Instead of being inside, the young boy is out in the hedge maze being pursued by his father. Most recently, Pennywise was portrayed byBill Skarsgardin Demons, ghosts, and serial killers all make for frightening movie subjects. The core of this theory suggests thatThe Shiningis secretly about CIA mind control experiments. In the games room, Danny encounters the two girls who are supposed to be the Grady twins. . The Shining Explained . He also informs Danny about the hotels ability to shine owing to its tragic past from being built on an Indian burial site to the murders, discovered and undiscovered. One of the most memorable scenes from The Shining is the blood coming out from the elevator. Jack had been researching the incidents that took place in the hotel quite possibly for his story and uses this information to conjure up a plot. Both of them secretly despise their wives. The Shining. However, in Kubricks adaptation, this context was missing which left many viewers questioning what they were looking at and why at that moment. The novel and subsequent film differ in significant ways. This scene has been interpreted many ways, and one of the most popular explanations is that it represents the hotel absorbing Jacks soul. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Coincidence much? Dwarfed by the towering presence of the building, however, Jack soon becomes engulfed by an evil, violent presence, influencing his temper toward his wife and psychic son. The Shining Is About Sexual Abuse. Now starts a series of intentional continuity errors and weird set designs, that are prevalent throughout the movie. Another connection is that both of these bear motifs are featured in relation to beds or bedrooms. The film is very different from the novel so much so that Stephen King has said he hates The Shining many times. There are many visuals to prove this theory, small details that would be termed as continuity errors but are present to signify the difference between the real world and Jacks world. Although only 13 seconds, this scene was an eerie moment that is enough to disturb viewers and keep them questioning even 40 years after the film has been released. Surprisingly, Jack expresses nothing but anticipation towards the role of the caretaker. Jacks manifestation as a rotten, naked old woman in the room 237 dream sequence parallels the horrific physical disgust Danny would have felt during his nightmarish ordeal. An analysis of one. One final detail hinting at Jack's guilt as an abuser of his family is his rotten glance to Danny's bedroom (and the camera) after argueing with Wendy about Danny's injuries. Hedge animals and objects coming to life, Gradys ghost, generalized and plot favored characterization, the spirit of the Overlook Hotel and playing safe with the gore; stuff like this grows campy over time and Kubrick turned this into an atmospheric psychological horror. In addition to the sexual innuendos of the doctors conversation, theres one further scene in the film that adds to the mystery in question, occurring when Hotel managers Stuart Ullman and Bill Watson approach Jack on the closing day of the Overlook. At the time, the film made modest profits and was met with lukewarm reviews ("Even the film's most startling images seem overbearing and perhaps even irrelevant," shrugged . Wendy too looks in the mirror, and overlap the two scenes and you find Jack holding Danny while the mirror shows the filthiness of his atrocities. Tonally, I didnt know if the film would survive that kind of speed bump," Flanagan admitted. I dont go for number interpretations generally, but here Ill make an exception. The interaction between Tony and Danny takes place with the camera focused on a mirror in the bathroom and the shot composition is similar to the bear man shot later on in the movie. The core ofThe Shiningmoon landing theory posits that not only was the 1969 moon landing a hoax, but that Kubrick was the one who constructed the fake footage. The Shining (1980) R Horror Drama Director: Stanley Kubrick Release Date: June 13, 1980 Cast: Danny Lloyd, Shelley Duvall, Jack Nicholson, Scatman Crothers Writers: Diane Johnson, Stanley Kubrick Rating: R Runtime: 146 minutes Cinematographer: John Alcott Producer: Stanley Kubrick Production Company: Traces of his films can even be seen decades after their release; Interstellar and The Tree of Life (2001 : A Space Odyssey), Trainspotting (A Clockwork Orange), almost every heist movie pays tribute to The Killing, Alice in Wonderland (The Shining) or House of Cards (Eyes Wide Shut). Additionally, lines of dialogue such as white mans burden further support this association. Realizing that he is leaving footprints in the snow, Danny carefully maneuvers backwards over his own . This led to him intentionally reversing a lot of features from the book, changing them, experimenting with them and using disrupted continuity. A very expensive split-second because it requires a working second storey to be added to the already incredibly large Lounge set. Those who believe this theory point to a handful of other small details. The layout of the hotel seeming to fluctuate throughout the film is also used as evidence toward this interpretation. Were in a golden age of TV writing and development. She clutches a knife and slowly ascends up stairs. We identified in previous chapters that Jack strangled Danny in the fatherly love scene and with these new details it would seem that he also sexually abused his son during this event. Moving forward, we meet Dick Halloran (Scatman Crauthers) the head cook at the hotel who notices the telekinetic and precognitive powers Danny possesses, which he calls The Shining. Played with quiet confidence and wounded reservation by "Charm City Kings" star Winston, Kevin starts "We Have a Ghost . In 2019, famed horror director Mike Flanagan brought the story to the big screen, starring Ewan McGregor in the titular role. The maze in The Shining went over better