The Shining

Film Title: The Shining
Year: 1980

For production credits see Jason's post on this movie:
Cinema Standard - The Shining by Jason Williams

Acting: Jack Nicholson is the perfect person in the role of Jack Torrence. Between The Shining and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest we see the remarkable Nicholson at his finest - in the flawless execution of a mental crackpot.
Cinematography: This film is a milestone in camera work. Kubrik is at his best, as usual. The slow pace of the film is exacerbated by the incredibly slow pans and zooms. The camera work causes unease for the viewer and a tense mood of anticipation for some absolution of action, which always comes just after you have told yourself it will not happen.
Visual: The hotel is strikingly grandiose and immensely cavernous. The interposed snapshot scenes of the tenants visions are masterfully interwoven to cause the leap-out-of-your-seat scare and the anxiety for what is to come.
Audio: Eerie music and sound effects make your skin crawl. One can see and hear Danny Torrence (Danny Lloyd) riding his trike down the long corridors, the modulation of sound between loud and soft as he traverses the hardwood floors and large carpets. Lack of musical action also increases the tension of the movie.
What to watch for: Jack Nicholson and Danny Lloyd, a great onscreen father/son duo.
What to watch out for: One scene of prolonged nudity which then turns pretty gross; some blood and gore.
When I watched it last: A few days ago.
IMDB User Rating: 8.4 out of 10; #64 on the top 250 movies of all time as rated by users.
Roger Ebert Rating: Included in his list of Great Movies (his top honor); "The movie is not about ghosts but about madness..." (rogerebert.suntimes.com)
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 9.2 out of 10; This is the hallmark of psychological horror.
- - Reveiwed by JB