The Shining (1980)

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The Shining

20
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A Masterpiece of Modern Horror

Directed By Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick Starring Jack Nicholson Jack Nicholson  •  Shelley Duvall Shelley Duvall  •  Danny Lloyd Danny Lloyd  •  Scatman Crothers Scatman Crothers  •  Barry Nelson Barry Nelson Genres Based-on-20th-Century-Literature  •  Ghost Film  •  Haunted House Film  •  Horror  •  Supernatural Horror Studios &
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Stephen King  •  National Film Registry  •  AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills  •  They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?  •  1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die  •  Roger Ebert's Great Movies  •  Sight & Sound's Greatest Films of All Time Poll  •  Time Out: London's 100 Best Horror Films  •  Flickchart Road Trip  •  BBC's 100 Greatest American Films  •  Time Out: New York's 100 Best Movies of All Time  •  The Cinemaholic's 100 Best Movies of All Time  •  They Shoot Zombies, Don't They? Top 1000 Horror Movies
Release Info 1980-05-23T00:00:00Z May 23, 1980
Color  •  142 minutes R Rated R
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MOST RECENT MATCHUP DISCUSSION

Psycho vs. The Shining

Psycho The Shining VS.

CBW12987 said on Mar 3

"Psycho, Psycho, Psycho Better acting, scenes & Story!!!" more ►

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MOST POPULAR MATCHUP DISCUSSION

The Shining vs. The Empire Strikes Back

The Shining The Empire Strikes Back VS.

bryan57 said on 7/18/2023

"Both are absolute fucking masterpieces that are easily in my top 20 but the shining is in my top..." more ►

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Comments (29)

 
cimi

cimi on 9/16/2011 Reply  · 

good

1 person liked this  √ 

amalia10

amalia10 on 10/4/2011 Reply  · 

it's very cool

2 people liked this  √ 

Seb

Seb on 1/29/2012 Reply  · 

ive only just realized how masterful the shining is. kubrick was a genious

5 people liked this  √ 

PiccoloKing

PiccoloKing on 7/15/2012 Reply  · 

This is my favorite Kubrick movie. The more I rewatch it, the more I realize what a brilliantly constructed film it is. Not that I didn't love it upon my initial viewing but still, it's a damn fine flick.

I think what really makes this film so haunting is the imagery. In the DVD special features, it's revealed that Kubrick took that extra pain to create the surreal atmosphere of the hotel. His was an active role in designing the whole structure and decor of the place. I think that's why the images sort of stick with you long after you've seen the film. The sequence in the maze towards the end is especially disturbing with all the snow and foggy darkness. Kubrick also uses subliminal imagery to prepare us for almost all the subsequent happenings in the film.
Kubrick's use of of a wide lens gives us a better view of the hotel and helps us in recognizing how alone Jack and his family really are. It emphasizes the emptiness of The Overlook. That Wendy and Danny have no escape from the terror of Jack's madness. Of course, the acting is top notch as well. All the performances are fantastic especially Danny Lloyd's. Jack's intentionally over-the-top performance is also impressive.

What I'm trying to say is that I discover something new every time I watch it. All those little details, aspects about human psychology and ambiguous features ensure that the film doesn't lose its sheen after multiple viewings. One of the scariest movies ever made. Ridiculously entertaining. A definite masterpiece!

3 people liked this  √ 

FilmOdyssey

FilmOdyssey on 11/3/2012 Reply  · 

The best horror movie and Kubrick's best.

4 people liked this  √ 

cheesydog1

cheesydog1 on 4/13/2014 Reply  · 

Classic another

0 people liked this  √ 

cheesydog1

cheesydog1 on 4/13/2014 Reply  · 

The best Kubrick film next to A Clockwork Orange

0 people liked this  √ 

Area_hulk

Area_hulk on 8/15/2014 Reply  · 

You gotta love how Kubrick displays America in many of his movies

1 person liked this  √ 

Arthouse

Arthouse on 10/12/2014 Reply  · 

It does what it is supposed to to. Entertain and frighten. It also goes one step beyond and introduces some brilliant direction and acting. It is a quintessential Kubrick film and movie all around.

1 person liked this  √ 

Danny237

Danny237 on 2/28/2015 Reply  · 

Shining is my favorite absolutely. Well, i seen, first time, at 12. Now, 22, i seen this film 977 times! And in all following views, the film goes better. Now, think, i can seen 976 others films, but, in this 10 years, i seen Shining 977 times, maybe 100 times for year. My 2nd favorite, True Grit, i seen 54 times. Toy Story 2 and Goldfinger, the two i seen 73 times. Psycho, i seen 79 times. One Flew Over... i seen over 100. Toy Story 3, 37 times. The Godfather : Part 2, 16 or 17. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, 44. The Shining destroyes all

1 person liked this  √ 

AverageMovieBuff

AverageMovieBuff on 4/20/2015 Reply  · 

My God, man. You've spent that much time watching the same movies. That's 96 Days of your life watching The Shining... Oh well, it's a good movie.

