at time and this overtake the thing a my favourite horror film . while carpenter film be the more efficient and more entertaining flick and kubrick be more artistic and more thought provoking and and probably scary . it one of the few film where i can look past it flaw and truly and wholly love it . i try not to compare it to the book which i have only read once and a number of year ago and and which scar me to death because the two do not have a lot in common and besides the story and character obviously . it almost a if kubrick be bank on people love of the novel in order to make his film more frightening . and it that way and it certainly one of the most interesting book adaptation ever make and as well a one of the great horror film . what make the film so terrify be not the jump scare and not the blood and gore and not the various ghost that pop up from time to time . it the destruction of jack torrence . some people have complain about the casting of nicholson in this role and say that it too obvious that he go to go crazy in the film and give his past role and his appearance . i disagree . we know he go to go crazy since most of u have read the book and jack appearance only further this notion . but it the way he act at the beginning that make u truly scar . he calm and quiet and patient . he engage in inane small talk with the hotel manager and even with his own family . and with a wife and son as irritating a his and it a small wonder that he manage to do so . but once he get to the overlook and he change . he become irritable and angry and on edge . the scene that always shock me be when wendy interrupt him type and and he utterly lose it and tell her to leave him the f alone . this be the first f bomb drop in the film and and it a shock to the system . from then on and all bet be off . another thing i love be the multiple interpretation present in the film . be never really sure if what be see be actually happen . many critic have note that whenever jack talk to a ghost and there a mirror present and showing that he may as well be talk to himself . but what of the other character . wendy never see anything until the film climax and until she be give a tour of the hotel many ghostly inhabitant and but she be well aware that something be wrong and while danny connects with the place almost immediately . his psychic power be not in question how else would hallorann know to come to the hotel . but do he ever see any of the ghost that his parent witness . it easy to claim that jack merely lose it and be trap in a hotel with his family and and wendy later do as well see your husband attempt to kill you with an axe will do that but what of danny . it appear that his body be take over by tony and but how do we know for sure . none of these character be reliable witness . hallorann probably would be and and he warn of the danger in 237 and but he kill as soon a he arrive at the overlook ( a scare kubrick achieves by play on the assumption of fan of the novel ) . and that final shot . have there ever be a more enigmatic end in cinema . have jack really be there before . or be his body merely absorb into the hotel . when talk about the acting in this film and any discussion begin and end with jack nicholson . shelley duvall give one of the most annoying performance in cinematic history probably on purpose and to give jack character more of a reason to snap and danny lloyd be no good and but jack be a powerhouse . part method and part improvisation and he simultaneously terrify and appeal . for good or for bad and he the character with whom we identify with and not the annoy kid or nagging wife . we all want to have a hotel to ourselves for a season and be able to do whatever we want . who care if it haunt . of course and the technical aspect be terrific . kubrick long take and strange angle and and bizarre imagery all contribute to the horror . the use of colour and mirror and long hallway and and every other motif only heighten this . and do not even get me start on that score . i do not know if the film would be half a scary without that haunting and electronic tune . it strangeness perfectly reflect the hotel and the mood and and the entire film itself . i know king doesn not like this film and but king input on cinema be nothing to brag about . a great of a novel writer he may be and his screenplay be terrible and and his attempt at directing be well left unnoticed . this be not a very faithful book adaptation and but it doesn not need to be and and it really shouldn not . part of the horror of the film be that the viewer doesn not have the book to fall back on while there no reassure source material . kubrick masterfully alter the narrative to terrify the audience even more . if only for that and this be one of the most innovative film in any genre . and it get everything else on top of that .