Sometimes, it can feel as if the best horror movies of all time never get the appreciation they deserve. This is where The Shining Movie Review comes in. In this review, we tackle the cult classic horror film, The Shining.
Background of The Shining
In the 1980s, it was a horror movie that became incredibly popular among its audience. Over the course of time, The Shining has stepped out of its classic genre to become a cult-classic movie. Its beginnings have been an extremely haunting introduction for the audience, especially for those familiar with Stephen King’s works. It is very much still an effective horror film to watch today.
Storyline
Beginning with the creepy beginning scene when Jack Nicholson walks into room 237, The Shining is hair raising suspense from the get go. From there, the audience is introduced to a family of three. The father and mother, Jack Torrance and Wendy Torrance, are traveling to the Overlook Hotel for their son’s birthday. The hotel has a history that is as haunting as it is bizarre. This family is not sure what will await them in the hotel’s mysterious maze of rooms, but they know that their son is getting older and better f he sees things that no child should see.
See our Guide to the Perfecting Your Home Setup for the Ultimate Horror Movie Experience
When they arrive at the Overlook Hotel, they met the cook and caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, Dick Halloran. He tells them about the history of the hotel and why it is so haunted. They tour around after that. The first thing Jack notices is room 237. This room has always been occupied but never by a single person for more than a year at a time, and with each person staying in it for more than a month, something horrible happens. Jack is fascinated by it and wants to stay there with his family. He gets his wish, and he, Wendy, and Danny all stay in it.
From here, the hotel begins to terrorize the family in various ways, especially Jack. The ghosts of previous employees begin to come forth from their graves and bring endless fear onto those in the hotel. Jack, who has severe alcoholism issues, does not help matters. He drinks constantly and gets angry with Wendy for keeping him away from his favorite drink. His anger is exactly what the ghosts are waiting for, as they begin to become even more vicious and terrifying than before.
Eventually, Halloran’s ghost begins to appear as well. The family is terrified of him and tries to get him out of their hotel by any means necessary. They go outside to escape his ghost, and he appears off in the distance. Eventually, Wendy watches him fade away. The family then tries to leave the hotel. They are stopped from going into the basement by Halloran’s ghost. He takes a piece of carving and breaks it over their heads, knocking them out and keeping them from leaving.
Production
The Shining was a work of drama written by Stephen King in 1976. It was a quintessential horror book and eventually became quite popular. It sold more than 25 million copies and has become the king of horror books in general.
The movie adaptation is based on the book, but it differentiates itself from the original in many ways. The scenes are changed, the characters are different, and there are many additions to the book that were not included in the film.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of The Shining is full of suspenseful music that makes the film seem even more creepy. It is a perfect score for this movie. We have The Shining as one of our top 10 horror movie soundtracks.
In The Shining, the music creates a setting that is unpredictable, eerie, and suspenseful. It is always on the edge of falling apart. It creates an atmosphere that is both frightening and creepy and helps to keep the film intense throughout its entirety. The main theme for the film is “Dies Irae” composed by Wendy Carlos And Rachel Elkind.
The Shining Movie Review
This has been an in-depth look at The Shining Movie Review, from the beginning to the end. It’s another effective horror movie that is well worth a watch. In terms of film, this is one of the best horror movies of all time. If you are interested in other Stephen King Movies, check out our overview of Stephen King Movies we’ve reviewed here.