The Shining

 

 

"The Shining" is a horror movie filmed in the late 1970s and originally shown at movie theaters beginning in 1980.  It was a film by Stanley Kubrick (pictured above).  His films are adaptations of novels or short stories, but can span a number of genres and are known for intense attention to detail, innovative cinematography, and extensive set design.

Kubrick's films almost always focus upon expressions of an inner struggle, examined from different perspectives, and Kubrick liked to equate his films to popular music, in that whatever the background of the individual, his films (like popular music) can be effectively appreciated by a "semi-truck driver" or a "medical doctor"  because emotions and subconscious are similar across everyone.  He believed that the subconscious emotional reaction experienced by audiences was far more powerful in the film medium than in any other traditional verbal form, and this was one of the reasons why he often relied on long periods in his films without dialogue, placing emphasis on images and sound.

Well, our local theater was having a "Flashback" showing of the film, "The Shining" and my wife and I decided to attend.  Neither of us had ever seen the film, because neither of us actually likes "traditional" horror films of this ilk.  But, we thought.... well, the film was made 43 years ago.... so, perhaps it is something we should see, just to say that we had.  It had many famous performers in lead roles too.... Jack Nicholson,  Shelly Duvall, Scatman Crothers.... so that suggested it was potentially good as well.  

So.....

• My wife and I were both rather confused by the extremely disjointed plot, and several significant incongruencies in the storyline.  
• It was far more gory and graphic than I had anticipated.  Again, I never had purposefully chosen to see a "slasher" type movie EVER.  What I have seen in most previews of more current films of this ilk had me know definitely that I did not want to see them.  But, in my old age, I had naively reasoned that, hell, movies from the 70s, 60s and earlier were NEVER as graphic in my recollection, as are most films (even PG-13 films) today.  
• My wife was so disinterested that she nodded off to sleep several times in the film.  
• I did not sleep through the film, for while the gore was not appreciated, and the storyline was unbelieveably fractured, incoherent, and yet simplistic.... I have to admit that the CINEMATOGRAPHY was very interesting.  ALL aspects of the film were beautifully FILMED, and the sets were captivating to view, whether it was a simple bathroom or a storage locker, or an outdoor scene.  Kubrick seemed to take enormous care in the details of the settings in which he filmed.  The movie itself was foolish and rather unpleasant.... but every single image was shot in a creative, thoughtful, meaningful way.   Each actor was filmed in a way that was extremely personal and intimate.  Each scene was vivid and detailed. Each IMAGE of the film was of such detail, that I think damn near every frame in the film could be printed as a hangable work of still art or portraiture.  
  
• Overall, my wife gave the film an "F" grade.  I have to say my grade is rather bifurcated..... as an entertaining story, I too would give it an "F" grade.  But VISUALLY, I would give the film a grade of "A"..... so I rounded out the grade as a "C" overall. 
• The other aspect of the film I have to mention..... I did not remember much about the ads for this film back when it was released in 1980.  The one and only thing I did remember was Jack Nicholson poking his maniacal face through a splintered door. When thinking about watching this film, I reasoned with myself.... perhaps it is more of a psychological thriller?  NO.  It is not.
• Until I was ~1/4 into watching the film in the theater, did I see a scene that I had forgotten all about that WAS plastered over television commercials for the movie back in 1980.  Had I remembered this damnably annoying scene from these commercials..... I would have remembered why I stayed away from the film in 1980..... it was the scene in the film featuring the young son of the couple (Nicholson and Duvall were husband and wife).... and the scene involved this young son (perhaps 6 years old), wiggling his finger over and over and using the croaking voice that sounded like a frog.... kept saying "redrum, redrum, redrum....." over and over and over again.  I despised that commercial the many times it ran in 1980.  If I had remembered this was the film that featured that obnoxious "redrum" scene... I would never have gone to the theater to watch this.  

+ + + 

• Ran 10 miles (~16 km) at the indoor track.  It was very cold this morning again (~40 F / ~4.5 C).
• We are practicing Holiday music in my community band now, in preparation for the Holiday season.  It is always especially enjoyable to play this time of year.  
• There was NOT a single pipe smoker portrayed in "The Shining".  That alone further supports it being an obnoxious film.  Films before probably 1985, frequently showed at least one character who was a pipe smoker. 
•  Although I proclaimed last week that I "need to determine some sort of middle ground" regarding abstaining from or smoking my pipes.... I have made absolutely no headway in that regard.  Having an occasional pipe when I travel somewhere seems to work SAFELY and EFFECTIVELY (even though I only had one experience doing this).  But, the interval of time between trips is annoying and seem insufficient.  And, the missed opportunity still gnaws at me too.  

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