A review by Mike Shea Movie Rating: ( * * * * · ) DVD Rating: ( * · · · · )
Buy The Shining from Amazon.com
Ok, how can you go wrong with this one. You take a Steven King book, the director of Clockwork Orange and Jack Nicholson and stick them in one movie. Frankly this is a perfect formula. The Shining is the story of a hotel that is not from this earth and how it steals the sanity from a man and almost from a little boy. To me the movie uses every available technique to terrify the audience, and every shot to build the suspense. It does seem a little dated to me now, but for the most part it still holds its own. My only gripe is the change to the story that Kubrick did to Kings original story. I dont want to give it away too much but the movie is as old as dirt so what the hell. Let us just say that the Cook does not meet with the same demise that he does in the movie. I guess Kubrick just wasnt his jolly old self during the writing of the end of this screenplay. Watching Nicholson as he slowly turns completly insane is truly terrible to behold. What an actor. The DVD is the first of the Kubrick Collection that disappointed me. It really could have done with a 5.1 soundtrack remaster for all the creepy creeks and groans of the house, and really could have had a better print master for the video which was snowy throughout (I know, they were in a snow storm, but not in the ballroom). The DVD does contain a documentary, so that isnt so bad. Overall, I cant say it is a keeper unless you have to have every Kubrick film out there (as I do). Certainly a wonderful creepy film.