| The Shining [Region 2] |  | Director: Stanley Kubrick
Actors: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Barry Nelson
Category: DVD
Buy New: $8.66
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Rating:  850 reviews
Sales Rank: 254062
Format: PAL
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired), Arabic (Subtitled), Dutch (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), German (Subtitled), Italian (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 2
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 7321900211567
ASIN: B00005B75C
Theatrical Release Date: May 23, 1980
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com essential video
Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is less an adaptation of Stephen King's bestselling horror novel than a complete reimagining of it from the inside out. In King's book, the Overlook Hotel is a haunted place that takes possession of its off-season caretaker and provokes him to murderous rage against his wife and young son. Kubrick's movie is an existential Road Runner cartoon (his steadicam scurrying through the hotel's labyrinthine hallways), in which the cavernously empty spaces inside the Overlook mirror the emptiness in the soul of the blocked writer, who's settled in for a long winter's hibernation. As many have pointed out, King's protagonist goes mad, but Kubrick's Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) is Looney Tunes from the moment we meet him--all arching eyebrows and mischievous grin. (Both Nicholson and Shelley Duvall reach new levels of hysteria in their performances, driven to extremes by the director's fanatical demands for take after take after take.) The Shining is terrifying--but not in the way fans of the novel might expect. When it was redone as a TV miniseries (reportedly because of King's dissatisfaction with the Kubrick film), the famous topiary-animal attack (which was deemed impossible to film in 1980) was there--but the deeper horror was lost. Kubrick's The Shining gets under your skin and chills your bones; it stays with you, inhabits you, haunts you. And there's no place to hide... --Jim Emerson
Amazon.com
Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is less an adaptation of Stephen King's bestselling horror novel than a complete reimagining of it from the inside out. In King's book, the Overlook Hotel is a haunted place that takes possession of its off-season caretaker and provokes him to murderous rage against his wife and young son. Kubrick's movie is an existential Road Runner cartoon (his steadicam scurrying through the hotel's labyrinthine hallways), in which the cavernously empty spaces inside the Overlook mirror the emptiness in the soul of the blocked writer, who's settled in for a long winter's hibernation. As many have pointed out, King's protagonist goes mad, but Kubrick's Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) is Looney Tunes from the moment we meet him--all arching eyebrows and mischievous grin. (Both Nicholson and Shelley Duvall reach new levels of hysteria in their performances, driven to extremes by the director's fanatical demands for take after take after take.) The Shining is terrifying--but not in the way fans of the novel might expect. When it was redone as a TV miniseries (reportedly because of King's dissatisfaction with the Kubrick film), the famous topiary-animal attack (which was deemed impossible to film in 1980) was there--but the deeper horror was lost. Kubrick's The Shining gets under your skin and chills your bones; it stays with you, inhabits you, haunts you. And there's no place to hide... --Jim Emerson
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 850
 Top-Notch Horror and More March 18, 2010
Bill R. Moore (Oklahoma, USA)
The Shining is one of the all-time great horror films, and excellence in several general areas makes it transcend its genre. It is not director Stanley Kubrick's best or most ambitious film but is another jewel in his unparalleled crown; that he was able to master a genre seemingly so far from his territory on his first try is a true testament to his genius. Fans of his denser films may be disappointed by its relative lack of substance, but there are plenty of his signature skills, and those usually not keen on him may be pleasantly surprised.
The film has almost no equal for psychologically thrilling horror. No other film I have seen has held me as expectant; my eyes were fixed on the screen with great intensity and simply could not look away. The tension quickly reaches a fever pitch and never lets go; at times it is near-unbearable - in the best sense of course. Few films get the pulse racing quicker and keep it beating as fast.
Most remarkable of all is that it does all this with almost no traditional horror trappings. There is only one onscreen murder and very little of the usual guts-soaked slashery. Kubrick showed in 2001: A Space Odyssey that what we do not see is often more powerful than what we do; our minds fills in the blanks more forcefully and powerfully than anything overt likely could have. One would be very hard-pressed to find a more successful "less is more" example. As in the past, Kubrick also uses music very effectively. Nearly all horror films try, but very few are as successful; it not only builds suspense and heightens foreshadowing, but sparseness is again used to great effect. The points at which it stops are often at least as important as when it begins or plays.
The cinematography is also incredible; Kubrick had long had a deft hand at this but truly outdoes himself here. The camera work is near-faultless, and several shots - such as Jack locked in the pantry with his hand on the release - are nothing less than brilliant. The famous blood flow sequence is even better; one of the best scenes ever, it is the preeminent example of how the film uses the power of suggestion to achieve highly-wrought effects one would not have thought possible with such sparseness. Similarly great is the segue from Jack looking at the maze model to his family walking in the actual maze - a superb visual sleight-of-hand on par with 2001's legendary bone/spaceship transition. Lighting is also excellent; dimness is of course another horror film cliché, but Kubrick uses it with rare precision and purpose, achieving just the right effect without being obvious or overbearing. Finally, one must not fail to mention the many breathtakingly beautiful shots of both natural beauty and luscious indoor settings.
