The Shining [HD DVD]
by Stanley Kubrick
![The Shining [HD DVD]](/images/The-Shining-HD-DVD-B000I2J0W4-L.jpg)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Barry Nelson, Danny Lloyd, Jack Nicholson, Scatman Crothers, Shelley DuvallDirector: Stanley Kubrick
Writer: Stanley Kubrick
Producer: Jan Harlan
Producer: Martin Richards
Producer: Mary Lea Johnson
Producer: Robert Fryer
Writer: Diane Johnson
Writer: Stephen King
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 144 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-10-23
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of The Shining [HD DVD]
Movie Review: Kubrick's version does justice
Summary: 5 Stars
The Shining is perhaps one of the greatest horror films ever made. Like Jack Torrance, its writer, director and creator Stanley Kubrick had an obsession. Kubrick was one of Hollywood's finest director but he believed everything, including the slightest detail had to be perfect. Kubrick loved Stephen King's novel but felt that it had flaws so he decided with his writing parter that he would take the concept and characters of Jack Torrance and his wonderful adventure in the old Overlook Hotel and create a more eerie and sadistic story.
King allowed Kubrick to take his novel and create a movie out of it, giving it a physical life. Although King loved Kubrick's envision of The Shining, he was upset of how Kubrick changed some of the roles of characters and the storyline. King did not believe in Jack Nicholson's character as Jack Torrance, the simple and kind abusive drunk who goes from teacher, to lonely writer to psychopath serial killer. Jack Nicholson has a history of being a bit loony in his films which is obviously true. King did not like Nicholson as a Jack Torrance because he did not want the audience to witness Nicholson and automatically assume that he will turn into a psychopath based upon his history in films prior to the Shining. Jack Torrance at first is to appear as a warm, loving family man who later goes insane due to isolation, alcoholic withdrawal and maybe perhaps the afterlife presence that exists within the hotel itself. King did not believe that Nicholson could play the role of Jack Torrance.
Clearly when you watch a Nicholson film, you can see right from the start that he is a truly gifted actor, superior to most of the crap that is portrayed today. Nicholson is able to pull off various roles. He excels in the crazy, psychopath role which is what Jack Torrance later turns out to be. The premise of the Shining is to have a strong believable Jack Torrance, you need, the movie cannot survive without a powerful performance. Nicholson was the perfect fit for this film. He knew, the cast and crew knew it and Kubrick knew it. Although King is a brilliant author, he is as crazy as his characters if he believes that Nicholson was not perfectly suited for this film. The Shining, I guarantee some day, there will be another theatrical remake, whoever assumes the role of Jack Torrance has mighty shoes to fill. They must live up to Nicholson's standards.
Kubrick's envision of King's novel is a masterpiece. This film was not nominated for any academy awards... it should have been especially when you see all the garbage that wins awards in today's "questionable" standards. The movie should have been nominated for best film, best director, best actor and best actress. Sadly, it wasn't. The movie is brilliant. Kubrick was very obsessed with his work and he didn't care how tired the actors were or how much of the studio's money he was spending, he had to have double digit outtakes on his roles of film for each scene. He was the drill sergeant of films directors. He made the cast and crew earn their paychecks. He drove them insane. When you see crazy yet brilliant performances from Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall in this film its not only because they're talented but also because they were tired of Kubrick that they began to lose it. Their frustration in the film showed in their performances. Nicholson's dramatic impression with the ax wasn't far from the truth, he really was beginning to go insane. Thats why his role in this film is so powerful, because it was real. Although he loved Kubrick, at points he probably wanted to hack the famous director into tiny little pieces. Kubrick in all of his films reached for perfection when clearly he worked with a mortal cast and crew.
