The Shining (1979 Stanley Kubrick)

I'm sure fans of Stephen King will have mixed feelings about Kubrick's version (written by the director and Diane Johnson, her only scripting credit) filmed mainly on sets at Elstree (Borehamwood). He treats the book as merely a departure point for his own blackly comic and frequently chilly version, full of dry, dull conversations and an absolutely dazzlingly unsettling score comprising Bartok, a good amount of Penderecki (thanks to Vic Reeves of all people for waking me up to this), Ligeti and Wendy (formerly Walter) Carlos.

Jack Nicholson is stunning, Shelley Duvall great (they both said it was the hardest film they'd worked on), as is Scatman Crothers and Danny Lloyd in his one and only film. Scene in red bathroom with Philip Stone is wonderfully deadpan and creepy ("You've always been here sir".) In fact deadpan is a good word to describe the film's shooting style.

That's Garrett Brown, the steadicam inventor, operating the camera in the amazing shots that track behind the buggy (great sound in these shots too). Film is full of wonderfully lit tracking shots, John Alcott lighting from tungsten or fluorescent practicals and with huge lights through windows representing daylight. Thus a high key effect, unlike other horror films, with not a shadow in sight.

The ending - maze / axe / footsteps in snow - is a fairy tale.

Looking at a scene with that wicked carpet I mumbled to myself that David Lynch must have been influenced by the film. It turns out that Kubrick was a big fan of Eraserhead first!

That final slow zoom in to the photo is incredible.

Just before we began to watch the next thing came this great exchange:
"Any last thoughts about The Shining?"
"It's finished."