The basic plot is not horror's most elaborate; simplicity is again key. However, the execution is almost dizzyingly complex. The mix of hyper-realism and strong supernatural overtones was daring and highly influential. Kubrick included innumerable complexities ranging from ubiquitous mirrors and all they signify to deliberate continuity "errors" to plot ambiguities. The story is told so that many apparently supernatural elements can be naturally explained with varying probabilities. Almost every scene can be interpreted multiple ways, leaving us as dizzy and disoriented as the characters. This is a film that truly rewards close and multiple viewings.
As for the acting, it is of course top-notch. Jack Nicholson's signature performance is one of the greatest ever. Though frightening in the best sense, it is also screamingly funny; the film's wealth of black humor is indeed one of its most overlooked elements. It is very hard not to focus on Nicholson, but six-year-old Danny Lloyd also deserves great praise. His is one of the toughest and best child acting jobs of all-time; particularly impressive is how much depth and emotion he conveys silently.
The closest thing to a downside is something that should be obvious considering that The Shining is unashamed horror - it lacks the philosophical depth and profoundly meaningful themes of Kubrick masterpieces like 2001 and A Clockwork Orange. This is not to say it is without them; there are indeed perhaps as many as the genre allows. For example, like Joseph Conrad's classic story "Heart of Darkness," it shows - especially via Jack - that vicious brutality lurks just beneath humanity's ostensibly peaceful and normal surface. It is in danger of coming out at any time and certainly will with the right stimuli. The ballroom scene is also a subtle colonialist critique, and there are nuanced depictions of alcoholism's dangers and family relations. The Stephen King novel on which the script is based focused more on these last and some other issues, disappointing King and some of his fans, and some Kubrick hard-cores bemoan the general lack of profundity. However, nearly all viewers will consider this nitpicking, and it will do little, if anything, to detract from their enjoyment.
All told, The Shining is absolutely essential for anyone even remotely interested in horror, Nicholson, Kubrick, or King and is indeed so generally excellent that anyone looking for a supremely suspenseful and entertaining film should check it out.
 Kubrick + Nicholson + King = Horror Classic February 27, 2010
Eric S. Kim (Southern California)
You've probably seen this movie before. Either that or you've at least heard of it somewhere. Yes, Stanley Kubrick's loose adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining" has become one of the most famous horror films of all time. It's been praised by critics including Roger Ebert and Janet Maslin, and has been parodied in music videos and TV shows such as The Simpsons. It may not be loved by Stephen King himself, but I, including millions of others, love it. It's not your typical Hollywood-style horror film, and it doesn't want to be like one. It doesn't have any loud "jump" music or annoying teenagers or underdeveloped villains. This is a very unique film that stands on its own. It's not the blood and gore that make this film very special, but the eerie atmosphere that is present throughout the film. It also delivers some haunting images and iconic performances. Now I do like a few recent horror films such as Saw, Event Horizon, and House of 1,000 Corpses, but The Shining remains as my #1 favorite in this specific genre.
Like many other Kubrick films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Full Metal Jacket, critics and audiences have analyzed the entire movie. There have been film critics and college professors who always discuss everything from the opening aerial shot to the photograph right before the end credits. I don't think that's really necessary, because The Shining isn't supposed to be fully analyzed. It's up to us to decide for ourselves what the story is all about. For some, it could be the effects of isolation and how it transforms into insanity. For others, it could be how the spirits that dwell in the Overlook Hotel are messing with these people's minds. For me, I would go for the latter. True, a few scenes seem like they come out of nowhere, and have no relevance to the plot (the man in the bear costume, for example). But the images themselves are so grotesque and so undeniably scary, that you can't help but be amazed by them.
But aside from the ambiguous story and some terrifying images, I think the strongest elements in the film are not only the eerie atmosphere, but also Jack Nicholson's performance. Nicholson is without a doubt a fascinating actor; he knows how to play crazy. Here, you can see some fine examples. Nicholson was rightfully cast as the lead character; he knows how to be frightening and intimidating when he slowly becomes psychotic. It's a very effective performance, and one of his greatest in his entire career. The other performers do extraordinarily well themselves. Scatman Crothers is believable as the chef Dick Hallorann, while Danny Lloyd is surprisingly good as Danny. Shelley Duvall, despite all the complications during filming, really pulled it off with her character Wendy. Her fear and desperation look genuine. I don't think anyone else would have done a better job than her.
