The Shining (rewatch)
Posted by martinteller on October 31, 2004
I really do get upset when I think about the fact that there are only 12 Kubrick films. The man was incredible. Sure, he made some questionable choices in The Shining. But the choices he made are so exciting and so bold. Was it wrong to have Nicholson play it so over-the-top? Or is it a parody of the genre? Or maybe a celebration of the genre? Kubrick transcends the genre, as he did with just about every genre he touched. I’ve seen this movie at least 5 or 6 times, and it still scares me. The image of the girls in the hallway… does it get any creepier than that? And the music is simply astounding. Some people criticize Duvall’s performance, but I love it (I read once that Kubrick deliberately made her character seem annoying to give the audience some small bit of empathy for Jack — brilliant). The fear she projects just floors you. Rating: 10
