The Shining (5 Stars)

Some of my friends watch a horror film every day in October. I did it as well in previous years, but not this year. I have too many other films I have to watch, not to mention my various television series. It's not just "Masha and the Bear" and "Smallville". I delayed "Game of Thrones" for two months while I had a lengthy visit from my family in England, but now I'm continuing. I also discovered the mini-series "Safe" on Netflix, which fascinated me so much that I watched it twice. Only eight episodes, but it's worth watching more than once. That leaves me little time for horror films, but "The Shining" is a masterpiece that I shouldn't forget to watch again this year.

When "The Shining" is mentioned, people's first thoughts are of Jack Nicholson. Rightly so. I consider this to be his signature role. But we shouldn't forget the others who make up the film. Jack Nicholson plays a deranged character, but there are varying levels of madness in the other characters. Just look at his wife. Her face alone shows that she's not mentally stable.

Philip Stone plays Delbert Grady, a man who's been dead for years but is still as mad as ever.

Danny might look like a sweet little boy, but he's possessed by a boy called Tony who lives in his mouth.

The hotel's owner, Stuart Ullman, seems like a pleasant enough character, but the deleted scenes expose him as the manipulator behind the hotel's madness.

The hotel's cook, Dick Holorann, is possibly the only truly sane person in the film. I just have one question about him:

Why does he have that picture above his television? Isn't it too much of a distraction?

This is a close-up of the picture. It's something I'd put on my wall as well, but not above my television. And not above my computer, or I'd never be able to keep my mind on my blogging.

I'll probably watch a few more horror films this month, but not many. No promises. I'll decide as I go along.

Success Rate:  + 0.3

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