The Shining (1980)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers

More info: IMDB

Tagline: A Masterpiece Of Modern Horror

Plot: A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future.

My rating: 10/10

Will I watch it again? OH, YEAH!

The 1980s were my teen years. I was 13 in '82. That meant that I first saw this either on HBO or VHS (which is more likely). I had seen this flick a half dozen times and had liked it but it wasn't until around 1998 that I had the amazing experience of seeing this in a real theater. That changed everything. For the first time I was seeing this as it was intended and suddenly my eyes and mind were wide open.


Nicholson's performance was no longer silly; it was downright frightening. The lighting was incredibly beautiful, the sets were gigantic and spacious, the sound enveloped the room. The movie was damn unsettling and effective. I wasn't the least bit surprised that this happened as there's a world of difference in watching a VHS tape on a 28" TV versus a theater screen. But it showed me how powerful a theatrical experience can be and how much impact that can have on your enjoyment and how you react to the film.


Even now watching the Blu-ray of THE SHINING on a 60" TV (which is stunningly gorgeous, btw), I still think back to that theatrical experience. The difference now from that 80s VHS tape is not just the quality or the size of the TV but it's having seen it in the theater and seeing this film in a different light, that of a true horror film. All of those things add to the overall experience. Some say Nicholson is over the top. I disagree. If you give yourself to the film - no distractions, late at night in the darkness, etc. - you will likely see things a little differently. I did, but it took the big screen experience to bring that out. The film's such a part of the pop culture, and having been parodied so much, that it's hard to avoid seeing bits and pieces growing up these days, so that by the time you do see it, the experience and horror is lessened considerably. That's too bad because it truly is one of the great horror films of the 20th century.


It's a pity I live in an area that could never support a theater that showed older films. I will rectify that someday. I can't help but wonder what other movies might dramatically change for me once I see them on the big screen. Size does matter. Scope matters.

Now enjoy this lighter take on the film...