“A Fancy Car Without an Engine"

When Stephen King, author of the book on which The Shining is based, saw director Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of his story, he disliked the film and called it “A fancy car without an engine." Although I have not read the his original story, I agree with King’s reaction to the film. Although the cinematography in the film is absolutely astounding, the film has little merit beyond its technical achievements.

 

Use of symmetry is one example of where The Shining shines. Typical composition in films abides by the rule of thirds, which recommends points of interests fall on the intersections of four lines placed in an even grid. Placing a subject in the center of the frame often results in a displeasing composition, but an exception exists if this composition is symmetric. In this case, the center placement is pleasing because of the beauty in symmetry. The Shining utilizes center placement and symmetry often, and this leads to a unique and interesting style. The film juxtaposes the chaos of insanity and horror with the order of its composition.

Another technical achievement in this film is its lighting. A notable example is that in the scene near the end in which Jack chases his son throughout the maze. Here, lights are practical light sources, the floodlights within the maze which output extremely cool, bright light. Jack and Danny are often kept between the lights and the camera; therefore, they are silhouetted against a blooming indiscernible vanishing point. The resultant image is beautiful in that it has high contrast and is monochromatic. This extreme lighting brings the film to a culmination and the heavenly glow suggests that Jack is near his death.

 

While the film is technically impressive, it has little substance. The film is horrific, but to no end. King says that the adaptation of his book lacks the significance he put on the disintegration of family and the dangers of alcohol. The film might have been more successful had Kubrick developed these themes further. For example, the theme that alcohol is a dangerous substance was only touched upon twice, once when Wendy explains to the doctor that Jack once hurt Danny when he was drunk and once more when Jack takes a drink at the bar. Perhaps if the story put more significance on this subject and the subject of the disintegration of family the film would be more successful in providing the audience a substantial message.