An Everlasting Cult-Horror Classic

Rating: 10/10 (23 October 2019)

Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980) is an undisputed masterpiece and true horror-movie classic. The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's original novel published in 1977. Although faithless to the book, Kubrick's adaptation showcases literal and figurative madness from crew to talent. The revolutionary cinematography, genuine performances, and underlying tone of pure insanity make this cult-classic worth repeated viewing.
In a seemingly innocent exposition, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, a secluded mountain resort in Colorado. He brings his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and eight-year-old son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), in what will be five months of 'fantastically cruel' isolation. Two weeks into his new job, an epic snowstorm barricades the family-of-three within the Overlook. Jack finds trouble sleeping, becomes infuriated with his family, and befriends an imaginary bartender. He succumbs to his hellish, erotic, and homicidal urges, resulting in a total mental collapse.
Unlike modern-day horror, this legendary film doesn't only rely on gruesome imagery, but ground-breaking cinematography. Once Kubrick learned of 'The Steadicam,' a camera accessory intended for smooth shots over an irregular surface, he stopped at nothing to obtain one. And unlike any film before it, The Shining took the device to new heights; effortlessly gliding the audience alongside characters, and throughout massive corridors. The extraordinarily long shots of Jack, Danny, and Wendy masterfully conveyed a sense of ever-following hysteria.
To further support the ominous cinematography was Kubrick's meticulously placed soundtrack music. The now-iconic scores performed by Béla Bartók perfectly accents the chilling weather, vast emptiness of the Overlook Hotel, and progressive instability of the Torrence family. The under-toned music escalates tension to virtually unbearable levels.
More so terrifying than Jack and Shelly's onscreen performance was their offscreen struggles. Nicholson, now triple Oscar-winning actor, frequently attributes his success to habitual drug use. And during The Shining's 1978-80 production, there was no shortage of cocaine. He later admitted to frequently leaving set to snort, inadvertently creating the perfect on-camera madman. In addition, Shelly Duvall's trembling fear and overwhelming vulnerability were genuine. Kubrick kept her isolated from the cast, cut many of her lines, and forced her to perform the iconic 'baseball bat' scene a record-breaking 127 times. In the later months of filming, she presented the director with clumps of her own hair, to bring awareness to his cruel methods.
For exactly 39 years, The Shining has remained untouchable and irreplaceable. Still today, Stanley Kubrick's cinematography is worshiped by industry professionals and critics alike. His strive for frame-by-frame excellence drove the talent insane, resulting in genuine on-camera mania. I challenge anyone to witness the literal insanity and cinematic excellence of The Shining.