The Shining
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Movie Reviews of The Shining
Movie Review: Kubrick wanted this to be seen in 4:3 format!
Summary: 5 Stars
First, a special message to all the fools who are chastising the DVD video for being full-frame and the sound for being mono. If you folks had the SLIGHTEST clue, you would be aware that THIS IS HOW KUBRICK WANTED HIS MOVIES TO BE RELEASED! In theatres, The Shining was matted to 1:78 to 1, I believe, so the home video actually shows MORE of the screen than you've seen in the theatre. Full Metal Jacket was the same way - have any of you complainers ever seen a widescreen version of that? Duh! As for the movie itself, what can you say? It's one of the best horror flicks of all time, and the only people who hate it are usually those who are unable to THINK. With every repeat viewing, you can find some new food for thought. For example, when Jack yells at Wendy for breaking his concentration, after she walks away you'll notice that he suddenly starts typing on a new piece of paper which he DIDN'T put in the typewriter. Is this a blooper? With well-known-perfectionist Kubrick, I doubt it...seems to me like the hotel is giving him paper! And when Scatman Crothers and Wendy are touring the kitchen, how come Wendy is leading the way, even though she's never been there? Watch the scene and you'll see what I mean.
The steadycam shots, and the camera angles in general, especially the one where the camera is looking UP at Nicholson in the storage room, are incredible - it's plain to see that Kubrick was a genius.
As for the DVD, the print used is pretty worn, with reel-change marks, hairs, and who knows what else, but it's still better than the videotape. To me, The Shining always had a grainy, old-looking appearance which is part of it's charm - but the film (hell, ALL of his films) is due for a full restoration.
The only extra on the DVD is Vivian Kubrick's documentary, which is a treasure and well worth the price of the DVD alone...the only other extra I could have asked for is the original theatrical ending, which is probably long-gone.
A must-have!
Movie Review: Wonderful DVD when you want to see true acting!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of "The Shining" for about three years since I first saw it and when I read that the DVD of this film was going to be fullscreen only, I was kinda ticked off. Since getting my DVD-ROM drive, I've become a die-hard widescreen advocate and I couldn't believe that this film would be released in fullscreen.But as I read about Kubrick's style (which I previously knew nothing about), I realized that Kubrick encouraged the fullscreen-only release of this movie. You also have to remember that this film was filmed in 1.85:1, so you really aren't losing that much action by watching the fullscreen version. Anyway, to make a long story short, when I read that Kubrick OK'd the fullscreen deal, I dropped that issue.
So, I've seen "The Shining" a lot in various VHS forms and although I love the movie, I didn't really think that I needed a DVD copy of it. But what REALLY made me decide to buy it was the special feature: "Vivian Kubrick's 'The Making of The Shining.'" I saw a teaser of this behind-the-scenes special on Entertainment Tonight and just had to have more! After reading enough to confirm that the DVD version had this, I ordered it.
Let me tell you... This special feature is great! It is a candid view of the great Jack Nicholson getting ready to film in his room (brushing his teeth), memorizing lines, and getting pumped up for the famous axe-bathroom scene (it is just incredible to see him jumping up and down getting psyched up to play a whacked-out victim of The Overlook Hotel). This special also kind of shows Shelly Duvall getting chewed out by Kubrick and some other things about her that make me dislike her even more. I just thought that her performance was fake.
But that aside, this special DVD version of "The Shining" is just great and you shouldn't pass up this opportunity to own a film masterpiece like this. Enjoy and don't forget..."Heeeeeeere's Johnny!"
