# "The Shining", was Kubrick trying to scare us? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2011, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158 "2011-03-10T12:11:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/1 "2011-03-10T12:11:30Z")
Watching The Shining for the tenth or twentieth time, and I find it strange that it seems more scary this time than before. When I first watched it, I was like meh, here is Kubrick being arty and farty and trying to make a horror movie, and I really didn’t like it that much. But now, it actually gives me some chills. Odd that a movie can scare me more, the more I watch it. Even as I notice how great all the performances are, and sit back in my critic’s chair, I can’t help but be made uncomfortable by this movie. I like the movie more and more. Anybody else have the same reaction? And as far as I am concerned, they should have retired the steadycam after that. He chewed all the flavor out of that piece of gum in one flick. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/2 "2011-03-10T12:21:54Z")
A friend recently introduced me to this analysis of _The Shining_. Whether you “buy” it or not, this guy does root out a lot of things in the film not obvious to a single or casual viewing, and which would activate your senses that something was wrong without knowing exactly what it was. > **[THE SHINING (1979) analysis by Rob Ager](http://www.collativelearning.com/the%20shining.html)** > > Rob Ager's analysis of psychological and political themes in Stanley Kubrick's horror masterpiece The Shining There are actually quite a few sites on the web analyzing the film, and they;'re worth a look. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/3 "2011-03-10T14:29:52Z")
[Another analysis](http://www.drummerman.net/shining/essays.html) from back in the day. How much of it, if any, was actually in Kubrik’s mind we’ll never know, but it does make for some interesting reading. ---
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/4 "2011-03-10T14:40:09Z")
I saw the Shining in HD a while back. It really was scarier than previous viewings. I think on repeated viewings, some of the ‘weird’ stuff grows on you and becomes ‘scary’ over time. Like Tony, and the furries, and the picture with Jack in it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/5 "2011-03-10T14:42:05Z")
Kubrick was an odd choice for making a horror film. His style is very detached and invoking fear requires an intimate connection with the audience. ---
**Author:** ![Heyoka13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Heyoka13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heyoka13)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/6 "2011-03-10T14:43:11Z")
It just occurs to me, Kubrick shot every scene numerous times, it would be possible to recreate the entire movie with alternate takes, and then not tell anyone. When ever somebody (who had seen the movie repeatedly) watched that version with out knowing it was all alternate takes, I think the effect would be enormously unsettling, as everything would be familiar, but always, a little ‘off’. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/7 "2011-03-10T16:20:20Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Kubrick was an odd choice for making a horror film. His style is very detached and invoking fear requires an intimate connection with the audience. T_The Shining_ is largely psychological horror, though - a walk in the park for Kubrick. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/8 "2011-03-10T16:32:39Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > A friend recently introduced me to this analysis of _The Shining_. Whether you “buy” it or not, this guy does root out a lot of things in the film not obvious to a single or casual viewing, and which would activate your senses that something was wrong without knowing exactly what it was. > [THE SHINING (1979) analysis by Rob Ager](http://www.collativelearning.com/the%20shining.html) Intersting site. The author comes across as a nut for the first page or two, then says a lot of interesting things about the layout of the hotel and what Kubrick was trying to do with the confusing geography and the relationship between Jack and Danny, and then he appears to have gone back to being a nut. I like parts of his theory, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/9 "2011-03-10T16:48:23Z")
Lately I’ve been intrigued by the case [Cracked](http://www.cracked.com/article_18967_6-famous-movies-with-mind-blowing-hidden-meanings_p2.html) makes for the entire thing being an allegory of the rape of the West. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/10 "2011-03-10T17:27:18Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Lately I’ve been intrigued by the case [Cracked](http://www.cracked.com/article_18967_6-famous-movies-with-mind-blowing-hidden-meanings_p2.html) makes for the entire thing being an allegory of the rape of the West. Blakemore (linked in **Earl Snake-Hips Tucker** ’s post) said the same thing. And so did the guy **Cal Meacham** linked to. That’s actually what made me think the guy was losing his grip. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/11 "2011-03-10T17:30:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Blakemore (linked in **Earl Snake-Hips Tucker** ’s post) said the same thing. And so did the guy **Cal Meacham** linked to. That’s actually what made me think the guy was losing his grip. …really have to start reading the entire thread before posting… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/12 "2011-03-10T22:10:30Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Blakemore (linked in **Earl Snake-Hips Tucker** ’s post) said the same thing. And so did the guy **Cal Meacham** linked to. That’s actually what made me think the guy was losing his grip. I didn’t get much further than the reading of significance into the impossible layout of the hotel as presented to the viewer. (Which was actually the [first link](http://www.collativelearning.com/the%20shining%20-%20chap%204.html) I followed.) I wonder what his woo-woo conclusions would be if he applied the same test to any other movie? As a matter of common sense, filmmakers shoot what looks most interesting for the individual shot, and don’t worry about their viewers unpacking four nested transitions to determine whether or not it makes sense for the camera to be facing an exterior wall when they are looking for a good composition. