23. The Shining (1980)
Dir: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
Always very particular about what his projects, Kubrick waited almost five years after Barry Lyndon to start work on his next product and he didn't disappoint. Loosely adapting Stephen King's 1977 novel of the same name, The Shining has become a horror masterpiece with it's breathtaking visuals, compelling star and chilling atmosphere.
Telling the story of writer Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) as he and has family become the new caretakers of the Overlook Hotel. Warned that previous caretaker went insane killing his family, Jack slowly slips into madness becoming angry and violent. Meanwhile Jack's son Danny (Danny Lloyd) discovers a telepathic ability he shares with an elderly cook (Scatman Crothers) known as "Shining". Jack eventually losing control of his sanity goes after his family in a suspenseful and quite memorable climax.
Now a lot of King fans were initially pretty disappointed with the drastic changes Kubrick made in the story, but in recent years even King has found some kind of mutual respect for what Kubrick did. Whether or not Kubrick was faithful (which he wasn't) his changes still made for an equally compelling experience. Plus some of the scenes he added have become iconic images in film. Blood flowing out of the elevator shaft, the ghost twins, Jack's supposed "novel" in the typewriter and "Here's Johnny" were all unique to the film. This film's solemn atmosphere is completely absorbing and truly the work of a masterful film auteur.
Fright Fact: The set for the Overlook Hotel was at the time, the largest set ever built.
Horror Highlight: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"
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