All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...w/o

I first came across the movie "The Shining" when I was 9 years old. Tragically, my best friends home had burnt to the ground and her family was staying in a local hotel. There was a freak snow storm and while visiting her there, I got snowed in. During my visit we watched the movie as it appeared on television. I felt a connection to the movie because of the situation that I myself was currently in. Since then, "The Shining" has been my favorite horror movie.

"The Shining" was release in 1980. It was a movie made from a best selling novel (1977) by the well known author Stephen King. The movie was directed by famous director Stanley Kubrick. The title of the film was inspired by the refrain in a song by John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band entitled "Instant Karma" from the chorus line, "we all shine on". As far as most horror movies are concerned, "The Shining" is very lengthy and the plot is slower to develop. Many viewers lose interest early on. The musical selections chosen for the movie add to the gothic nature of the tale of horror.

The storyline takes place at an enormous, beautiful and isolated Colorado hotel called the "Overlook" in the desolate winter months. The beginning scenes of the movie foreshadow several upcoming scenes. At the opening, from the middle of the road a yellow car goes into a tunnel in the road and in the background there is the faint sound of a tricycle going over a rug and onto a wooden floor. This is scene well known to all of this movies fans.

Jack Torrence, played by Jack Nicholson, is hired to take care of the upkeep of the hotel while it is shutdown for the winter months.Jack is an aspiring writer and hopes to use their time alone to write a novel. His wife Wendy, played by Shelly Duval, and their 7 year old son Danny played by Danny Lloyd will be there with him.

Danny has an overactive imagination. He often uses his index finer as his friend Tony who lives in his mouth. Psychologically, Tony arrives whenever Danny becomes frightened as a defense mechanism. Danny is also extremely clairvoyant, psychic and has the gift of "shining". Before they even leave, Danny can foresee the bloodshed and paranoia that lay before them.

Before they leave to take over the care of the hotel, Jack is informed of the hotels haunting past. A previous caretaker from 1970 suffered a mental breakdown during their 6 month isolation at the hotel. He chopped his wife and 2 daughters up before turning on himself with a gun. It all took place in one of the hotels rooms. Jack assures himself, his family and the owners of the hotel that "this simply will not happen to him."

In the months following, Jack slowly slips deeper and deeper into his own subconscious. The isolation and haunting nature of the hotel are too much for Jack and soon, he falls victim to the shining.

"The Shining" is one of the best horror films ever made. It takes all the classic trademarks of traditional horror films and steps it up a notch. Although slow moving, "The Shining" will entrance you and pull you into the dark plot. It's both frightening and psychologically challenging. Stephen King outdid himself with this novel and Stanley Kubrick did an equally excellent job recreating it.

***This is part of a horror/scary movie write-off hosted by Jenni1396 to commemorate her 1 yr. anniversary here at Epinions. Other participants include: arpoet, beawriter, bpotter1, charlenep, ChrisJarmick, cntaur5, Darkmistress, Debbie26, hhassell99, jenni1396, mellkinwa, PacBayStat, phineaskc
Please take some time and check out all of their hard work!***