1 person liked this  √ 

VladtheImpaler

VladtheImpaler on 5/21/2015 Reply  · 

Terrible fucking movie!!! Who would be scared of Jack Nicholson? Just a fat, old man.

1 person liked this  √ 

Danny237

Danny237 on 7/28/2015 Reply  · 

This should be called "Danny's Hell", lol.

0 people liked this  √ 

lukiushaufoy

lukiushaufoy on 9/20/2015 Reply  · 

Easily one of the best films I've ever seen. Works on so many levels, haunting, tense, atmospheric, thrilling. A true masterpiece of film which leaves you thinking and trying to analyze what you just saw. Works from so many different perspectives, every single frame is thought out in this movie. Great performance from Nicholson, absolute masterpiece, even better than 2001 I'd say, as you know that Kubrick has thought thematically deep about each character's perspectives. Every re watch is a new experience. 10/10.

3 people liked this  √ 

TommyDoyle78

TommyDoyle78 on 10/23/2015 Reply  · 

It's the reason of me joining Flickchart. This and A Clockwork Orange. Actually, they helped I'm making my all-time favorite list. And when Kubrick's involved...

0 people liked this  √ 

TommyDoyle78

TommyDoyle78 on 10/23/2015 Reply  · 

Great movie btw.

0 people liked this  √ 

TommyDoyle78

TommyDoyle78 on 1/12/2016 Reply  · 

I'd like to see a documentary called "The Multiple Faces of The Shining". Every time I watch it, it's a different movie.

1 person liked this  √ 

Eagleskywalker87

Eagleskywalker87 on 5/27/2017 Reply  · 

I watched this film for the first time last night. WOW! Better than I expected! I'm certainly going to watch it again as soon as I can get the chance (there's not too many films where I can say that after the first viewing!). The atmosphere is haunting and intense, the cinematography and set design is breathtaking and the underlying themes about psychologically and the family's turn to insanity is frightening yet handed well with the subtly. At the end, I was terrified but still in awe at how well constructed it was. Too bad, modern day horror films can't be this good. They're riddled with bad acting, plot holes, clichés and annoying jump scares. What makes The Shining so scary is the atmosphere and the acting, symbolism and direction complements this well. 2001 is still my favourite Kubrick film but maybe after a few viewings this will overtake it.

1 person liked this  √ 

Eagleskywalker87

Eagleskywalker87 on 9/30/2017 Reply  · 

I had the choice to either 1. Watch this again or 2. Watch Barry Lyndon for the first time. I decided to watch this again and I loved it even more!

0 people liked this  √ 

Crapbaskets123

Crapbaskets123 on 8/4/2022 Reply  · 

Barry Lyndon is phenomenal, and has possibly the best cinematography of any film I've ever seen aside from Citizen Kane. But The Shining is the better film imo

0 people liked this  √ 

cine_matic

cine_matic on 7/29/2018 Reply  · 

it's good.

1 person liked this  √ 

theblackyeti

theblackyeti on 1/10/2020 Reply  · 

Cinematography was great, acting was mostly great. But compared to the book? Not even close story wise. The book stomps.

1 person liked this  √ 

TommyDoyle2016

TommyDoyle2016 on 2/24/2020 Reply  · 

Eh, I thought the book was rather boring and that it jumped the shark a few times. I feel like Kubrick took a mediocre book (by a great writer, nonetheless) and made a great movie. Doctor Sleep, on the other hand, should've stayed to the book.

1 person liked this  √ 

DavyTheGiant

DavyTheGiant on 1/8/2021 Reply  · 

The shining wins easy. Better cinematography, better acting, more disturbing, more mysterious, deeper story. Overall, the film is significantly better and more interesting. It gives you lots of questions, riddles that trick your mind. Also, Jack gives the best performance out of every actor appearing in both movies, although Donald is good at his role. I personally think the ending of the Shining is better too. It tricks you and makes you feel sad at the same time as the music "Midnight, The Stars, And You" is playing.

0 people liked this  √ 

Crapbaskets123

Crapbaskets123 on 7/27/2022 Reply  · 

Amazing film. Honestly, I may need to rewatch it before putting it higher, but it's a masterpiece

0 people liked this  √ 

Kubrick1928

Kubrick1928 on 1/23/2023 Reply  · 

Probably the most disturbing and greatest horror movie ever. The acting is just so good and realistic, but the thing that makes the movie really good is the mysterious and ambiguous nature of the movie. We don't know what or anything about the hotel and it really scares the shit out of me.

0 people liked this  √ 

Kubrick1928

Kubrick1928 on 1/23/2023 Reply  · 

Also, it is endlessly rewatchable and is interpretable in any way the viewer wants it to be.

0 people liked this  √ 

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