Kubrick's cold, frightening masterpiece of sustained psychological terrorisation. Pure art of terror.

Rating: 10/10 (15 August 2007)

The Shining (1980)
Top 3 - 1980
Top 15 - 1980s
Top 100 - All Time
Rated R for sustained psychological terrorisation, strong horror, violence and some language
Stanley Kubrick, who undeniably was established as one of the most unorthodox but unquestionably successful filmmakers of his time; his film content and style were always unconventional; his mastery absolute.
The Shining is Kubrick's protégé of horror, a classic masterpiece of fright with the stunningly elaborate, yet so simple Jack Nicholson as the man who must look after an isolated hotel over the winter; but the hotel is haunted by memories, feelings... astonishing frights and a child who senses the supernatural.
Stephen King's novel could have not been given a better screen adaptation to his chilling novel. Kubrick's film maintains a fierce grip on the viewer for 140 minutes that feel like 140 minutes of relentless terror. The simplest of images still hold the viewer in absolute agony; hiding behind the pillow; the sounds, the sets, Kubrick's faultless direction never let the viewer rest or take a breath comfortably; the film does not show relentless images of horror, but it is the way it is made.
Kubrick knew how to frighten an audience and he did effortlessly in 'The Shining', a masterpiece of cinema and a triumph in the art of terror.
This film toys with the mind; it is a relentless, unforgiving force of terror. It deserves praise because this may be the best horror film ever made.
And... You cannot write a review about The Shining without mentioning the thrilling Jack Nicholson. Which somehow seemed to be the perfect choice for the role of Jack Torrance; and Jack is superb as the slowly deranged man in isolation.
You can sense supernatural, unnatural situations occurring throughout the film, but the last 5 minutes are dizzying, perplexing and ambiguous, change the entire course of the film. Who? What? Why?
Kubrick creates a psychological utopia and this is what makes 'The Shining' endlessly disturbing. Who should we trust? Who really is Jack? This is a majestic piece of terror, made by a vivid and eccentric director, who never quite seems to give you an answer to your question...
10/10