HEEEEERE'S JONNY!'s review of The Shining

     The Shining is the most fantastic horror/thriller movie I have ever had the pleasure to view. From the very beginning the premise of the film is laid before your eyes, this is beautifully done with the tour of the hotel. Stanley Kubrik shows the viewer his canvas in full detail before he ever has any events take place there. The blank slate he puts before us make minds race with a million ideas and from that point on I was gushing with anticipation. Now, the Overlook hotel is most undeniably haunted, but that is not where the eerie feeling created by this movie comes from. The scariest part of The Shining comes from Jack Nicholson's fantastic performance when we see his psychological transformation.
     The Shining was made in 1980 and therefore is clearly different than any modern day horror that you can watch. Kubrik didn't rely on extremely graphic images to shock his audience into fear, there is a certain factor of gore present but that is not this movies strength. The grim of the movie is Jack Torrance's complete decay of psychological being. Jack loses all morals throughout the story, we see this everyday, average, sound man driven insane by the isolation of the Overlook hotel. Another horrifying aspect is Jack's son, Danny's connection to the previous horrors that have taken hold in the Overlook. Even in the start of the movie Danny's 'imaginary' friend Tony gives him visions of a flood of blood that is to come from his transition to the hotel.
     Every character is driven insane by the madness of the Overlook. Jack's insanity is the films focus but it is clear that Wendy is affected in the climax of the film, Danny has a moment when he is possessed by Ton. Even Dick Hallorann felt something because of his link to Danny and the Overlook through the shining. Unfortunately Mr. Hallorann's feelings were ended abruptly via an axe... to the chest. All of these chaos leads up to an awesome ending consisting of a brilliantly shot chase scene. This final scene is immensely powerful and will leave you on your seat the entire time.
     With the direction of Stanley Kubrik and Jack Nicholson's talented eye brows there was no way that this movie could have been a bad pick. I give The Shining 9 lipsticks out of 10, super solid; a must see.