The Shining is a movie that leaves you guessing because you don't really know for sure whether or not there are supernatural beings living within the Hotel because whatever so called "ghosts" you see are either an imagination of the young and gifted child of Danny or the crazy father Jack. The only proof of supernatural beings is when Jack is locked in the food bin and someone lets him out. Now there are several answers to this, it could have been the wife, it could have subconsciously been the son or the last resort could have been the spirits that are kept alive through the power and memories of the hotel. Kubrick does not want to give it away to his audience and like Hitchcock, he leaves you guessing. The point of Jack reaching his last step towards insanity must be fulfilled through his great escape from his enclosure. Once free, he not only physically releases himself from his shackles, but mentally his mind goes a muck and he releases the psychopath within that perhaps always was part of him but was just suppressed. The symbol of Jack losing his sanity is when he is at the bar talking to the bartender and he is offered the drink of whiskey. At first, he looks at it and wonders whether or not its right for him but finally he gives in and drinks the alcohol. Keep in mind, Jack was a recovering Alcoholic that had been sober for months. That scene where it takes a few seconds for him to decide whether or not he should or shouldn't drink the liquor, that symbolizes the struggle between his sanity and insanity, two different egos of his mind. Ultimately his sanity is lost.
Shelley Duvall, although not a pretty actress to look at, is the perfect choice for the role of Wendy, Jack's concerned wife. King criticized Duvall as not being as strong and Independent as he made Wendy out to be in his novel. This is completely false. Wendy essentially does Jack's job that he originally was hired to do, she is the caretaker of the hotel because she looks after it, runs it and takes care of it. You do not see Jack taking care of the hotel at all. She makes sure the boiler is running she knows the kitchen well, she makes minor adjustments to the hotel while Jack is typing away gibberish on his typewriter. She also stirs Jack's emotions and causes him to go deeper into his isolation which causes him to crave alcohol and later go insane. She looks after the family, especially her little boy Danny. She is the heroine of the film. Duvall plays a powerful and convincing role. She makes up for her appearance by acting as Nicholson's foil and you can tell right from the start, there is a good chemistry between the two characters. They portray the average American family because not all couples look like Angelina and Brad, so therefore it is more realistic because people can relate to the characters. Duvall is not the greatest actress, there are far worse but she truly shined in this movie, no pun intended. She gave Wendy life and meaning. Her body language and accent is perfect for the film because at first you get the impression that she is this dumb senseless brunette but she later evolves, showing her true colors and you understand who wears the pants in the family the same way Hilary Clinton dominates her marriage with Bill. She proved to be Kubrick's perfect choice because he was not looking at her face or breasts when he chose her, he was looking into her soul. Many actresses may be pretty but the question is, can they act? Duvall proved her case in the Shining showing that looks are not everything.
The Shining was released on HD shortly after Toshiba began creating and distributing HD players and movies. I personally owned the Shining on regular DVD but when I learned that it was released in a more superior format, I jumped at the chance the own the HD version of this film. I'm not the type to buy multiple formats of DVDs that I already have. The Shining was an exception because this truly is a remarkable film. Its brilliantly acted and directed and the scenery for the time was remarkable. This had a decent budget, it was not a B movie like Night of the Living Dead. This was one of Nicholson's finest performances and probably Shelley Duvall's best. Kubrick's interpretation of the Shining was far superior to the made for TV film that was produced by King himself which was a complete waste of time and not because of the budget and production but the acting was better, the script was better, the props and sets were better and the storyline was more dark and dreary. I do not recommend the TV version of the Shining at all.
The HD format looks unbelievable, so much clearer and crisp. This movie was made for HD especially the end when Nicholson shows his true colors, his persona of his own personal life. The extras as the same extras that are on the 2 disc special edition of the Shining. The extras are not in HD but it doesn't matter because your not buying the movie for special features but for the feature itself. The movie looks amazing on a 50 inch 1080p HDTV especially when Nicholson drills a hole in the bathroom door with his trusted rusty friend ax, sticks his head through the hole and yells out "HEREEESSSSS JONHNNNYYYYYYY!!! This is a must buy. I would recommend buying this movie NOW because very soon, Toshiba will be taking HD movies and players off the market due to the competition with Sony's Bluray. Its also available on Bluray, but if you have an HD player and you want to stock up cheap titles, this is definitely the one to buy. This is a fantastic film, if you don't believe me, check it out for yourself. I hope this review was helpful.
- Chris B -
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