The Shining

Based on the book by Stephen King, The Shining follows Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance as he’s slowly driven insane by a haunted hotel and the degree to which this inevitably affects his wife (Shelley Duvall’s Wendy) and young son (Danny Lloyd’s Danny). Filmmaker Stanley Kubrick does an absolutely jaw-dropping job of immediately capturing the viewer’s interest and attention, as The Shining kicks off with a striking opening-credits sequence that leads into a deliberate yet fascinating midsection – with the effectiveness of this stretch certainly heightened by the stellar performances and Kubrick’s justifiably iconic visuals. Kubrick’s willingness to take his time in allowing the narrative to unfold ultimately plays a key role in cementing The Shining‘s success, as there’s a sense of palpable escalation that only enhances the frightening and downright spellbinding horror elements once they inevitably arrive in the second half. The movie’s plethora of perfectly-conceived attributes, from the eye-popping set design to the moody score to the captivating cinematography, cumulatively contribute to the progressively enthralling atmosphere, and it’s not difficult to see why, ultimately, The Shining has become one of cinematic history’s most lauded horror films.

**** out of ****