The ultimate horror-thriller...

Rating: Null/10 (5 October 1998)

The excellence of the cast, and the phenomenal Stanley Kubrick, combine to make this probably the most fabulous horror film of all time. Although it is integrally different from the Stephen King book which inspired it (which prompted King to make his own version in the 1990's), it remains a masterpiece in the horror genre.
Jack Nicholson is at his peak in this role, where he plays a man who, although he's basically a nasty individual, slowly descends into madness after going to the Overlook Hotel. The scenery shots used in this movie are breath-taking, and you have to stop just to look at them.
There are some things that could have been improved upon in this movie (Shelley Duvall would have made a great blonde, and could have used just a little bit of backbone), but it's basically an excellent film. It stands out from most horror films of the late 1970's and early 1980's in that it doesn't rely solely on nude women and massive gore to snag it's audience. Over two hours in length, it's also much longer than the usual horror film, which is about ninety minutes. What violence there is in the movie is well-played, and appropriate under the circumstances. There are almost no scenes where I was left wondering, "Now why on Earth did he do that?"
If you haven't seen this movie, it's worth the time, if even to just see the differences between Kubrick's version and King's version. A definite five star thriller!