Day 275: The Shining (December, 9)

Rodrigo called my attention to the fact that I had forgotten to post about The Shining, movie that we've watched on this day, in a special screening. Oops. I'm getting really old - or this movie simply scares me too much.

And it really does, even after I've saw many times. Never on a movie theater, though. That's why it was such a good opportunity.

What say about Jack Nicholson on this adaptation of Stephen King's book? He Shines (sorry the pun) through the amazingly detailed cinematography of Stanley Kubrick. The art design is sick, so perfect and an important part of the narrative. It has been a time since I saw this film for the last time, and I never noticed how beautiful is the first scene, or the thoughtful development of its first part, building up til the things get really bad. We can identify Kubrick's masterful filmmaking in each scene, in each performance. It is mesmerizing actually.

Here's a funny tale: my best friends (at high school and today) and I were watching The Shining with the mother of one of them on VHS (yep, you've read it right). At one point, she paused the movie and we could hear many sights of relief on the room. I was enthralled by the story them as I was on this day, didn't matter if how many time I've seen it.

A horror flick usually is a source of funny stories in real life. This time it was Rodrigo, freaking out in the most hilarious fashion when I touched his arm during the movie. I'm still laughin (sorry, man). Soon, it was forgotten though, when both of us were jumping in our seats, so freaked out we were. I think this movie will never cease to surprise me, in fact. It is that good.

Danny Lloyd is so amazing as Danny Torrance. I've read that Kubrick was very careful with him, being the actor so young for such a terrorizing role. Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining, by Stephen King, was published in 2014. I'm curious about Danny's adult life. However, I'm not sure I'll be able to read it, or the first book. I always remember Joey putting The Shining inside the freezer, so scary he was. Curiosity killed the cat, and I'm sure that it will be the outcome of me reading these two King's books.

The Shining. Directed and written by Stanley Kubrick, from the novel by
Stephen King. With: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd. USA/
UK, 1980, 146 min., Mono, Color (Cinema).