Classic Films: The Shining

Film: The Shining

Director: Stanley Kurbrick

Rating:  R

Genre: Horror

Grade: B+ (4.5/5)

Description: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer’s block. He settles in along with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who is plagued by psychic premonitions. As Jack’s writing goes nowhere and Danny’s visions become more disturbing, Jack discovers the hotel’s dark secrets and begins to unravel into a homicidal maniac hell-bent on terrorizing his family

Trailer

Thoughts

Want to know my thoughts on the book? Read my review here.

The Shining follows  former teacher and aspiring writer Jack Torrance as he moves his family to The Overlook Hotel for the winter so that he can work on his novel while he takes care of the hotel. But his son, Danny, is having terrible visions, and his wife, Wendy, is concerned for his health. As the hotel’s sinister past makes itself known, Jack finds himself descending into madness.

I usually don’t find older movies scary, primarily because the special effects tend to be awful. However, Kurbrick’s use of sound (or rather, lack thereof) is what made this film frightening, not an attempt at crappy special effects. There were times when it was quiet, and that silence terrified me. But then the creepy music started to play–it was loud and screechy and startling. It kept me on my toes.

And Jack Nicholson plays his character so well. Jack Torrance is terrifying. Throughout the whole film, he’s on edge. It’s clear that he could snap at any time, and that made the story entirely believable. He isn’t just an ordinary man: he was already disturbed at the start of the story.

I can definitely see why this film is a classic. It’s a little bizarre at times, it’s definitely scary, and the characters are all fascinating. However, the book is still better than the film.

I didn’t like some of the changes the movie made. For example, I thought that Jack was a much more realistic character in the book. He wasn’t just the bad guy, and he didn’t start out insane. Instead, he was sympathetic. Even as the plot built and he started to lose touch with himself, there were still moments where the reader saw “the real Jack” shining through. Keeping this element would have added a rich complexity to the film.

I also liked that there was more development in regards to Danny’s gift in the novel. It’s addressed in the movie, but it’s addressed in a weird way (that finger thing was a little off). More importantly, Danny’s gift was more central to the plot in the book than it had been in the movie. Quite simply, it made more sense.

But here were a few changes I didn’t mind. I understand why the fire hose wasn’t included–how would you put that in a film without it coming off as cheesy? I even understand not including the hedges.

Despite these differences, The Shining is a great film. It’s a classic–how could it not be? But in the end, I hope to see a remake in the future, one that stays more true to the books. Will it ever replace the original film? Probably not, but I’d still enjoy it playing out more accurately on screen.

 

 

 

A Thrilling Survival Story: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King

Those of you who have been following me for awhile probably know that I’m a huge Stephen King fan. Typical, I know. But I truly believe he’s a great writer. How could he not be? So many of his books are iconic and are firmly part of American pop culture.

This was the book that started my obsession. I was eleven and recently read Hatchet. I didn’t like it very much because I thought it was boring, and quite frankly, I was tired of reading about guys. Kind of a side note here, but this was in 2000, and most of the young adult and middle grade literature I had been exposed to primarily featured a male lead. It’s the opposite today, but back then, I felt like it was hard to find a female protagonist in literature.

That’s probably one of the reasons i loved this book. But I also loved it because it was terrifying. Grated, I was only eleven, so I don’t think this is saying much.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is about a nine-year-old girl named Trisha who goes on a hike with her mother and brother. She strays off the path and gets lost. The only thing she has to keep her comfort is her portable radio, and she spends much of her time listening to baseball games, hoping to be rescued. But of course, she’s contending with nature and maybe something supernatural as well…

I haven’t read this in a long time, but even now, the basic story is intriguing. In fact, I’ll probably pick it up again. I also think it’s a great “intro-to-Stephen-King novel”. It’s not heavy on the supernatural elements,  and I wouldn’t even say it’s true horror. If anything, it’s more of a psychological thriller.

So if you’re looking for something a little unsettling, you like survival stories, or you’re trying to ease into the world of Stephen King, pick up A Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. And if you have read it, let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

 

Carrie by Stephen King

 

Title: Carrie

Author: Stephen King

Genre: Horror, fiction

Pages: 253

Format: eBook

Other: Amazon, GoodReads

Grade: A ( 5/5)

Blurb (GoodReads)

“Carrie knew she should not use the terrifying power she possessed… But one night at her senior prom, Carrie was scorned and humiliated just one time too many, and in a fit of uncontrollable fury she turned her clandestine game into a weapon of horror and destruction…”

Review

Carrie has been on my TBR since I was in middle school. It took me over a decade to get to it, but I FINALLY read it. And yes, it was as wonderful as I expected.

I had no idea what to expect when I first started reading Carrie. I mean, I knew that at some point, there would be a girl covered in blood and there’d be a few deaths. I knew there was something that had to do with a period. But other than that, I was surprisingly ignorant.

For those of you who were like me and didn’t know much about the book, Carrie is about a teenage girl who experiences an incredibly disturbing level of bullying from her classmates and lives with her crazy-religious mother who is definitely abusive. She’s different. Not just because she’s bullied relentlessly, and not just because her mother is horrible. She’s also telekinetic.

Despite everything, Carrie is a sympathetic character. I felt for her throughout the entire novel. I wanted someone to help her, someone to befriend her, someone to take her out of that home. I wanted a happy ending.

For me, Carrie’ character is the foundation of this novel. Without her complexities, the novel wouldn’t be as good as it is. It’s because of her that the plot is interesting. King hooks you with a sort of Cinderella like story. You’re hoping that Prince Charming will make everything better for her. It’s that hope and want that kept me turning the page.

