"The Shining" by Stanley Kubrick explores the question of who is the reliable observer and whose ideas of events can be trusted. The opening scene at a job interview introduces Jack Torrance, a man who plans to live in solitude with his wife and son at the snowbound Overlook Hotel. His employer warns him about a former caretaker who murdered his wife and two daughters, but Jack assures him that this will not happen. His wife, a confirmed ghost story and horror film addict, is likely to be fascinated by the story. Jack, Wendy, and Danny move into a hotel during winter shutdown, where the chef, Dick Hallorann, explains the food storage locker. They are left alone, and Jack works tirelessly at his typewriter, while Wendy and Danny create a routine of everyday life, including breakfast cereal, toys, and TV. The three don't seem to function as a loving family, as they are constantly occupied with their daily routines. The question remains whether people will talk about real tragedies or if Jack will ever tell his wife about it. Danny, a reliable witness, is influenced by Tony, who channels psychic input, including a vision of blood spilling from hotel elevators and two matching girls. However, these visions may not accurately represent the actual events. Wendy, a companion and playmate for Danny, has a matter-of-fact banality similar to Shelley Duvall's "3 Women." She tries to cheer Jack up until he abruptly stops interrupting his work. Wendy later discovers the reality of his work, and is reliable at that moment and later when she bolts Jack into the food locker after he becomes violent. The opening shots of Jack wending his way up the Colorado mountains are a sign of what's to come. The eerie Moog interpretation of Hector Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, the mirroring of the landscape against a placid lake, and the breathless whoosh of the camera are all signs of what's to come. With Steadicam mounts, Kubrick experiments with how a constantly roving camera can unmoor an audience. Even in the benign early scenes of Jack heading to the interview or the Torrance clan getting a tour of the hotel, it feels like a game of chicken. As the Torrances settle into The Overlook for the winter and a snowstorm severs their connection to the outside world, the madness that quickly seizes Jack ramps up a whole strategy of disorientation. Kubrick makes a joke out of titles announcing different days of the week, as if time has any meaning in isolation. The geography of The Overlook is impossible to map, with the kitchen, living quarters, Gold Room, upper floors, and Room 237 all distinct spaces that are impossible to connect.
Review of The Shining