Movie Review: Absolutely Incredible
Summary: 5 Stars
Many reviewers of this fabulous movie, who read the book first, throw around the adjectives "Atrocious", and "Disappointing", without even realizing that this is perhaps the scariest and most terrifying movie that has ever been produced. I've read only one of Stephen King's books(Skelaton Crew, a collection of short stories), and it was certainly very creepy, but I don't think any film maker, could convey the sort of terror that King's books produce. But Stanley Kubrick did perhaps the best job that could concievably have been done.Contrary to what others have said, I don't think Jack Nicholson's character looked psycho in the beggining at all(Jack just looks that way naturally, just watch Batman, One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest, or even Reds), I could see a degeneration in his personality as the movie progressed(don't ask me how other people didn't, it's an enigma!). Also, I found Shelley Duvall's character to be comforting, as opposed to annoying, she just seemed like a normal person in an abnormal world. If people found her annoying because she always screamed, then they're boring and insipid hypocrites(when the Man or Woman you marry, is about to hack you into pieces with an axe, I don't think you would laugh or try to act likable!). The only problem with the movie, in my opinion, is a scene with a bear suit, and a butler(I hate people that ruin movies, so I won't go into specifics!). This is just a horribly terrifying movie, with superb acting, an incredible location, and was directed by the most prolific director to ever exist, Stanley Kubrick. You are depriving yourself of potentially years of trauma, and nightmares by not watching this movie(I would likely be a different person now if I didn't watch this movie when I was very very young[I think I was six or seven!]), and if you have watched this movie, then you almost certainly know what I'm talking about!...
Movie Review: Lets get a few things straight here!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
The book is better than the film but the film itself is far more satisfying. This is probably the only film in the world that really gave me nightmares with its creepy shots of the hotel and the two girls. The scariest scenes for me where the old woman in the bathtub and the last shots of the girls. I think that certain aspects of the script are so well written and Jack Nicholsons performance is A1. You really have to sympathise with poor Jack for the monster he is turned into. Now my rants.1. The film was shot in 4'3 so you are getting the full picture aspect and you see even more than the cinema version which was cropped at the top and bottom. Any wide screen version that may come out in the future will be cropped just the same. It is an impossibility to get an anamorphic or letterbox edition of this film so you people should really learn a few things. JFK was transferred to widescreen like this and blatently had black lines stuck over at the top and bottom. 2. It was originally recorded in mono sound being 1979-80 and was played theatrically like this. This edition was overseen by Kubrick himself and the point of it is to restore it to how it originally was not to make any modifications. Splitting up mono tracks always takes the depth away from the sound. 3. The picture has been restored suitably enough and shows a gritty image the same as Aliens did. The picture is fine and I cant imagine it ever looked this good before. There. No more waiting for a true version which you make believe will come out some day because I dont ever think there will ever be another. GREAT FILM BY THE WAY.
Movie Review: THE ONLY FILM THAT IS BETTER THAN THE BOOK!
Summary: 5 Stars
You heard me, it's better than the book, and the crappy tv series too. Stanley Kubrick got rid of the unnecessary crap from the book, and stuck to the meat of the story. As well as the blatent subtle hint at the begining. 'now remember if you don't turn this down the whole hotel will explode.' Gee I wonder how it's going to end?
Stanley Kubrick dispenses the obvious, and sticks to the unknown, you've read the book sure, but what's the point on seeing something if you know what's going to happen next?
The film is a stepping stone, if you want to know more, read the book. But the ending is so much better than the book, because it's so realistic, and tense, and the characters don't seem to be standing around, wondering what to do next like in the book.
The dialogues between Jack Nicholson and Shelly Duvall, are really tense, and scary. That you really feel for the characters.
GOd knows why Stephen King wanted to re-make the Shining, it so laughably bad, and so un-scary, i've coughed up far more scarier stuff than that, and the tv series is just talk, and talk, and talk, and talk. I want to be scared to death, not bored to death.
Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is best Stephen King horror adaptation so far. There have been good adaptations like Carrie, The Dead Zone, and Misery. But the sheer intensity of The Shining is so great, that it makes every other adaptation of his like your average run of the mill horror stories.
So stop living in denial, and embrace the real Shining, that was made by Stanley Kubrick.