The Shining

1980, Stanley Kubrick, UK/USA

Genre: Horror film (Psychological horror)

The strongest weapons of Shining are sounds, work with camera (moving around the corners), space. Story is set to early winter and takes place in deserted hotel “Overlook”. The main attributes of space are symmetry, impassiveness and edginess. The aim is to keep audience in uncomfortable feeling of insecurity.

Since the film is based on surrealistic performance, there are only  few actors.

Jack Torrance – the main character, writer, father of family, works as caretaker through winter season in hotel Overlook. He experiences mental instability and sees many imaginary figures.

Wendy Torrance – Jack’s wife. At first she seems to be naive and has very annoying voice. As  time lapses she starts to be scared and at the end she tries to kill Jack.

Danny Torrance – son of Jack and Wendy. He has the gift of “shining” – he can see what is about to happen.

Dick Hallorann – appears at the beginning and at the end of  the story, special type of man “savior”.

Tony – Danny’s “alter-ego” – through this imagination Danny knows what’s about to happen.

Delbert Grady – Jack’s imagination. Delbert is supporting Jack in his idea of killing  the whole family.

In the end there is no longer possible to say what really happened and what was only imagination (this ambiguity is symbolized by the photography from the Overlook Ball in 1921).