Legendary director Stanley Kubrick’s takes on the infamously horror novel by Stephen King, The Shining, has been hailed as one of the best examples of the not only the horror genre, but of classic cinema itself.

Getting a new job as an off-season caretaker, recovering alcoholic and writer Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their son Danny (Danny Lloyd) spend a brutal winter at the grand—but remote—Overlook Hotel in the Colorado mountains.

With the help of the hotel’s head chef Dick Hallorann (Scatman Crothers), Danny learns that he has telepathic and psychic abilities that Dick refers to as a “shining.” But as he begins to experience terrifying premonitions about both the hotel and his family, things at the Overlook begin to spiral into chaos.

First of all, let me say that the performances in this movie were outstanding. Jack Nicholson was a real force to be reckoned with as Jack Torrance, the “family man” and author who’s a little over the edge.  Just the sheer way that he speaks, savoring every syllable and usually lingering on the last word, adds to his already-crazy persona. His facial expressions, from his eyebrows to the way that his lips curl into devious smiles, add to the uneasy feeling of insanity. Especially when he yells out his iconic line, “HERE’S JOHNNY!”

Shelley Duvall is great too, as Jack Torrance’s wife and Danny’s mom, Wendy. Her performance – primarily towards the end—is so authentic and shocking that it brings the suspense and creepiness of The Shining to life along with how her Wendy compliments Nicholson’s Jack.

What really stood out for me –exempting the performances—was Kubrick’s amazing use of both color and symmetry, and John Alcott’s cinematography. In scenes inside and outside the Overlook, the continuing theme is noticeable as the various rooms and furniture that are poised around the hotel express emotions through their shades of colors. Green for uneasy, and red (rum) for anger.

The Shining has gained plenty of popularity since it first released in 1980, inspiring feature films like Mikael Håfström’s 1408, and documentaries like the award-winning Room 237.

Although Stephen King himself has publicly voiced his disapproval for the late Kubrick adaption, there’s no denying that audiences everywhere still find themselves watching the film on Halloween or placing it on Top 10 Horror Movie lists.

The Shining offers a deep look into the conflicts raging inside the human mind and behavior; along with how just a little cabin fever can really mess up your vacation.

TOTAL REVIEW: 5/5

The sequel, Doctor Sleep is set to be out in theaters January 24, 2020.