly, might I add. She went through a lot of stuff while they were filming the movie, especially from director Stanley Kubrick, and after that she got even more flak from critics and even some audiences, with even some calling her performance the weak link of the film. There's even some who claimed that the stress of this film led to Duvall's later mental decline, though I don't know if it's true or not. The only issue that I have with this movie is that the scene where Danny is shining to Dick for help, it looks really stupid, but asides from that, this film is fantastic.
There's few films that I can call perfect, and even fewer that have truly scared me or chilled me to my bone. The Shining ranks up with films such as The Thing or Alien for me that I just can't get over. I am often filled with a sense of dread and unease every time I see the twins, Jack's gradual mental decline, Grady's bone chilling monologue about 'correcting' his family, and the lady from Room 237 which still freaks me out to this very day. Few horror films actually scare me, and scares me in a way where it stays with me. The horror of The Shining is never cheap or fleeting, it is always lurking around the corner, waiting to strike and never letting you go even when you feel that you've had enough. One reason why this is the case is because of Kubrick's ever so meticulous direction, not a shot is wasted throughout the duration of the film and the second has to do with the top notch performances from the cast, not a single character in the film is weak, and despite the lack of rich characterization, the film does give you the taste of their personalities, desires, and goals.
I consistently stand in awe in how Kubrick manages to weave together so many subtle complexities and nuances in one film. I've never encountered a movie where I watch it again and again and see something new in it to appreciate like so many other of my peers seem to do, yet with this film I tend to see it again and again and I'll notice something that I never saw before, like how Jack seems to act like an elaborate joke is being played on him, but also seeming to genuinely try to enjoy himself while being on this hallucinogenic ride through this hotel.
Kubrick took King's original work and completely made it his own, as I find most great adaptations tend to do. Reviewing the book is an entirely different conversation, but I, for one, join most horror aficionados in holding this film up as one of the finest horror films ever made, and one of Kubrick's best.