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By Sophia Doshi
I have found it incredibly interesting that there has not been more speculation about The Shining being longer than it has always been advertised to be. All the time that I had not watched The Shining, I would see repetitive movie clips with Jack Nicholson’s famous “Here’s Johnny!”, a river of blood crashing through a desolate hallway, and the two girls standing in the hallway, arms interlinked.
After watching the movie, I now understand why there is so much hype around it all. As a result of one of my university classes, I have been more interested lately in the marketing tactics used to attract audiences to watch films. The strategies used to grab the attention of potential viewers were varied, and extra emphasis was placed on the terrifying Overlook Hotel to attract audiences looking for a thrill.
Given that The Shining was released in the 80s, some of the advertising methods seem archaic. One example was its advertisement in a 1980 newspaper, though I could not find the exact newspaper source. It depicts three figures about to enter the maze that Danny ends up escaping his insane father in, and while I assume one of the other figures is Wendy, I cannot figure out who the third could be. By the time Danny and Wendy are escaping Jack, they are two separate entities from him. I also find it funny that the ad just says “Shining”.
Something that is frequently addressed but not always emphasized is Stanley Kubrick’s terrible treatment of Shelley Duvall during filming. Of course, this is all alleged because I wasn’t there, but some say that Duvall told Kubrick that her hair was falling out due to the stress of filming and being on set. Kubrick was dismissive and told the rest of the crew to ignore her statements. Jack Nicholson even subtly commented about how Kubrick was a “different director” with Duvall than with him. People do like to sensationalize things, and seeing as Duvall spoke highly of Kubrick and said that it was stressful because he is a notoriously demanding director, I do not know if these stories have any credibility.
Something that is frequently addressed but not always emphasized is Stanley Kubrick’s terrible treatment of Shelley Duvall during filming. Of course, this is all alleged because I wasn’t there, but some say that Duvall told Kubrick that her hair was falling out due to the stress of filming and being on set. Kubrick was dismissive and told the rest of the crew to ignore her statements. Jack Nicholson even subtly commented about how Kubrick was a “different director” with Duvall than with him. People do like to sensationalize things, and seeing as Duvall spoke highly of Kubrick and said that it was stressful because he is a notoriously demanding director, I do not know if these stories have any credibility.
However, solid, true knowledge affirms that one infamous scene took a major toll on Duvall. When Wendy is brandishing a baseball bat to dissuade Jack from killing her, she conveys panic and fear in her eyes while begging for her life. The scene took 127 takes until Kubrick was satisfied. That’s extreme.
I have one question: what does the ending of the movie mean? As soon as I finished the movie, I was mildly confused and wondering why Jack was shown in a photograph from before he ever worked at the hotel. I did some research into what it could possibly mean; was it supernatural? Symbolism? Speculation infers that it is a visual confirmation that the Overlook is haunted and infused with the evil its walls have seen. In contrast, others say that it showed that Jack was a reincarnation of the evil entity that lives there.
The Overlook Hotel was built upon an Indigenous gravesite. One scene notes that an indigenous artist created artwork that now hangs on the walls of the hotel. However, it is not noted for the rest of the movie. Why introduce a potentially large plotline that feeds into the supernatural element and ignore it? During one of his hallucinations at the bar, Jack even says, "White Man's Burden, Lloyd", directly referencing the period in history where Europeans felt the need to "civilize the uncivilized"–essentially overturn traditional cultures and religions of tribes and peoples all over the West and Africa. I am not native myself, but I see a missed opportunity to shed light on the many people lost to violence against the indigenous, and a way to raise awareness for people who may not be aware of the events.
Overall, I have nothing against the film. It was a good movie. Some reviews on Letterboxd said that this is their comfort movie, and I cannot disagree more. My comfort movie is Mamma Mia or Captain America: The Winter Soldier, or something like that. A solid 7.5/10.
Cover image from Filmaffinity
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