Day 10: The Shining (sort of)

[jetpack_monkey]

So every few years I watch Stanley Kubrick's version of The Shining, not because I love the film, but precisely because I don't.

It's a much-beloved and highly-regarded horror classic and I've never been able to key into why. I appreciate the technical craftsmanship, but I've always been left with the impression that Kubrick felt like he was above the material. Additionally, I always felt that Jack Nicholson was just hamming his way through the part.

This latest rewatch failed at the 50-minute point for technical reasons -- my HD-DVD player is dying, apparently -- but what I did see left me with a slightly raised estimation of the film. For the first time, I could see Jack Nicholson's performance for what it was -- the picture of a man barely on the edge of civility, frustrated in his writing career, and feeling trapped by his marriage and fatherhood. I still think he's a bit too Jack in places, but you know, there's some bravura work being done if you can move past his usual tics.

The score by Wendy Carlos is creepy as hell and some of the tracking shots definitely add to a sense of unease.

That said, there's still this veneer of artifice over everything. The overabundance of Steadicam shots feels like a child playing with a new toy. The huge cavernous spaces of the Overlook definitely add to the feeling of isolation for the characters, but they also served to isolate me from the proceedings. As the film went on, I started getting an annoyed pang in the back of my neck, so when the disc died... I didn't really put any effort into finding an alternative means of finishing the film.

Comments

[absolutedestiny]

You should watch the UK cut. It's much better imo. (pacing is better)

[laurashapiro]

I have So Many Thoughts about this film. Kubrick was my favorite director for years, mostly for the very reasons people dislike him (and The Shining specifically): his films are cold, artificial, and devoid of empathy. I adore that, because I think it allows him to explore the nature of evil without ever implicating the audience. His characters are not anti-heroes, they're almost completely unapproachable. It allows you to place your empathy where it belongs: with the victims.

Also, if you're interested in some truly weird theories about The Shining, get your hands on a copy of Room 237. It is hilarimazing.

[destina.livejournal.com]

Oh, man. I regard The Shining as a masterpiece. It's one of my top three horror movies, up there with The Haunting and The Exorcist. I would love to talk to you more about this in person someday, because I think Kubrick's film (which is not King's book at all, tho both are excellent) is full of existential dread, and it's chilling. Actually, the older I get, the more chilling it becomes. Heh.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Funny how you just named the two other horror films that are incredibly popular and beloved that I have little-to-no use for. ;)

[destina.livejournal.com]

OK then!

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

But in all seriousness, I know that my opinions run outside of the norm. I'm just an old-fashioned horror fan in a lot of ways. Very very old-fashioned.

[destina.livejournal.com]

That's what makes for interesting conversation. Or at least, I think so. YMMV.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Oh, no, I agree. I just... am not in a place for that right now?

[qkellie.livejournal.com]

Have you seen Room 237 yet? It's streaming on Netflix right now and dissects The Shining in a ton of really fascinating ways. I'll always still like the book better, however, and as much as I enjoy many of Kubrick's films, this one is particularly cold and distant in a way that I don't think is appropriate to the subject matter. For 2001 or Eyes Wide Shut, yes, that approach works very, very well. For something that, IMHO, is supposed to be about intimacy and fear, I don't think it does.