The Shining

[Warning: Spoilers]

The Shining is one of those classic horror films, a Stephen King story of course, and so it seemed like a movie that needed to be watched. The concept of this movie is basic enough, but it was actually a little confusing. I found myself constantly screaming or asking questions. It was not what I expected from a classic horror film, but I'm starting to think that what I assumed was the "classic" format doesn't really exist.

So the movie focuses on a family of three. Dad Jack gets a new job as the caretaker of a hotel in the mountains that is closed during the winter, so they live there in their own and keep up maintenance. This means that the only other people there are his wife and son, Wendy and Danny.

Based on the manager's comments, the hotel has, at least once in its past, driven the caretaker crazy. Several years back, the man killed his own family, and the ghosts of his young daughters are later seen by Danny.

Danny, as well as the cook for the hotel, has "the Shining" or psychic/spiritual abilities. What is unique about Danny's case is that he claims that the viewings come from Tony who lives in his mouth. The movie never really explains why Danny is different, but my understanding is that Tony is some kind of being that has possessed Danny, and it is Tony, not Danny, who has the Shining. Tony was frightening to me because he tells Danny things to do things that he shouldn't and that seem to be threats, but at the same time he seems to want to protect Danny and his mom.

Throughout the movie, the paranormal activity in the hotel picks up, but only Danny and Jack witness most of it. Danny has visions of blood pouring down the hall from an elevator shaft, and he sees and hears the ghosts of the little girls and the woman in the locked (then mysteriously open) hotel room. Jack also sees the woman, but he also has discussions and parties with a bunch or people from decades ago, including one who somehow has the same name as the caretaker who murdered his girls. It gets really creepy and confusing when said man tells Jack that he is not the caretaker, but Jack is and always has been. This is never really explained, but it leads me to believe that he may somehow be reincarnated every so often to once again find his way to this hotel and take up his rightful position as caretaker. That's my theory anyways, but I have tried to do some research to understand it better.

The climax of the movie comes when Jack starts to go crazy. He is angry and violent, and then Wendy sees that the book he has supposedly been writing in his free time does not exist. Whether or not he was aware of this is unclear, but every page he has typed up reads "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" over and over again. Wendy thinks that Jack tired to hurt Danny, not realizing that it was a ghost, and so she confronts him about all of it. Jack goes raving mad and attempts to kill his family, and Tony tries to warn them by writing "redrum" on the door ("murder" when read in the mirror).

There is a suspenseful battle as Jack tries to chase down his family through the hotel and the maze, and Danny manages to get free. Danny also uses his Shining abilities to get help from the cook. It is during this conflict that spirit activity picks up dramatically, and Wendy finally sees it.

In the end, Jack's frozen body is trapped in the maze while Wendy and Danny are able to get a ride to freedom. The final scene shows one of the many walls of pictures in the hotel, then slowly focuses in on one showing a whole party of people in the ball room. Front and centre stands Jack, above a sign reading "Overlook Hotel, July 4th Ball, 1921."

This just left me with so many questions. What exactly is going to happen to Danny? Is Tony safe, or is he the danger? Why has no one seemed to notice all of the haunting a before? Did Danny's power draw them out? Or did Jack? Who is Jack really and why is he connected to this hotel? Is the other story about the caretaker true, at least in part?

Seriously, if you can help me make sense of this movie I would love for you to leave some comments to help me out.

This movie was freaky, but not what I expected of a classi horror film. There was so much to follow in the story, it wasn't just a simple haunted hotel (which is what I had always assumed it was about). I don't know what I would say makes a scary movie good, but I was decently freaked out after, so it was effective to say the least. There was a lot of suspense, and my confusion only heightened that. There were a lot of freaky elements involving ghosts, possible possession, psychic abilities and murderous rampages. And of course, some well-planned jump scares to top it all off. It had me well and truly rattled when I headed home around 1 a.m. from my friend's house. However, looking back I am more confused than frightened by the storyline itself.

Jack Nicholson was absolutely the right casting choice for Jack. He was so scary, but in other moments he was still very real. He made this movie. Without him, I feel that it may have been lacking.

I wish I could say more about how creatively the plot, filming, etc. was put together, but I'm not sure I understand it enough to do so. Still, I have no regrets about watching one of the most classic horror films out there.