Why so scary?

Rating: 10/10 (10 February 2009)

1. REPUTATION You've heard about how scary it is; you know who Stanley Kubrick is and what his films are like... And you probably will think to yourself: hey, some of this guy's other films, which are not necessarily known for scariness, are very scary indeed.(2001: A Space Odyssey is pretty scary isn't it?) Now this is his horror movie! It's gotta be scary!
2. MUSIC The Shining's score is indeed the best score in history, not one of the best, it is the best! Music to film is like colour to picture, yet, in The Shining, music is even more vital, because it is an invisible actor. It plays all of the ghosts in the movie. So deeply powerful, petrifying!
3. SETTING Just imagine... Freezing winter with heavy snow, isolated huge old house, maze of rooms in the house...
4. CASTING This should never be ignored. Casting for Danny and his mom is just perfect.
5. CINEMATOGRAPHY AND EDITING ... ...(about this, speechless I am)
6. UNKNOWNNESS Many remain wondering about the idea and theme of The Shining after seeing it for many times. They guess and argue. There has come out so many explanations now, some of which are truly imaginary! But regardless of how much people guess and argue, the movie is still like a mystery. Yet it is just the unknownness that has made it so intriguing, so enchanting, so...horrifying... Exactly like the director himself.