The Shining (1980)

The Shining (1980), a psychological horror film, was produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick in collaboration with novelist Diane Johnson. Adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the same title published in 1977, the movie follows Jack Torrance as he takes on a winter caretaking job at the remote Overlook Hotel nestled within the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The hotel, which shuts down every winter season, has a dark history revealed to Jack by manager Stuart Ullman upon his arrival – that of a previous caretaker named Charles Grady who had slaughtered his family and committed suicide within its walls ten years prior. Meanwhile in Boulder, Jack’s son Danny experiences a disturbing vision accompanied by a seizure. Wendy, Jack’s wife, confides in the doctor about an incident in their past where he had accidentally hurt Danny during a drunken outburst. Since then, Jack has been sober.

As they prepare for their break for the season, Dick Hallorann (the Overlook’s head chef) reveals to Danny that they both possess an unusual ability known as ‘shining’ – something that allows them to communicate telepathically. Hallorann informs Danny that the hotel possesses a ‘shine’ as a result of past traumas, advising him to steer clear of Room 237. In the following month, Danny experiences terrifying hallucinations, including those of the deceased Grady twins. Concurrently, Jack’s mental state declines as he battles writer’s block, outbursts of aggression, and nightmarish fantasies of harming his loved ones. Eventually, unseen forces draw Danny towards room 237, and Wendy discovers him later with physical injuries. When Jack investigates, he comes face to face with a female specter in the room but accuses Danny of causing his own bruises.