like it or not, this is a classic

Rating: Null/10 (24 November 1998)

I believe the people that really hated this movie are the same people that require their horror movies to be chock-full of blood, gore and slimy aliens. The Shining accomplishes its purpose not with blood and guts, but with an unbearable build-up of suspense, first-rate (if a bit over-the-top) acting by Nicholson, and eerie camera angles. Kubrick is a modern genius. As in his other masterpieces, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and even the underrated Full Metal Jacket, there is a sort of white, shadowless, "frozen" quality present in many of the scenes, and that eerie, "upward-angle" lighting of Nicholson's face during certain pivotal moments that is truly unnerving and nightmarish. The movie is similar to a nightmare in other respects as well: chilling music by Bartok, a desperate sense of isolation, bizarre room angles/lighting, and events that don't seem to make sense logically (such as the elevator pouring blood and the spooky diorama/maze scene early in the picture). For me, the most truly terrifying scene occurred around the middle of the film, when Wendy (Shelley Duvall) is leaning over Jack's typewriter, snooping at what he has been "writing." Without mentioning anyhing else, suffice it to say that it is at this moment that we realize that Jack has descended completely into madness, and from this point on, the movie's mood shifts from uneasiness to sheer terror.
There is something far more frightening about one's loved ones losing any semblance of sanity (although truth be told, Nicholson seems slightly insane even in the beginning of this movie) than any amount of blood, guts and slimy monsters so prevalent in most horror movies today. The sense of isolation here only underscores the terror. This movie terrified me so much I had trouble sleeping for weeks. While it's true that it does not follow King's book precisely, I forgive it that for it is so well-crafted in its own right (also, I read the book *after* seeing the movie). Truly a masterpiece of horror.