SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB: Week 174 - The Shining

[Cubo de Sangre]

@FrontNakedChoke - this is for you amigo. Sorry it is late.

Good spooky introduction. I found myself wondering where this is filmed. I'm guessing central western Colorado, Crested Butte area. The interior hotel scenes are filmed at the Stanley in Estes Park. I wonder if the actual hotel has a room 237. I bet they could charge extra to have folks stay there.

Nice ironic foreshadowing: 5 months of peace is just what I want.

For some people solitude and isolation can become a problem has never been truer than in this film!

I haven't had a chance to read everyone's comments yet. The two times I set aside to do so, I was waylaid at work. Since I don't want to say stuff others have probably also said, I think I will focus on Wendy.

The first time I watched this film, it was all about Jack. I actually remember him overacting more than he did. I found him to be more subdued, subtle, and also scarier this time around. He did a tremendous job of playing an abusive, controlling husband. I remembered Wendy as being annoying, and not a good actress.

This time around, however, I was actually super impressed with Duvall's performance. I feel like she nailed the role. Last time I saw her as the pathetic woman Jack sees when he looks at her, this time I saw the performance that led me to that conclusion. It bothers me to think what Kubrick made her go through, so at the very last, I feel that her performance deserves recognition. I felt like in some scenes she was pushed to the absolute brink. Don't think I would ever want to feel what she must have felt. I love that she was a confirmed ghost story and horror addict. It made the events of the movie all the more ironic and horrifying. I also love how she nailed the role of the abused wife. It was painful watching her sweet efforts at socializing with the hotel personnel during the tour of the hotel. Her personality peaked through as she expressed her amazement over the art, did the little dance step in the ballroom, and made the comment of leaving a trail of breadcrumbs so she wouldn’t get lost. She filled the silence made by Jack's simple presence. You can tell she has done this a lot. She is his social buffer. You can see who she used to be as a person through the veneer of vulnerability and timidity that she wore so well. Her description of Danny’s shoulder dislocation is painfully classic: He had too much strength and he injured Danny’s arm. She describes violent child abuse as something that happened to Jack and not something that he did. It is certainly no coincidence that Danny's alternate persona, Tony, showed up when the injury happened. Duvall is fragile. She is living on a promise, a promise that Jack won't drink. She can live with him as long as he sticks to his word, because she is able to blame the violence on the alcohol, and not the man. She teeters from the beginning of the movie. She knows just how tenuous her grasp on happiness is. I don't think she is surprised that things went so wrong.

Wendy showed a lot of strength and resilience in this movie. She was clearly managing the hotel while Jack lost his marbles. She had to be resilient to survive her marriage as long as she had. And when things went south, yes, she was crying hysterically and waving her knife around ineffectively on the stairs, but she got the best of him in the end. She was a victim of the usual horror movie bullshit, like not knowing to pull the chain on the food locker, but she still got him locked away safely. If not for the ghosts, that would have been that. Instead, she managed to get her kid out, start the cat and get the hell out of there.

I have a whole bunch of other notes. Not sure if they merit a post.

This line of my notes was worth keeping though: Someone in a dog suit blowing a dude in a room? I need to remember to ask @MusterX about this.

LOL! He beat me to it!

Great post. I too remembered her as more of a whimpering simp than a heroine. This time around both her acting and character were more impressive. Especially her acting. Knowing she was legit on the verge of a nervous breakdown during filming makes sense. They shoulda just gave her the job and she could have cut Jack loose prior to moving up there.

 

[chickenluver]

I wonder if Kubrick thought the right look and performance style for the role, but when time came to film he found he had to be harsh with her to get the performance he wanted, or if perhaps she wasn't his choice for the roll. If she was pushed on him by the studio or was not this first choice that would explain him being cross with her and doing all he could to get the right performance.

I think portraying him criticizing her takes as uncharacteristic is a little overblown. I saw an interview with Vincent D'Onofrio from Full Metal Jacket where he talked about how when Kubrick wasn't getting the take he wanted he'd say things such as "It's take 79, and it's no fucking good, so we're doing it again." He seems like he's always been one to speak his mind on set without worrying about stepping on anyone's toes.

