While it seemed that there was nothing more left to be unearthed about the brilliance of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, another fascinating detail has emerged after 4-decades since its release. Debuting back in 1980, the Jack Nicholson-led film remains a hot topic of discussion among cinephiles, and the newfound detail in the film only elevates the horror classic’s greatness.
Back in June, Italian film scholar Filippo Ulivieri pointed out a conspicuous detail about Jack Nicholson breaking the fourth wall in The Shining, which further adds to the film’s uneasiness.
The Newfound Detail in The Shining Further Elevates Its Creepiness
Filippo Ulivieri, who has spent the past two decades analyzing Stanley Kubrick‘s works, pointed out the detail in his 11-minute-long video essay Overlooked! A Detail In The Shining That You’ve Never Seen. In the essay, Ulivieri reveals that throughout the film, Nicholson’s Jack Torrence makes direct eye contact with the camera for a brief moment on numerous occasions. And keeping in mind that Stanley Kubrick was infamous for his adamancy to paint the perfect frame, it’s obvious these tidbits throughout the film were intentional.
Although the meaning behind these remains open for interpretation, depending on the viewers’ perspective, it does add a sense of uneasiness throughout the film, which further elevates the experience.
Stanley Kubrick Wasn’t the Perfect Fit for the Adaptation Said Stephen King
While The Shining was a major hit among fans and critics, Stephen King, who wrote the novel, wasn’t too enticed by the discrepancy between the film and the book. Unlike the book, which paints Jack as a level-headed and lovable character at the beginning, Kubrick takes a completely different route, painting Jack as the primary antagonist instead of the Overlook Hotel. Although Stephen King expressed that he admired the Eyes Wide Shut director as a filmmaker, he felt Kubrick wasn’t the right man for the job. He told The New York Times:
“Let’s put it this way, I dislike the film. I always have. I admire the film, and I admire Kubrick as a director, which sometimes gets lost in the mix when people who absolutely love that film take me to task. I love Kubrick as a filmmaker, but I just felt that he didn’t have the chops for this particular thing.”
Even though King eventually got an opportunity to make a more faithful adaptation of his work with 1997’s The Shining, a 3-episode miniseries, it didn’t hold a candle to the 1980 classic.
The Shining is available to stream on Max.
