Celebrating its 40th anniversary today, we look back on the 1980 horror starring Jack Nicholson.
For keen horror fans out there, then you will be familiar with The Shining -the psychological horror directed by Stanley Kubrick that takes us to the Overlook Hotel and leads us through the ordeal Jack and his family endure whilst they stay there.
Jack Torrance is an aspiring writer (as well as a recovering alcoholic). To the horror of any writer, he experiences writers block and in order to overcome this he takes up a job as a caretaker at the Overlook Hotel to get some inspiration. Alongside him is his wife Wendy and son Danny.
Whilst in residence at the hotel, young Danny possesses psychic abilities known as “the shining” that allows him to see the past of the hotel. It is found out the hotel had a previous caretaker who lost his sanity and unfortunately killed his family. As time passes, Jack starts to also lose his sanity, leaving many to question if he will follow in the footsteps of this past caretaker.
The supernatural forces inhabit the mind of Jack, and as a winter storm sets upon the hotel, Wendy and Danny are in danger of their own husband and father…
The Shining, even forty years on still proves popular and it is simply because of the horror it brings for viewers. It has everything you could ask from a horror: twists and turns that leave you on edge of your seat and scared because you have no idea what is going to happen next, the jump scares, the crazy antagonist and of course the twin girls who are supposedly “sweet”, yet they haunt our thoughts and dreams.
Jack Nicholson plays an iconic part as the caretaker who becomes psychotic and insane and exhibits his fine acting traits. He has played many parts over the years, yet this is one of his most memorable as he scares and convinces audiences of the part he is playing. He leads audiences through his clear portrayal as someone losing their sanity which not only again convinces viewers of the part he is playing but makes it easier to follow the plot of the story.
The only pitfall you could take from this film (yet still iconic) is the ending in some ways does seem abrupt and leaves you with answered questions such as what exactly is the shining? Or what happened to Wendy and Danny? Were they safe? So many questions…
Image credit: Roger Ebert
What makes up for these unanswered questions is Doctor Sleep, the 2019 sequel to The Shining starring Ewan McGregor as a grown-up Danny. This film is a must watch after The Shining as it answers the questions you were left with after this film all those years ago.
Ultimately, The Shining is a must watch on the bucket list of any horror film enthusiast and remains one of the most iconic psychological thrillers of all time that is still as successful and popular all these years later.
By Katie Green
Feature image: The Economist