Spoilers!!! The Shining - Blu-ray Forum

JasonR · 10-25-2008, 03:40 AM

I just finished watching The Shining on Blu-Ray, it is my third viewing overall.

Can someone please explain to me what Jack Torrance had going on? Why did they say he had been there forever? Why did he say he fealt like he had been to the hotel before? Why did the bartender know him? Why did Grady say he had always been the caretaker? Why was his picture in the photos?

I have tried piecing it together and just can't.

BStecke · 10-25-2008, 03:47 AM

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hlight=shining
There's some good discussion about the film in this thread.

I've done a lot of reading about it in various places and I still don't get it. Once you think you've got it figured out, there's always one piece that doesn't quite fit what you think is going on. I think it's supposed to be up to interpretation.

JasonR · 10-25-2008, 03:51 AM

Good thread. Thank you sir.

Gremal · 10-25-2008, 04:09 AM

Ugh, you guys are going to AVS even to get info on The Shining?

The basic idea is that the place is built on haunted ground, an Indian burial site, that affects different people differently. Obviously, Danny is able to tap into the evil of the place more as an observer, whereas Jack was pulled into the evil of the place because he was the same type as the murderers who came before him. Ultimately, this pull is so strong for him that he becomes a part of the place. He shared his spirit with the place, so to speak. Kubric took this relationship to be as much physical and intellectual as spiritual. Thus we see Jack increasingly tied into the history of the Overlook until by the end, he no longer exists in the present but only in a photo on the wall of the hotel lobby.

JasonR · 10-25-2008, 04:19 AM

Thanks Greg, great information.

Beta Man · 10-25-2008, 12:20 PM

Also... (related topic) The guy in the pig-mask, uhhhhh "Servicing" the other guy in the bedroom, is explained further in the book, than the movie..... THAT was the big

moment in the movie for many, but it's explained in the book

JasonR · 10-25-2008, 12:48 PM

Can you explain further?

jdc115 · 10-25-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Also... (related topic) The guy in the pig-mask, uhhhhh "Servicing" the other guy in the bedroom, is explained further in the book, than the movie..... THAT was the big

moment in the movie for many, but it's explained in the book

I probably read the book 20+ years ago (I didn't like it compared to the movie) but I seem to remember that there are many things that are just touched upon in the movie that are explained far more in depth in the book. that being said, parts of the book just made me lose interest in the story and at least in this case I enjoy the movie much better.

though I couldn't explain exactly what everything means, it does fit together enough to create a mood that can go beyond needing to understand everything.

Riff Magnum · 10-25-2008, 01:48 PM

The people in the masks are ghosts.

Beta Man · 10-25-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonR

Can you explain further?

Probably not!!!!

but this may be able to....

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/faq

Ernest Rister · 10-25-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

The people in the masks are ghosts.

Yup.

sfmarine · 10-25-2008, 03:20 PM

Ah now i have to watch it again! Kubrick turns our minds. I thought that he was there in the 20's and maybe reincarnated? Like I sad, I need to look @ it again.

Beta Man · 10-25-2008, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

The people in the masks are ghosts.

Well.... technically, other than the Torrance family, and Dick Halloran (and the people in the beginning) EVERYONE, bartender, Grady, etc... are all ghosts

Charles3669 · 10-25-2008, 03:52 PM

What I always figured it to be was since the whole torance family had the ability to shine the place affected them in different ways. Danny knew he had the gift and was trying to fight the place. Jack didn't know he had it so he just gave into it and the hotel drove him nuts. But the incidents such as the pig and bear and the bartender, party, grady, the old woman in the bathtub are all real incidents that happened in the hotel in the past. Jack and Danny as well as us are only getting a glimpse of them so we don't know what really happened and don't have their full story but the hotel shines these bits and pieces of the past. So since Jack had been there before, and he was in the picture, and he was always the caretaker, maybe hes just an echo as well that we the audience are seeing and hes reliving his story because he always was the caretaker and had been there before. Jack like the pig and bear guy, old woman in the tub, and so on is a piece of the past of the hotel but we see his full story and what drives him crazy. So I guess its us the audience who are shining

Blu Titan · 10-25-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gremal

Ugh, you guys are going to AVS even to get info on The Shining?

The basic idea is that the place is built on haunted ground, an Indian burial site, that affects different people differently. Obviously, Danny is able to tap into the evil of the place more as an observer, whereas Jack was pulled into the evil of the place because he was the same type as the murderers who came before him. Ultimately, this pull is so strong for him that he becomes a part of the place. He shared his spirit with the place, so to speak. Kubric took this relationship to be as much physical and intellectual as spiritual. Thus we see Jack increasingly tied into the history of the Overlook until by the end, he no longer exists in the present but only in a photo on the wall of the hotel lobby.

Great explanation. Thanks!

PCiAM · 10-25-2008, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gremal

Ugh, you guys are going to AVS even to get info on The Shining?

The basic idea is that the place is built on haunted ground, an Indian burial site, that affects different people differently. Obviously, Danny is able to tap into the evil of the place more as an observer, whereas Jack was pulled into the evil of the place because he was the same type as the murderers who came before him. Ultimately, this pull is so strong for him that he becomes a part of the place. He shared his spirit with the place, so to speak. Kubric took this relationship to be as much physical and intellectual as spiritual. Thus we see Jack increasingly tied into the history of the Overlook until by the end, he no longer exists in the present but only in a photo on the wall of the hotel lobby.

This is how I've always taken it as well! Well written.

