Heeeeeere's Johnny!!!!
 Jun 7th, 2008
Advantages:
Brilliantly written, fantastic acting, classic horror film
Disadvantages:
None that spring to mind
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Story
Characters / Performances
Special Effects
How does it compare to similar films?
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  johnny040676
About me:
Hi my name is John. I really appreciate all reads, ratings and comments for my reviews. Thanks for l...
Member since:19.12.2005
Reviews:46
Members who trust:76
Review rated by 66 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
I first watched this film over ten years ago, on television, and thought it was fantastic since then I have probably watched it another twenty times or so and purchased it on DVD about four years ago. It is an amazing horror film and I would recomend it to anyone as long as they like horror films, it will make you jump and tingle!!
The Cast * Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance
* Shelley Duvall as Winifred "Wendy" Torrance
* Danny Lloyd as Daniel "Danny" Torrance
* Scatman Crothers as Dick Hallorann
* Barry Nelson as Stuart Ullman
* Philip Stone as Delbert Grady
* Joe Turkel as Lloyd the Bartender
* Anne Jackson as Doctor
* Tony Burton as Larry Durkin
* Barry Dennen as Bill Watson
* Lisa Burns as Grady Twin number 1
* Louise Burns as Grady Twin number 2
* Vivian Kubrick (uncredited) as Smoking guest in ballroom
Based on a the novel written by Stephen King, produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, 115 minutes running time and certificate 18. First released in 1980 and digitally remastered for DVD in 2001.
What Its About Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) goes for an interview at the overlook
hotel, for the job of live in caretaker for the winter months while the hotel is closed, he gets the job and the film starts with Jack and his family, his wife and son, Danny, arriving on the last day of opening. The head chef, Dick Halloran, notices that Jack's son, Danny, is telepathic and tells him that he has a gift called 'shining', he also warns him against going near room 237.
Jack is a fictional writer and intends to write his novel whilst at the hotel, with all the time he will have on his hands. The first month passes incident free, Jack is happily typing away in the spacious Colorado room and all the family are enjoying the peace and quiet of the hotel and surrounding mountains. Unfortunately Jack developes writers block and becomes frustrated and depressed, Danny finds that room 237 is locked and sees two young girls that he has seen on the first day they arrived and discovers that they were murdered. Jack starts to show some early signs of madness and starts seeing people that he can talk to like a barman in 'The Gold Room' where a new years party is on from 1921. A storm knocks out the phone lines and the snow becomes heavy meanig the family are trapped at the Overlook with only a radio to contact the outside world. Jack becomes deranged and Danny sees the two girls again and an elevator with blood pouring out from it. He also sees red rum written on the wall in blood and then when he looks in the mirror he notices it reads murder.
I will not go on much more so as not to spoil the film for anyone who has not seen it but suffice to say the film turns into the classic horror that it has become from this point onwards.
My Opinion Of The Film This is a classic, definately one for the top ten, maybe even top five. The story, as you would expect from Stephen King is brilliant and Stanley Kubrick has done a brilliant job of bringing it to the big screen. There are many twists and turns and things to make you jump and make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. One very simple scene I like in particular, is where Danny is riding his trike around the hotel and the camera follows him, all you can hear is the sound of the trike wheels on the wooden floor and then there is silence as he goes over a rug then wooden floor again, scenes like that are so simple but can be so effective. Just writing this review I am getting goosebumps when I think about certain parts of this amazing film. The setting and the story itself are a fantastic combination and what is done with the characters is also very good.
The acting is second to none, I think this is probably Jack Nicholson's best known part and certainly the one his is most reconised in. He has made it so that you cannot imagine anyone else playing the part which I always think of as an amazing achievement matched by people like David Jason in his role as Del Boy. The way he plays the character going slowly mad is shear brilliance. But it is not only Nicholson who plays the part well, Shelly Duvall plays Jack's wife brilliantly and a young Danny Lloyd plays the part of his son very well also. Even the two young girls who play the bit parts as the twins are fantastic. The setting for the film is also fantastic and the soundtrack superb, it has been very well thought out and put together, the special effects, although there arn't really that many, as such, are also very good.
Price And Availability
I bought my copy from Choices video store and paid £5.99, Amazon have got it for that price also and I have just typed it into ebay and there is one with a day left to go at 1p!! Plus £1.10 post and packing so it is widely available and very cheap. It is also available to rent still from all good video shops (I saw it in Blockbuster a couple of weeks ago) although at the price on ebay you are probably saving money by buying it!! It has also been shown on television numerous times.
DVD Features And Extras As I said earlier the DVD runs for 115 minutes and is certificated 18 because there is a bit of violence in it and it would probably give younger teens nightmares. My DVD has English and French audio, which is in 5.1 dolby digital, and subtitles in seven languages including arabic. There is also Vivian Kubrick's behind the scenes documentary 'the making of the shining' which is over forty minutes long and includes optional comentary by Vivian Kubrick, this alone is worth getting the DVD for if you have not seen it and are a fan of the film. There are also interactive menus, scene access, and the original trailer.
Conclusion
All in all as I have already mentioned this is a truely brilliant film, with everything going for it, it is brilliantly acted and really is a must see film for anyone who is not of a nervous disposition!! I find it easy to watch time and time again and have been trying to get my wife to try it for about three years now (she does not like horror films). To say it is nearly thirty years old now it was way ahead of its time in many ways and remains an excellent film to this day. The picture on the front of the DVD box just tells the story so well itself with Jack Nicholson's deranged face peeking through an axe hole in the bedroom door!!
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![The Shining [DVD] [1980]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78525379.jpg)
by (12%):
23.02.2009 00:36
good review!
07.01.2009 15:12
This is a classic horror film and even though I’ve seen it loads of times it still sends shivers down my spine every time I watch it!
03.01.2009 19:48
Brilliant review