Kubrick's vision of King's The Shining

Rating: 9/10 (25 January 2019)

When it comes to Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film, The Shining, there are not many movies that can show the slow and uneasy turn to insanity that someone like Jack Torrance experiences. The movie's simple plot: a family lives in a hotel in the mountains, to keep it in good working condition for the spring time. Jack Torrance slowly loses his mind as his own thoughts are the loudest thing in the hotel.
The film is groundbreaking and influential, not only for the industry as a whole, but also for what I hope to emulate on day and improve on. The films application of color was unnoticed to most, once the audience has knowledge about that theory, it changes the whole perspective, giving the viewers a roller coast of emotion.
When it comes to the editing of The Shining, the long and growingly uncomfortable shots make the audience notice even the most minor of details, from Jack raising his eyebrows to Wendy's growing fear on her face. The pacing of the film is something that most films cannot replicate, the exponential increase in horror and tension near the end of the film seems to come out of nowhere for the average viewer, but more people more in-depth with the knowledge of the industry, it is obvious from the start. The perspective of the film is highlighting Jack, who is a struggling writer, trying to finish a book that he started, giving himself space to think. His own mind ends up being the jail cell he was trying to escape.
The Shining is a great film, that will stand the test of time. Though Stephen King wasn't a fan of it, most critics welcome The Shining with open arms, excited to see another one of Kubrick's creations.