 

[MusterX]

I wonder if Kubrick thought the right look and performance style for the role, but when time came to film he found he had to be harsh with her to get the performance he wanted, or if perhaps she wasn't his choice for the roll. If she was pushed on him by the studio or was no this first choice that would explain him being cross with her and doing all he could to get the right performance.

I think portraying him criticizing her takes as uncharacteristic is a little overblown. I saw an interview with Vincent D'Onofrio from Full Metal Jacket where he talked about how when Kubrick wasn't getting the take he wanted he'd say things such as "It's take 79, and it's no fucking good, so we're doing it again." He seems like he's always been one to speak his mind on set without worrying about stepping on anyone's toes.

There is a theory that Kubrick dressed Duvall as Goofy and she didn't know it. I mean I guess you could work into the story why she is dressed as Goofy but it wouldn't surprise me if that was another thing Kubrick did to her.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

There is a theory that Kubrick dressed Duvall as Goofy and she didn't know it. I mean I guess you could work into the story why she is dressed as Goofy but it wouldn't surprise me if that was another thing Kubrick did to her.

Poor kid, covering his pee-pee.

 

[Tufts]

There is a theory that Kubrick dressed Duvall as Goofy and she didn't know it. I mean I guess you could work into the story why she is dressed as Goofy but it wouldn't surprise me if that was another thing Kubrick did to her.

Dude! This is why I love your posts!

 

[Tufts]

The mountains and the shots are gorgeous but the background music is grim, with ritualistic animal screams/ noises over top.

The soundtrack to this film was phenomenal. It was a master lesson in using music to guide and manipulate mood and reaction. I would go so far as to say the soundtrack almost takes on a life of its own.

 

[Tufts]

I always thought he did look extremely evil during the drive up to the overlook.
Either that or just really annoyed with his family.

He looked and behaved like a classic abuser. It bothers me that the first time I saw this movie, I did not pick up on his energy the way I did this time. The first time I watched this, this was a supernatural horror film. This time it was a treatise on domestic abuse. The driving scene clearly showed the dynamic in the family.

 

[Tufts]

Danny rolling around the hotel on his big wheel is still terrifying to me.
And the background music is amazing.

Yes! This was the one scene I had in my memory that was accurate. I was torn between thinking how fun it would be to ride that tricycle down the hallways and feeling terrified by the scene. Between being shot so claustrophobically and being paired so expertly with the violent strident soundtrack, it was an amazing scene.

 

[Tufts]

I've been trying to ignore the molestation theory, but Jack is so creepy with Danny during the scene when he goes to get his firetruck.. That lens certainly puts an even darker mood over the film.

I

This scene made me profoundly uncomfortable. It was one very long shot. I was super impressed with Danny's performance, to sustain that tension for so long was something else. And it culminated with Danny asking his father if he would ever hurt Danny or his mom. So intense and just wrong.

 

[Tufts]

The Shining is longer than I remembered.

Yes! The premise had been set. Jack was starting to go nuts and there were 90 minutes left of the film. I remember thinking that there was a lot of misery coming up!

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

And it culminated with Danny asking his father if he would ever hurt Danny or his mom.

I recall him saying he wouldn't "try" to hurt them, and wondered if that was a conscious distinction in the writing.

 

[Tufts]

An all time great.
Must have been nominated by a great poster.
Sorry it wasn't some obscure film you haven't seen before.

 

[Tufts]

There are actually two versions of it, the European cut is about 25 mins shorter losing mostly scenes with Wendy and Danny.

I wonder why this decision was made?

 

[Tufts]

I recall him saying he wouldn't "try" to hurt them, and wondered if that was a conscious distinction in the writing.

Hmmmm. That opens up some layers. Perhaps a little foreshadowing.

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

But does Danny wear a ring?

