Film Analysis: The Shining by Stanley Kubrick - Movie Review Example

The Shining The film ‘The Shining’ is a horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick in the year 1980. The film story is based on the novel “The Shining” written by Stephen king in 1977. The story is on family relationship. In both the film and the novel, the story revolves the family relationship of Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy Torrance and their son Danny Torrance. Despite the fact that Kubrick’s film ‘The Shining’ is based on King’s novel, “The Shining,” the transition of the film story is different from that of the novel. The film reviews indicates the notable differences between the film and the King’s novel the film is based on. Additionally, the novel’s author – King, criticize Kubrick’s film. The film start with Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic, and a former teacher being interviewed for the caretaker position in an isolated hotel known as Overlook. Jack hopes are to use the hotel facility for his writing work. Jack Torrance is offered the caretaker position and relocates to Colorado to live in the hotel together with his wife, Wendy Torrance and their son Danny Torrance. During the interview, Stutart Ullman, the manager of Overlook hotel informs Jack Torrance the probability of contacting cabin fever and that his family would be snowbound throughout winter. In addition, Jack Torrance is told of a former caretaker – Charles Grady who contacted cabin fever, went insane, and killed his two daughters, his wife, and himself. Stutart Ullman to Jack Torrance about Charles Grady “He ran a muck and killed his family with an axe. Stacked them neatly in one of the rooms in the West wing and then he, he put both barrels of a shot gun in his mouth.” (Kubrick) However, Jack Torrance desire and desperation to remodel his life, ignores Stutart Ullman warnings and opts to take the caretaker position and to relocate to the hotel together with his family. Danny Torrance, his son is against the idea of relocating and informs his mother about it, “…I dont want to go there, Mrs. Torrance.” (Kubrick) However, his mother – Wendy Torrance convinces him that he will soon establish new friends and enjoy the stay at their new place. Wendy Torrance to Danny Torrance “…It always takes a little time to make new friends…Well, lets just wait and see. We are all going to have a real good time.” (Kubrick) When Jack Torrance’s family arrives in the hotel, Danny encounters Dick Hallorann, the hotel’s head chef who realizes that Danny is a psychic just like him. Danny Torrance and Dick Hallorann are able to communicate mentally or telepathically. Dick Hallorann communicates with Danny telepathically and gives Danny a chocolate. Hallorann explains to Danny that he would communicate with his grandmother in a similar way. The ability to communicate telepathically is the ‘Shining’ gift possessed by Danny and Dick Hallorann in the film. Danny is able to learn of the hotel’s mysterious past and he asks Dick Hallorann whether there is something bad with the hotel. Hallorann replies, “I think a lot of things happened right here in this particular hotel over the years and not all of them were good.” (Kubrick) Danny Torrance then questions Hallorann of room 237 and Hallorann informs him to stay away from that room. Hallorann to Danny about room 237 “There isn’t nothing in Room 237. However, you aint got no business going in there anyway. So stay out. You understand. Stay out.” (Kubrick) Jack Torrance family relationship starts to deteriorates upon staying in the hotel. Jack health starts to deteriorate. Jack Torrance encounters ghosts of dead people. One such ghost is that of Charles Grady, the former Overlook hotel caretaker mentioned to Jack Torrance by Stutart Ullman. When Jack Torrance confronts Grady’s ghost of what to he did to his wife and daughters, Grady denies such an happening and even convinces Jack Torrance that he has never been the caretaker of Overlook hotel and that he, Jack Torrance has always been the caretaker of Overlook hotel. Grady’s ghost informs Jack Torrance to murder Wendy Torrance, his wife. Grady’s ghost also informs Jack Torrance of Danny Torrance ‘Shining’ talent and that he should stop it. Arguably, the influence of Grady’s ghost in the film is responsible to the deteriorating Jack Torrance family relationships. The desire by Jack Torrance to murder his wife, Wendy Torrance and his son, Danny Torrance is all as a result of Grady’s ghost. Literally, this concurs with what Charles Grady did while in his stay at Overlook hotel as the caretaker. Arguably, Jack Torrance is possessed by Charles Grady’s ghost as well as the insanity Charles Grady had when he killed his wife, daughters, and eventually himself. When Danny claims to have encountered a weird woman in room 237, Wendy request Jack to explore the room. In his exploration of room 237, Jack sees a beautiful woman who he starts to kiss. However, Jack pulls back horrified when he sees the woman he is kissing is a decomposing corpse on an old woman with sagging decomposing skin. Jack reports to Wendy that there is nothing in room 237. Wendy Torrance encounters other terrifying ghosts in the film. During Jack’s attempts to murder Danny and Wendy, Dick Hallorann who is in Florida is able to learn of Danny’s situation through his ‘Shining’ talent and returns to Overlook hotel with a snow cat only for him to be killed by Jack Torrance. Finally, Wendy Torrance and her son, Danny Torrance are able to escape with Dick’s snow cat. Jack Torrance helplessly dies of freezing. The reviews of the film ‘the Shining’ have revealed a mixed reaction with some supporting the incredible explanation Kubrick offer to King’s novel “The Shining.” However, some reviews and especially by King, the author of the novel, which the film is based on, criticizes the film transition. Some reviews of the film even point out that film is more detailed, all inclusive, and entertaining than the novel it is based on. The review of the film and the novel by Magistrale indicates that the film is more elaborate than the novel. “The novel’s critical bibliography, while perhaps not as extensive as the film’s, is still impressive.” (Magistrale 6) Magistrale argument is that Kubrick, did a credible work in describing King’s work and even added crucial transitions to the film and hence delivering “… a compelling story of a lost family doomed by fate and human frailty.” (Magistrale 7) Nevertheless, Magistrale continues to give credit to both King and Kubrick “… both artists have always insisted, in The Shining and throughout their work, the most disturbing terrors of human life have less to do with monsters and the imaginary creatures of a Gothic dreamscape. They are, instead, psychological in nature – emerging from daily life…such as those articulated in The Shining.” (Magistrale 7) This is an implication that the teaching of story is that human suffering is psychological in nature and mostly emerges from our daily life. Despite the praises Kubrick film ‘The Shining’ receives, other review criticizes it. “For as much as I love Kubrick’s coldly frightening, paralyzing film, I love Stephen King’s supernatural, emotional take a truly evil place. “ (Crewe) In fact, king himself has expressed his dissatisfaction of Kubrick film. One such dissatisfaction of King is as quoted by Robinson, “I’d admired Kubrick for a long time and had great expectations for the project, but I was deeply disappointed in the end result. Parts of the film are chilling, charged with a relentlessly claustrophobic terror, but others fall flat.” This is king’s perception of the film. However, it is important to acknowledge that the overall judging wholly lies to the reader and the viewer. Work Cited Crewe, Eliza. “Old School Wednesdays: The Shining by Stephen king.” The Book Smugglers. Samsung, 11 Sept. 2013. Web. 1 Dec 2013. King, Stephen. The Shining. New York: Anchor Books, 2012. Print. Kubrick, Stanley. “The Shining (1980).” YouTube. YouTube, LLC. 16 Apr. 2011. web. 1 Dec. 2013. Magistrale, Tony. Discovering Stephen Kings the Shining: Essays on the Bestselling Novel by Americas Premier Horror Writer. San Bernardino, Calif: Borgo Press, 1998. Print. Robinson, Tasha. “What The Shining miniseries reveals about the King/Kubrick divide.” MOVIE OF THE WEEK. The DISSOLVE, 31 Oct. 2013. web. 1 Dec. 2013. Read More