At least 95 percent of the reviewers here have nothing but praise for this movie, and I am part of the majority. I won't say much about The Shining, since it'll probably make this review look like a short story, but I will say that it's one of my favorite films, and my top favorite horror film of all time. Kudos to Kubrick, Nicholson, Duvall, Crothers, etc.
Grade: A
 A shining turkey February 26, 2010
Ashtar Command (Stockholm, Sweden)
0 out of 6 found this review helpful
Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" is a classic horror movie, starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. The movie is loosely based on a Stephen King novel.
The movie is, of course, a turkey. It's not a co-incidence that "The Shining" has been frequently lampooned over the years. Especially the evil twins. Another iconic scene shows Nicholson looking at us through a big hole in the bathroom door. Here comes Johnny!
Personally, I was scared by this movie when I was about 10 years old. Today, I suspect that the only people who like it are Stanley Kubrick cultists. But then, they like "Eyes Wide Shut" as well.
However, I readily admit that Jack Nicholson is excellent starring a man slowly descending into madness. He always is. Now, *that's* scary.
"All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy" February 23, 2010
Terry Richard (Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada)
Jack Nicholson gives one of the greatest performances of his career as a caretaker during the winter months at an elite isolated hotel in Colorado that is closed down for the season. At this hotel (way up in the mountains) only he and his wife and son live, and what follows are weeks of hell as Jack (the name of the Nicholson character) becomes almost possessed by outside forces. He becomes arrogant, verbally assaulting, and violent, as he attempts to kill his family. Shelley Duvall is heartbreaking as the desperate wife who tries to escape this hellish hotel with her son. The film (based on the Stephen King novel) was directed by genius Stanley Kubrick who also co-wrote the script. The movie was not without its problems during production: Nicholson was not pleased with the many times in which the script was rewritten, sometimes minutes before the scenes were shot. He eventually quit memorizing pages the night before, instead memorizing the lines given to him before the camera rolled. Shelley Duvall suffered exhaustion from the emotional aspects of her character. For the baseball bat scene Kubrick demanded Shelley do it over and over for a total of 127 takes!. Duvall eventually suffered severe hair loss. When "The Shining" was originally released to theatres in 1980 the movie was pretty much forgotten, only becoming a modest success. Most critics even panned the film. However, over the last 30 years the movie has become a true classic thanks to the home video market and huge DVD sales. Truely a scary film with excellent performances, especially by Nicholson, I watched this one three times in one weekend. Very rarely do you get horror films with this kind of acting. In one word: excellent. This two disc set also contains the trailer, behind the scenes footage, commentary, and more.
Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining", not Stephen King's.... February 15, 2010
H. Jin (Melbourne, Australia)
The title of this review tells you what you need to know; despite this being based on a Stephen King novel, `The Shining' is very much Kubrick's baby. The supernatural and personal themes of King's novel are toned down, and many of the characters' traits are very different to those in the book. This version of `The Shining' is much closer to straightforward psychological horror, albeit with a very Kubrick twist.
Jack Nicholson gives his character a very different feel to the Torrance of the novel, but his over-the-top performance is a memorable one. Really, Nicholson carries the entire film, although Scatman Crothers deserves praise for his performance as the sympathetic Halloran. There are also excellent cameos from Philip Stone as the sinister Grady, and Joe Turkel as Lloyd the bartender. Shelley Duvall, however, isn't so good; Kubrick was apparently merciless in his demands on her, and at times I think he pushed her into hysterical over-acting during the intense scenes. As with Jack, her portrayal as a flaky housewife is very different from the more strong-willed Wendy of the novel.
As expected from Kubrick, the technical aspects of the film are exceptional. The use of Steadicam technology to follow characters through the corridors of the hotel makes the Overlook seem like an endless, claustrophobic maze. Again there is an unsettling use of close-ups, both during the intense scenes and to depict Jack's slow decent into madness. Another technical highlight is the opening overhead sequence of Jack's car approaching the Overlook.
Note that, as with all his works, this is very much a Kubrick film first and a genre film second. It is far more intellectual and thought-provoking than most horror, even psychological horror, films. There are plenty of unanswered questions and puzzles by the end, and you get the feeling that Kubrick didn't want everything in the film to fit together too neatly. Some questions seem designed to be open-ended, with no clear answer, but guaranteed to have you discussing the film for a long time afterwards.
Those who loved the novel might not be able to forgive the changes Kubrick makes to the story, but the differences in character and plot do not hurt the film. While it may not be the best adaptation of King's book, `The Shining' stands well enough on its own merits.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 850
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