"Let's Go Quietly Insane Together"

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2019)

What do you get when you cross Stanley Kubrick, Stephen King, and Jack Nicholson? The answer is no joke, but a creepily brilliant work of horrific and supernatural art. Released in 1980, The Shining centers on the Torrance family as they accept the responsibility of maintaining a massive hotel during the off-season. Little do they know, but dark forces with the ability to evoke violence dwell within the hotel's walls.
I first viewed The Shining as a child of perhaps 12 or 13. At the time, I mistook it only for a slow paced slasher featuring the well cast Jack Nicholson alongside his over acting stage spouse Shelley Duvall. The tracking dolly shots and wall of blood were symbolically lost on me. Now, at age 24, the film's pacing and slow burning set up feel natural. I see the power behind the character's clothing color and how Kubrick made us quietly go insane together. The film offers a dual critique on both the history of violence across generations and the effects of alcoholism.
Jack Nicholson perfectly delivers the role of Jack Torrance. His evil grin and wild eyes foreshadow the characters unbalancing long before he first takes up a weapon. All though I still believe Shelley Duvall's performance is over the top, her reactions of fear and terror have survived the years and are considered "memorable" rather than "true to life". The work's color scheme is rich and telling. It offers insight into the character's motivations and psychological status.
The Shining is Kubrick's most recognizable masterpiece. In present time, it has become the source of inspiration for such artists as Tim Burton, Slipknot, and Thirty Seconds to Mars. Popular lines from the film like "Redrum" and "Here's Johnny!" are parodied and sampled quite often. The Shining is almost a perfect film. The fact that it is not even the director's best speaks volumes of his true creativity.