stylish delight

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 2001)

Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" is one of the most stylized movies I have ever seen, and probably the most for an American film. The horror genre has long used the camera to manipulate the audience, using quick zooms, tilted angles and hand held camera to create tension and visual distortion. The sense of danger and panic was conveyed by the camera as much as it was by the narrative elements. In "The Shining", the camera is used quite differently. Instead of hand held shots, Kubrick employs steady-cam which moves with a fluid sense of menace. Also, instead of wide angles and rapid cuts, Kubrick chooses to use long takes with symmetrical framing, creating a new style that dowmplays the tension an action, but creates more terror as it works so well with the steady cam.
"The Shining" also has some terrific visuals. The red bathroom that the father talks to the butler in is incredibly stylish. Also, the strange carpet designs add a unique visual flair to the movie. The insert shots of the butchered girls and butler are pretty weird, but nothing can top the guy in the bunny suit fellating the business man. Creepy and coocky.
The best part of the movie is Jack Nicholson. He is in top form for this movie, especially in his scenes of metamorphisis into a lunatic. His conversations with the bar tender are extremely entertaining, as is his meeting with the butler in the red bathroom. The dialogue in these segments is great as well.
Overall, "The Shining" is one of the best horror movies ever made, and worth a look for fans of the genre and Kubrick alike. It's a fun movie, but has many great merits as well, something not very common.