Gotta say I was one of those who never thought this film lived up to its reputation. Thanks to @FrontNakedChoke and you, my whole perspective has changed. Stanley crushed the horror genre with this one.

My entire outlook on the movie has changed.
It felt like a new experience watching it this time.

I'm gonna have to watch it again.
The sexual abuse angle is so dark but it does make a lot of sense.

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

The soundtrack to this film was phenomenal. It was a master lesson in using music to guide and manipulate mood and reaction. I would go so far as to say the soundtrack almost takes on a life of its own.

much like the overlook

Yes! This was the one scene I had in my memory that was accurate. I was torn between thinking how fun it would be to ride that tricycle down the hallways and feeling terrified by the scene. Between being shot so claustrophobically and being paired so expertly with the violent strident soundtrack, it was an amazing scene.

Definitely one of my favorite scenes in any movie. For sure one of the most iconic.
The anxious anticipation of what could be around every corner is scarier than whatever may be there.

I recall him saying he wouldn't "try" to hurt them, and wondered if that was a conscious distinction in the writing.

 

[JayPettryMMA]

Good lord, my viewing of this film changed so much after @MusterX smashed through. I started paying attention to the background, which isn't always something I do when watching films. This time, though, I kept seeing things move from scene to scene, chairs disappear and reappear, pictures suddenly showing up where there was nothing. Every watching of a Kubrick film, I seem to pick up new things from them, and that's just the case here.

Color is so important in this film. Whether it's the alternating red to blue, or the green 237, or the stark whites. Like the Breaking Bad color theories, every single costume or set color matters, and matters in a big way.

Every room seems to have a mirror. Something about a window to the soul or a doorway to the other realm, perhaps.

I admit, I was going to write something up much, much earlier, but a buddy of mine is on a quest to watch horror movies every day throughout the month, and made sure this one was on his list. So, we watched it today. Because of this late return to this film, I'll spare you of me prattling on any longer.

This watch, I took away different pieces from it than I usually do, which boosted it for me. 10/10. A true masterpiece.

 

[MusterX]

Good lord, my viewing of this film changed so much after @MusterX smashed through. I started paying attention to the background, which isn't always something I do when watching films. This time, though, I kept seeing things move from scene to scene, chairs disappear and reappear, pictures suddenly showing up where there was nothing. Every watching of a Kubrick film, I seem to pick up new things from them, and that's just the case here.

Color is so important in this film. Whether it's the alternating red to blue, or the green 237, or the stark whites. Like the Breaking Bad color theories, every single costume or set color matters, and matters in a big way.

Every room seems to have a mirror. Something about a window to the soul or a doorway to the other realm, perhaps.

I admit, I was going to write something up much, much earlier, but a buddy of mine is on a quest to watch horror movies every day throughout the month, and made sure this one was on his list. So, we watched it today. Because of this late return to this film, I'll spare you of me prattling on any longer.

This watch, I took away different pieces from it than I usually do, which boosted it for me. 10/10. A true masterpiece.

As I admitted in the posts, most of that stuff I shamelessly ripped from various internet researchers to try to do the film justice. I wish I was smart enough to notice all those details. I agree with everything you posted and it saddens me we don't get to see Kubrick make more films. He was a very special director, his attention to detail was legendary. I feel like you could pick almost any Kubrick film and use it in film school to teach students how great film is made.

 

[Bullitt68]

As I prepare to discuss this film with a class on Tuesday, I once again consult the SMC. I didn't participate in this thread, but I had a blast following it the first time and I loved reading it again. I love the idea of Jack's "soul" being trapped in the hotel "maze" and endlessly being "punished" for his evil ways. He said he'd sell his soul for a drink...I think that someone obliged...and I think that someone is the one who Lloyd tells him bought him his drink. Did anyone mention Lloyd and Grady talking about mysterious "others" who need not concern Jack? What was up with the apparent hierarchy, like the Overlook had a Board of Ghost Directors deciding what to do with Jack and how to help him "correct" Wendy and Danny?

Fucking love this movie.