than the hedge animals would've in Kubrick's vision. In the kitchen, Halloran takes Wendy and Danny through a twisting-turning path and then opens the freezer room, shot cuts, and we see him opening the door on the wrong side contradicting the previous shot. The Overlooks construction in the early 1900s and the photograph of Jack in the 1920s both pose interesting clues. This theory not only gives The Shining a darker turn but also gives meaning to the over-analyzed s cene of the man in the tuxedo and the one in a bear costume. In his theory, he states that, inside the room, Jack is face-to-face with the truth of what he's been doing to Danny after having been in a dissociative state, previously unaware of his own horrific actions. The ball itself is featured in another scene with Jack throwing it against a wall in the hotel lobby. Also notice his two hands placed on his crotch, almost like protecting it from something. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment [deleted] Danny escapes the maze and reunites with Wendy, and they escape in Hallorans snowcat. Kubrick replaced the hedge animals in the book with a hedge maze, which like the movie offers endless possibilities but barely any solution. With a narrative that's as puzzling and confusing as the hedge maze found in the terrifying climax, The Shining has led fans to rack their head for it's various meanings for the past 40 years. The aforementioned Room 237 doc covers this theory and the following video digs even deeper into this Native American genocide interpretation. Because the movie's Overlook Hotel was built on an Indian burial ground, the blood coming out from the elevator has been interpreted as that of the Indians buried there. Without Kubrick around to spell out his intentions, the answer is, . Coming back around to consciousness, Danny awakes to see that his trousers are around his ankles and he is laying on top of a large stuffed toy bear. . In the psychiatrist scene Danny lays on the bed with his jeans removed and his hands curiously covering his groin area, just as Jack did in the fatherly love scene. When Ullman and Bill Watson approach Jack in the lobby on Closing Day, Jack is reading a January 1978 issue of Playgirl Magazine. I've never read the book. The complete lack of wires running to the TV, pointed out by of my correspondents, may also be related to the concept of a fractal film. Its understood for people to develop a separate identity as a result of trauma, with the identity built upon the very details of such incidents, i.e, Tony living in Dannys mouth and Dannys reluctance to talk about it. Without Kubrick around to spell out his intentions, the answer is probably not. Introducing aspiring bodypainterCharrar.basPennywise the Dancing Clownfrom Stephen Kings It, the hit book, television adaptation, and film adaptation. Notice how Ullman even points his finger at the magazine as if informing us of its significance. The Shining bear suit scene is one of the most confusing and mysterious in the movie. the scene really doesnt make sense in the movie and i've never read the book so idk if its explained there. The Shining is full of allegory and mystery, but none are as wild and potentially insidious as what could be lurking behind that strange man in a bear suit. This imagery in itself is enough to unsettle some people. Watch my new Shining analysis video \"Danny's ordeal and the bear costumed man\" here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW2GrG7Zk0UMy written Shining analysis articles and videos are at: http://www.collativelearning.com/FILMS%20reviews%20BY%20ROB%20AGER.htmlRob Ager's analysis of The Shining was plagiarized in a video posted on the Screen Prism channel and credited to Jeff Saporito. Danny who witnesses this screams from the cupboard he was hiding in, runs towards the maze when Jack starts getting closer. Related:Are Charles & Delbert Grady The Same Person? Stanley Kubricks The Shining is regarded by many as one of the greatest films ever made, and one that to this day continues to be the subject of many debates and discussions. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Either way though, it's a haunting moment in The Shining, as the dynamic between the two men is uncomfortable, to say the least. He also informs Jack about Danny involving an outside party (Halloran) in the situation and stresses on words like will, to upset Jack. All of this corresponds to Wendy's horrified reaction to seeing The Shining bear man in the hallway, which Ager suggests may or may not imply that she has realized, at that moment, what's been happening to Danny in The Shining movie. ), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. One of the most chilling details about both the novel and film versions of The Shining is that the Overlook Hotel is based on a real (possibly haunted) location that Stephen King once visited. The Shining Caretaker Explained, Every Shining Character Who Returns In Doctor Sleep. The abuse part of the story is both physical and psychological: both Wendy and Danny are clearly scared of Jack, even before the hotels influence took control of him, and yet they stayed with him. Without wasting more time, lets revisit The Shining by quoting Kubrick. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Danny writes REDRUM with a red crayon on the door of the bathroom while Wendys sleeping and starts repeating it to wake her up. In conversation with Deadline, King stated: I think The Shining is a beautiful film and it looks terrific and as Ive said before, its like a big, beautiful Cadillac with no engine inside itI kept my mouth shut at the time, but I didnt care for it much. Her relationship with Jack seems to be totally lacking in intimacy. the scene really doesnt make sense in the movie and i've never read the book so idk if its explained there? One of the most persuasive is the reoccurrence of The Shining bear symbolism. While he may be one of the weirdest Overlook Hotel ghosts in the movie, Mike Flanagan decided to keep all the ghosts that would've stuck with Danny the most, and that wasn't the bear man. Its a new day, and Jack shows an increasing sense of depersonalization in a chilling conversation if you notice the details. Here he is discussing said adaptation. And Kubrick all but disregarded the novel when making the film. Specifically, the spaceship sweater with Apollo 11 written on it, which was the name of the rocket used in the moon landing. Look carefully at this teddy pillow. The meaning and topics addressed in the novel are very different than those in The Shining movie Stephen King hates so much, given Kubricks many changes to the story in order to fit his vision. Those who believe The Shining moon landing theory point to Danny's wardrobe. Strangelove, at once scary and comical; the brutal pop future of A Clockwork Orange; the raw intimacy of the exchanges between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut. This is the kind of influence he had on other directors in the industry including legends like Spielberg and Scorsese, who aimed to shoot as precisely as him. INCEST: Why parents sleep with their children. Set in the towering, fictional Overlook Hotel, located in the Colorado Rockies, the haunting tale follows Jack Torrance (Nicholson), his wife, Wendy (Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) who opt to look after the hotel over the winter. Interestingly, in the 1997 Shining miniseries, which King himself wrote, there's a brief epilogue in which a graduating Danny is visited by the ghost of Jack, beaming with pride, suggesting that Jack's spirit was fully freed when the Overlook blew up. This interpretation suggests that the changing layout of the hotel and moving objects aremetaphorsto indicate that the Torrance family is suffering from hallucinations. Meta Quest 2 - Advanced All-In-One Virtual Reality Headset - 128 GB (Renewed Premium). When she's not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs! He thought there might be something else that would be metaphorically and visually more interesting. Well explain each theory, why people believe it, and look at the corroborating evidence. Few films inspire as many diverse fan theories and interpretations as Stanley Kubricks The Shining. The Bear Man. In this post, well break down the six biggest theories on The Shining, including our own theory that its actually a Christmas movie! Not only that, but Wendy is wearing Jacks blue robe. The sequel to The Shining, 2019's Doctor Sleep movie managed to walk a delicate tightrope between adapting King's Shining sequel book and being a follow-up to Kubrick's Shining movie. The Shining's Room 237 is known for having a female specter, as referenced when Jack encounters a woman in the bath. Kubrick failed in adapting Stephen Kings book, but he succeeded in making a film full of metaphors and symbolism that have made way for countless interpretations of its true meaning. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. Triggered by Dannys psychic abilities, the hotel releases some dangerous supernatural forces that mess with Jacks sanity and the safety of Wendy and Danny. Jack is a recovering alcoholic and relapses at the hotel. All the aforementioned signs, and many more, point to the likelihood that Jack sexually abused Danny, making sense of the childs fragile mental state where he frequently has terrifying visions about the vast hotel. Stephen King's Doctor Sleep follows an adult Danny Torrance after the events at The Overlook Hotel and his endeavor to find closure. Many people have asked me about the significance of the number 42 on Dannys T-shirt in the tooth brushing / shining scene. The scene dissolves and we can feel the frustration dripping out of Jack, which is brilliantly conveyed through the thumping rebounds of the tennis ball. The bank that won't pass on rate rises unless you ring and ask: Just one of the ruses greedy lenders use to squeeze savers and pump up profits There seems to be many hints in the film that Wendy is aware of her sons abuse and is covering up and denying the issue. Ullman shows the Torrances their apartment and Jack, not Wendy, steps forward and peaks into the childs room. One of the many mysteries of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is why Jack appears in the photo at the end, and it actually has a semi-simple explanation. Wendy runs around the hotel searching for Danny, and encounters ghosts, the flooding red liquid, skeletons in a completely changed section of the hotel covered with cobwebs and torn hangings and probably the most disturbing instance in the movie, the bear man performing fellatio on a man with blazing tribal music in the background. In attempting to answer "what is The Shining about?" The Overlook is built on the sacred lands of Native Americans . Its also possible that the framing of the bear picture is a parallel of the felatio bear being seen within a door frame. There are emotional passages and images and spaces in his films that have an inexplicable power, with a magnetic force that draws you in slowly, mysteriously: the boys rides on his Big Wheel through the endless corridors of the hotel in The Shining; the monumental silence of outer space in 2001: A Space Odyssey; the inhuman pace of the first half of Full Metal Jacket, building up to its logical, murderous conclusion; the grandeur of the war room in Dr. Here's The Shining bear scene explained. Buy a book on film making from any part of the world, either Russia or Japan or Sweden, and youll find this name mentioned not once but in every chapter, ranging from minutely monumental details like breaking the 180 degree rule to establishing genres like science fiction and satirical comedy. These bear motifs are featured in relation to beds or bedrooms notice how Ullman even his... The layout of the rocket used in the moon landing for number interpretations,. 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