Even though this is King’s first (published) novel, I found his writing style be familiar. Yes, it has changed over time, but even in his earliest days as a writer, he was a wonderful mixture of descriptive and to the point. For me, this is especially important because I hate too much fluff. Sure, a little description is nice, but I don’t need it to be overly poetic. That just makes me gag. Sometimes, its enough for me to not finish the book. But it’s also something I’ve never found in King’s work, and that’s one of the reasons I enjoying reading his work. I like his conversational tone.

However, I didn’t expect it to be told in a mixture of true narration, newspaper clippings, and excerpts from studies, etc. This isn’t something I’m normally a fan of, but I thought it added mystery to the novel. It made it a little more different.

There are many reasons to pick up Carrie. It’s Stephen King’s first novel, so it’s interesting to read what started his career. It’s iconic; everyone knows that scene with the blood (or maybe I’m just getting old). And it’s simply just a good book.

Writing Ramblings: Pacing and Characterization

Lately, I’ve been posting negative posts. What not to do, the things I learned from the books I hated. But today, I’m going to throw ya’ll through a loop by talking about some positives.

I guess I should give credit where credit is due. I wrote this post after finishing The Shining by Stephen King, and I’ll be honest. I adore Stephen King. He’s one of my favorite writers, so naturally he’s someone I tend to “learn” from.

Anyway, without further ado…

1. Pacing can be everything. I mean, most of us probably already know this. Pacing is important. If it’s too slow, your readers will stop reading. Too fast and your characters are unrealistic and your plot’s too wild. But pacing can impact your audience’s emotions. It can create tension, especially when you’re trying to scare them. Slow down, drag it out, make them anxious by making them wait, letting them know something bad is about to happen. If your looking for a good scene that does this, check out The Shining and read the chapter when Danny goes into Room 217.
2. Love all your characters and never “side” with them. Jack Torrance is a dick, but Stephen King doesn’t let us forget that he’s human. King doesn’t hate him and doesn’t “side” against them, despite how horrible some of his actions are. He understood Jack as a person and he found something he liked about him, something he could relate to. As writers, we can’t “side” with our characters. It can make our writing sound preachy, our heroes perfect, and our villains caricatures. If we like all of our characters, if we see them all as human, then we aren’t going to purposely make someone look bad just because he or she is the villain. We’re going to make them whole.
3. Naturally, narrators can be a little biased, especially when we write in third-person limited or first person. We’re going to see other characters through their eyes, and that means we aren’t seeing things for what they really are. We are experiencing their interpretation of a person. But a good writer can leave little clues here and there to let us know that maybe there’s more to that person than what our narrator sees.

The Shining by Stephen King

• Title: The Shining
• Author: Stephen King
• Genre: Fiction, Horror
• Pages: 688
• Format: Paperback
• Other: Amazon, GoodReads
• Grade: A(5/5)

Blurb 

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

Review

Stephen King is a household name, at least here in the states. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t know at least one novel by Stephen King. After all, some of the most famous horror films out there are based on one of his novels.

Anyway, I think Stephen King is one of those authors everyone should read, even if its just one book. But I guess I’m a little biased. He’s been one of my favorite authors since I was eleven and my dad gave me a copy of The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.

So yes, I’ve been a fan of his for well over a decade, and no, I hadn’t read The Shining. So obviously, I decided to remedy that, and I’m so glad that I did.

Like in most of his novels, King spends time developing his characters, making them feel whole and real, before diving into the plot. And this is one of the things that I love about King. His characters are real and raw, and the characters in The Shining are just that. The novel is written in third-person limited, usually from the point of view of Jack or his son, Danny. But despite this, the other characters like Wendy are still whole people, despite the biased perspectives of our narrators.

Even the characters who you probably shouldn’t like felt like real people. And honestly, I think he takes his own character’s advice. Like Jack, he doesn’t pick a side. He finds something to love about all of his characters, and that is what makes them feel real. And I think this is especially important in the horror genre. If we don’t connect with the characters, then we won’t feel scared when we should feel scared, we won’t feel that anxiety, and we definitely won’t tell them to not go in that room where the murderer is hiding under the bed.

But not only that, the world was fleshed out. Most of the novel takes place in the Overlook, the hotel where Jack gets a job. I could imagine everything about it, from the creepy hedges to Wendy and Jack’s little apartment. Everything was so vivid.

And the story is engaging. It isn’t because it’s action packed. A good portion of the novel isn’t action-packed. It’s about discovering things, noticing details that should be warnings, and exploring the Torrances’ family dynamics.

It’s also quite scary, which you know, is expected. But it’s scary because of the pacing. There’s this constant dread. You know something bad is going to happen, you know to expect something terrifying. And King takes his time with the most terrifying scenes, building up tension slowly, making the minutes drag on for both you and the character. Seriously, I had nightmares from this book, and that’s what I want from a horror novel.

But even though it’s classified as horror, The Shining still manages to explore real issues. It touches on the cycle of abuse and alcoholism, mental illness, and briefly, racism. It isn’t just a “genre” novel that’s about chills and thrills. It’s so much more than that.

I can see why The Shining was so successful. It’s engaging and terrifying, but it also touches on real issues, and more importantly, the characters felt like real people. So if you’re looking for a good horror novel, if you’re a fan of Stephen King, or if you haven’t read any of his books yet, I highly recommend you check this one out.