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/13 "2011-03-10T22:17:09Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > I didn’t get much further than the reading of significance into the impossible layout of the hotel as presented to the viewer. (Which was actually the [first link](http://www.collativelearning.com/the%20shining%20-%20chap%204.html) I followed.) > > I wonder what his woo-woo conclusions would be if he applied the same test to any other movie? As a matter of common sense, filmmakers shoot what looks most interesting for the individual shot, and don’t worry about their viewers unpacking four nested transitions to determine whether or not it makes sense for the camera to be facing an exterior wall when they are looking for a good composition. I think the idea is “Kubrick is the perfectionist’s perfectionist, so anything that gets into his movies is deliberate and intentional.” Of course, I had the same thought you did, that he was reading waaaaay too much into things that probably nobody on the set even noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/14 "2011-03-10T23:19:03Z")
> [@Heyoka13](#): > > It just occurs to me, Kubrick shot every scene numerous times, it would be possible to recreate the entire movie with alternate takes, and then not tell anyone. When ever somebody (who had seen the movie repeatedly) watched that version with out knowing it was all alternate takes, I think the effect would be enormously unsettling, as everything would be familiar, but always, a little ‘off’. What a brilliant idea! ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/15 "2011-03-10T23:58:40Z")
It is, indeed, a brilliant idea. While it’s probably impossible to do with the Shining at this point, it would be great if a movie were shot in this way, with a dozen or so different takes for every scene, specifically with the intention of distributing it via some system that would combine them randomly. (I know that such a thing could be programmed into a DVD.) I don’t mean in random _order,_ I just mean, 10 different possibilities for scene 1, 10 different for scene 2, and so on, with each of the possible takes being randomized. The effect would be that the movie was slightly different each time. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/16 "2011-03-11T04:12:31Z")
Interesting that some people here indicated that this film still scares them. I find I can’t stop laughing at it whenever it is on, which is mostly the fault of the various parodies which have been done about it (Simpsons most notably), but part of it is the hysterical overacting of the 3 main characters. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/17 "2011-03-11T04:37:23Z")
> [@Heyoka13](#): > > It just occurs to me, Kubrick shot every scene numerous times, it would be possible to recreate the entire movie with alternate takes, and then not tell anyone. When ever somebody (who had seen the movie repeatedly) watched that version with out knowing it was all alternate takes, I think the effect would be enormously unsettling, as everything would be familiar, but always, a little ‘off’. > [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > It is, indeed, a brilliant idea. While it’s probably impossible to do with the Shining at this point, it would be great if a movie were shot in this way, with a dozen or so different takes for every scene, specifically with the intention of distributing it via some system that would combine them randomly. (I know that such a thing could be programmed into a DVD.) I don’t mean in random _order,_ I just mean, 10 different possibilities for scene 1, 10 different for scene 2, and so on, with each of the possible takes being randomized. The effect would be that the movie was slightly different each time. wow, that is a solid reason to buy the dvds even after you’ve watched the show. talk about replayability. it wouldn’t even cost them much more since it’s all there already. they would just need to find the space to put everything in. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/18 "2011-03-11T04:43:33Z")
The star of the movie was the hotel huge, isolated and scary. That was unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2011, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/19 "2011-03-11T06:05:28Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > I wonder what his woo-woo conclusions would be if he applied the same test to any other movie? As a matter of common sense, filmmakers shoot what looks most interesting for the individual shot, and don’t worry about their viewers unpacking four nested transitions to determine whether or not it makes sense for the camera to be facing an exterior wall when they are looking for a good composition. True. But he’s arguing this was done deliberately because it happens too much, and that the impossible geography contributes to the weird vibe and themes of the movie. I think he’s on reasonably solid ground there. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158/20 "2011-03-12T05:58:29Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I think the idea is “Kubrick is the perfectionist’s perfectionist, so anything that gets into his movies is deliberate and intentional.” Of course, I had the same thought you did, that he was reading waaaaay too much into things that probably nobody on the set even noticed. Speaking of which… what about his theory that Jack was sexually abusing Danny? Is there _anything_ in either the book or the movie to support that? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shining-was-kubrick-trying-to-scare-us/574158.md?page=2)