Jack Nicholson at his unhinged best!!!

Rating: 10/10 (9 November 2005)

"The Shining" is without doubt, one of the scariest films I've ever had the privilege of watching.
What really does it for me is the way in which the film charts the main character, Jack Torrance's slow, day-by-day descent into madness, Jack Nicholson's powerhouse performance frequently veers from being darkly funny to downright terrifying. I certainly wouldn't want to be left alone in the same room as someone Like Jack Torrance when he's having one of his turns! All throughout the film, the director, Stanley Kubrick's trademark attention to small detail shines through-from the eerily lavish production design (such as the deserted opulence of the Gold Room), to the sweeping Steadicam shots.
Some have criticised the pace of "The Shining" for dragging too much, though personally, I have found that after quite a few viewings, it doesn't seem to drag anywhere near as much. It could have done with explaining in a little more detail the strange telepathic link between Danny and the hotel chef, Halloran (Scatman Crothers)
There is an effectively cold and isolated atmosphere throughout this film.
All in all, "The Shining" is a beautifully well-crafted shocker.