. spoiler . before i begin this and let me say that i have have both the advantage of see this movie on the big screen and of have see the authorized version of this movie and remade by stephen king and himself and in 1997. both advantage make me appreciate this version of the shining and all the more . also and let me say that i have read mr. king book and the shin on many occasion over the year and and while i love the book and be a huge fan of his work and stanley kubrick retelling of this story be far more compelling . and scary . kubrick really know how to convey the terror of the psyche straight to film . in the direction of the movie and the writing of the screenplay and itself and he acquire the title magus beyond question . kubrick genius be like magic . the movie world lose a great director when he die in 1999. among his other outstanding credit be represent eye wide shut and 1999 while full metal jacket and 1987 while barry lyndon and 1975 while a clockwork orange and 1971 while 2001 represent a space odyssey and 1968 while spartacus and 1960 and many more . the torrences ( jack and wendy his wife and danny and their son ) be live in the overlook hotel for the winter while jack have be hire a the caretaker . it be his job to oversee the upkeep of the hotel during the several month of hard snow and until spring when the overlook reopen it door . it seem there be many wealthy and jaded tourist who will flock to the colorado mountains for a snow fill summer getaway . the hotel be an impressive piece of architecture and staging . it lend to the atmosphere and by have a dark and yet at the same time welcome atmosphere and itself . the furnishing and furniture be all period ( late 70 early 80 ) and and the filmography of the landscape approach the hotel in the opening scene be brilliant . it not only let you enjoy the approach to the overlook and it also fix in your mind how deserted and isolate the hotel be from the rest of the world . the introduction of wendy and danny character be a stroke of genius . you get the whole story of their past and danny imaginary friend and tony and and the story of jack alcoholism all roll into this nice and neat introductory scene . there be no need in stretch the past history out over two hour of the movie while obviously and kubrick saw that from the beginning . closing day . again and the scenic drive up the mountain to the hotel ( this time and with family in tow ) and the interaction between jack and danny be hilarious while also portray a very disturbing exchange . the initial tour through the overlook be quite breathtaking and even a the staff be move thing out and you get a chance to see the majestic fire place and the high cathedral ceiling and expensive furnishing and dormants and crown molding in the architecture . they do a good job . pink and gold be my favorite color . ( wendy torrence ) even the staff wing be well design and beautifully build . the maze be a magnificent touch and reminiscent of the labyrinth in which the minotaur of crete be guardian . when jack nicholson stand at the scaled model of the maze and star into the center and see wendy and danny entering and it a magickal moment while one that tell you right away and there be heavy energy in that house while there something seriously wrong and already start . i wouldn not want to go in there unless i have at least an hour to find my way out . ( the hotel manager ) scatman cruthers and a dick halloran and be genuine and open in his performance . his smile be natural and his performance be wonderful . you could actually believe you be there in the hotel and take the tour of the kitchen with wendy and doc . his explanation of the shin to danny be very well deliver and a be his conversation with the child about tony and the hotel . it be believable and sincere . the cut out and pan scan of the hotel itself and with the mountain loom behind and the cold air swirl about and mist come up from the warm roof of the snowbound hotel and add so much to the atmosphere of the movie . it also mark the half way to hell point and so to speak while the turn point in the movie . shelley duvall portrayal of wendy torrence be masterful . ( so what if she also play olive oyl . it just show her marvelous diversity . ) honestly and before i saw the movie on the big screen in 1980 and i say and what . olive oyl . lol ( popeye be also release in 1980 . ) but i take that back as soon a the movie start . she brilliant . in this fiend opinion and this be her best performance and to date . ( although i do love her in steve martin roxanne and 1987 . ) once kubrick have establish the pearly bit of information of which you and the viewer and need to be in possession represent the torrence past while danny broken arm while tony while the history of the hotel itself while the fact that danny be not mental and but rather clairvoyant instead and and the general layout of the hotel while all of which you get in the opening 3 sequence while the movie never stop scar you . the two butcher daughter of the previous caretaker and delbert grady ( the girl have appear several time to danny and first by way of tony in the apartment before the family ever leave for the hotel ) be icon with which danny could identify and and of which he be afraid and at the same time . they be haunt ( and haunt ) and themselves and show danny how and where they be kill and in a rather graphic and material way . kubrick tony be write a an attendant spirit and like a spirit guide which he acquire a a result of his arm nearly be wrench off his body by his own father . he be . the little boy who live in my mouth . he would manifest in the end of danny finger and physically speak through danny in order to speak to danny . not like in the book and i realize and where tony be intend by stephen king to be the projection of danny a an old boy and try to save his father . kubrick leave out that little twist and it somehow make it more frightening when tony take . danny . over . the idea of danny old self project back to his young self isn not . scary . the woman in the shower scene and do by lia beldan ( about whom i can find no other credit for have do anything before and or since ) a the young woman and billie gibson ( who also appear to suffer from a lack of credit for work before or since ) and be seductively obnoxious and thoroughly disgusting . it be dramatic and and frighten . abhorrent and scary . when nicholson look into the mirror and see her decomposing flesh beneath his hand while the look of sheer terror on his face be so complete and real . jack quickly embark on his trek from the jonesing alcoholic to a certifiable insane person . the degradation of his character mental state be carefully and thoroughly document by kubrick . jack instant friendship with lloyd the bartender ( a only alcoholic and would be mental patient and drug addict do ) portray his press need of the atmosphere to which lloyd avail him while namely and alcohol . hair of the dog that bite me . ( jack torrence ) in jack case and it bourbon on the rock and at no charge to jack . order from the house . ( lloyd the bartender ) nice play on word . when wendy find jack screenplay be nothing more than page after page of the same line type over and over and albeit in 8 or 9 different creative style . when he ask from the shadow and how do you like it . and wendy whirl and scream with the baseball bat in her hand . be so poignant . it the point where she realize how mess up the whole situation be . how mess up jack be . it very scary and dramatic and deliver a strong presence . that couple with danny vision of the hotel lobby fill with blood and impose over the scene between jack and wendy and and with the confrontational end to this scene and make this possibly the strong scene of the movie . the redrum scene . wow . what do i say . what mother would not be totally freak by awaken to find their young and troubled son standing over them with a huge knife and talk in that freaky little voice and exclaim redrum over and over . even if it have no meaning and it would still be as scary a the 7th level of hell . it be something everyone could ( and have ) remember ( ed ) . speaking of memorable scene . nicholson final assault on his family with an axe be perhaps one of the scary scene of movie history . his ad libbed line and heeeeere johnny . be a stroke of brilliance and be one of the most memorable scene in the history of horror . it also go down in horror movie history . the end . kubrick end be perfection . i felt it end beautifully . no smarm and no platitudinous whining and no tearfully idiotic end for this movie . just epitomize perfection . that all i will say on the subject of the end . who care what be take out . look what kubrick put in . rent it and watch it and buy it . it a classic in the horror genre and and for good reason . it rawks . me be me . take this movie and and sitck it in your stephen king collection and and take the 1997 authorized version do by king and stick it down in the kiddie section . that where it belong . . represent this movie rate a 9 . 98 from the fiend represent .