Another Kind of Horror

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2014)

1980, the new beginning of decades in cinema. And Kubrick brought the most memorable horror of all time. I think it's not a horror after all, it's an unclassified-genre, a Kubrick's very own genre. For me, it is not scary, maybe because the cultural gap between the western and eastern. The Asian-horror, usually frightening young woman appears as ghost, is my cultural-horror. I mean, you know ghost, in every culture is different. At the one hand, if you believe in ghost or those mythical things, this movie is worth to watch, it's from Stephen King's novel itself. In the other hand, if you don't believe, don't worry, Kubrick make another alternative to enjoy this movie. Watch it as a psychological-problem-movie, with suspenseful scene in it. So, two perspective in a movie, who could believe that, but Kubrick made it true. And about its difference from the novel, I don't know if you are a novel reader or what. But, I do appreciate King as the writer, he has good sense in writing mystery-novel. I haven't read the novel though, but King as writer, had done a great job. For Kubrick, you may say, he had torture the masterpiece of writing. So, King is right to defend his work of art. But Kubrick also had a fantastic sense of cinematography, that's why it's okay for him to change the story a little too far. Anyway, I adore both of them.
"The Shining", however, is pure entertainment in my opinion. It doesn't criticize the culture, society, beliefs, or anything else. A magical movie construction with little jumbled sequence and undefined evil spirit in it. It's okay for me, what audiences really seek is the intense-scene itself, not the comprehension of the symbol in movie. It gets wrong when the movie is bad and boring, but not for "The Shining" which is very genius in that very era. Kubrick doesn't add twist, just leaves the movie-mystery behind. To make the audiences keep wondering, and that's good. Nicholson did a really intimidating-acting, one of the best act from him that I've ever seen. The story itself, I mean the screenplay from the movie, is just so tremendous, though-provoking, and cold. I just can get enough claustrophobia from this film. And what's very touching is "the shining" itself, people that can shine, or has talent to communicate with spirits. The way the movie leads to point a very different way to understand such a weird-talent. You know, children, they are really plain and honest, just a tiny kick for showing new view.
Nine out of ten, I rate this movie. With small-amount of moral value, I usually don't rate movie as high as this. But the cultural- impact of this movie is remained until now. Not just in America, but reaches my country also, Indonesia. "All work and no play makes Jack adult boy" comes in my English assignment. Look, it is from the 1980's cinema and still leaves trace until now. With not so many awards, it gives so much unique pleasure. The accomplishment of great cinema-inventiveness. What a charmed feature!