A Film A Day: The Shining (1980)

The Shining (1980)

Cast

Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Barry Nelson, Philip Stone, Joe Turkel, Tony Burton, Lia Beldam, Billie Gibson, Barry Dennen, Lisa Burns, Louise Burns, Anne Jackson

Plot

With wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and psychic son Danny (Danny Lloyd) in tow, frustrated writer Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) takes a job as the winter caretaker at the opulently ominous, mountain-locked Overlook Hotel so that he can write in peace. Before the Overlook is vacated for the Torrances, the manager (Barry Nelson) informs Jack that a previous caretaker went crazy and slaughtered his family; Jack thinks it's no problem, but Danny's "shining" hints otherwise.

Opinion

Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's novel is just brilliant. The Shining is strange, disturbing and scary - so scary that when you are not shaking, you can probably hear your heart beating - and it remains one of the best horror films ever made and one of the best even imaginable.

The incredibly scary music brings the tension levels to unimaginable levels; the cinematography is excellent and the Steadicam is fantastically used.

Jack Nicholson's performance is outstanding, and he portrays the crazy father and husband in a manner no one else could do. Shelley Duvall plays the role of the wife quite well. Danny Lloyd is excellent as the kid, although he doesn't have much to express.