Horror movies are a popular film genre because they throw their protagonists into extreme situations and play with our own fears. Shining is based on a story by the horror master par excellence: Stephen King.
- Released: 1980
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Sub-Genre: Psychological Horror
When we talk about horror, the adaptation of a Stephen King novel must not be missed. In the legendary Shining, the writer Jack Torrance goes to a hotel in the mountains to work there as a caretaker over the winter. His wife Wendy and son Danny accompany him – the latter seems to carry a hidden power within him.
Soon winter sets in and madness takes hold. Jack loses his mind more and more, and the dark history of the hotel begins to intrude upon the present. This primarily affects Wendy and Danny, but an escape into the valley seems hopeless.
Shining is distinguished by a dense, eerie atmosphere and evokes a claustrophobic feeling. Just like the characters, we as viewers cannot escape the snow-covered hotel. Numerous lines and scenes have long since become iconic and are continuously quoted.
Although the film is quite controversial as an adaptation of the novel (Stephen King, among others, criticized it), from a cinematic perspective, Kubrick’s horror film remains an unforgettable experience to this day. If you are looking for more King horror in film form, you should check out Carrie by Brian De Palma or one of the It adaptations.
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