Digital-Man · 10-25-2008, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles3669

So I guess its us the audience who are shining

WOW! Very insightful! I have read the book a couple of times & seen the movie a dozen times (part of my collection)- I have never gotten that from the movie before until now!

JasonR · 10-26-2008, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Probably not!!!!

but this may be able to....

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/faq

Thanks Beta! There was more good info in that link.

andyman1970 · 10-26-2008, 05:02 AM

You've also got to take into consideration that Jack is a recovering alcoholic and is also suffering from "Cabin Fever" a disorder that effects people who are isolated in a remote location with no contact from the outside world over a long period of time. (Not a disease that eats your flesh like in the movie cabin fever.) This delusional state is what allowed him to see and communicate with the ghost of the hotel, not the fact that he had the Shining, only Danny had this gift. If you read the book you'll get a little more insight, but it is very long and very boring in some parts and I think Stanley Kubrick did an excellent job of giving the film version his special touch of class and making it a little more realistic and believable.

Variable · 10-26-2008, 06:43 PM

how could it be that the audience is just shining if we see Jack outside of the hotel?

10-25-2008, 03:40 AM	#1
JasonR Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Trading Score:12	Spoilers!!! The Shining I just finished watching The Shining on Blu-Ray, it is my third viewing overall. Can someone please explain to me what Jack Torrance had going on? Why did they say he had been there forever? Why did he say he fealt like he had been to the hotel before? Why did the bartender know him? Why did Grady say he had always been the caretaker? Why was his picture in the photos? I have tried piecing it together and just can't.

10-26-2008, 05:02 AM	#19
andyman1970 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Aug 2008 Location:Birmingham, Alabama, USA DVD collection:9 Blu-ray reviews: 45 Trading Score:7	You've also got to take into consideration that Jack is a recovering alcoholic and is also suffering from "Cabin Fever" a disorder that effects people who are isolated in a remote location with no contact from the outside world over a long period of time. (Not a disease that eats your flesh like in the movie cabin fever.) This delusional state is what allowed him to see and communicate with the ghost of the hotel, not the fact that he had the Shining, only Danny had this gift. If you read the book you'll get a little more insight, but it is very long and very boring in some parts and I think Stanley Kubrick did an excellent job of giving the film version his special touch of class and making it a little more realistic and believable. Last edited by andyman1970; 10-26-2008 at 05:07 AM.

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10-25-2008, 03:47 AM	#2
BStecke Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jun 2007 4K collection:182 Blu-ray collection:567 DVD collection:1 Digital collection:1 iTunes collection:1 Blu-ray reviews: 1 Trading Score:6	http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hlight=shining There's some good discussion about the film in this thread. I've done a lot of reading about it in various places and I still don't get it. Once you think you've got it figured out, there's always one piece that doesn't quite fit what you think is going on. I think it's supposed to be up to interpretation.

10-25-2008, 03:51 AM	#3
JasonR Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Trading Score:12	Good thread. Thank you sir.

10-25-2008, 04:09 AM	#4
Gremal Blu-ray Samurai Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Feb 2007 Location:Daddyland Home Theater Gallery:49 Blu-ray collection:184	Ugh, you guys are going to AVS even to get info on The Shining? The basic idea is that the place is built on haunted ground, an Indian burial site, that affects different people differently. Obviously, Danny is able to tap into the evil of the place more as an observer, whereas Jack was pulled into the evil of the place because he was the same type as the murderers who came before him. Ultimately, this pull is so strong for him that he becomes a part of the place. He shared his spirit with the place, so to speak. Kubric took this relationship to be as much physical and intellectual as spiritual. Thus we see Jack increasingly tied into the history of the Overlook until by the end, he no longer exists in the present but only in a photo on the wall of the hotel lobby.

10-25-2008, 04:19 AM	#5
JasonR Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Trading Score:12	Thanks Greg, great information.

10-25-2008, 12:20 PM	#6
Beta Man Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Juuuuuuuust A Bit Outside.... Home Theater Gallery:4 Blu-ray collection:268 Blu-ray reviews: 18 Trading Score:25	Also... (related topic) The guy in the pig-mask, uhhhhh "Servicing" the other guy in the bedroom, is explained further in the book, than the movie..... THAT was the big moment in the movie for many, but it's explained in the book

10-25-2008, 12:48 PM	#7
JasonR Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Trading Score:12	Can you explain further?

10-25-2008, 01:48 PM	#9
Riff Magnum Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Apr 2008 Location:The Island Blu-ray collection:149	The people in the masks are ghosts.

10-25-2008, 03:20 PM	#12
sfmarine Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Apr 2008 Location:The Swan Station aDdIcTeD 2 LOST PSN:U5MC51473 Home Theater Gallery:18 4K collection:930 Blu-ray collection:2311 DVD collection:276 MA collection:461 Digital collection:492 iTunes collection:534 Blu-ray reviews: 7 Trading Score:43	Ah now i have to watch it again! Kubrick turns our minds. I thought that he was there in the 20's and maybe reincarnated? Like I sad, I need to look @ it again.

10-25-2008, 03:52 PM	#14
Charles3669 Senior Member Member since:Jan 2008	What I always figured it to be was since the whole torance family had the ability to shine the place affected them in different ways. Danny knew he had the gift and was trying to fight the place. Jack didn't know he had it so he just gave into it and the hotel drove him nuts. But the incidents such as the pig and bear and the bartender, party, grady, the old woman in the bathtub are all real incidents that happened in the hotel in the past. Jack and Danny as well as us are only getting a glimpse of them so we don't know what really happened and don't have their full story but the hotel shines these bits and pieces of the past. So since Jack had been there before, and he was in the picture, and he was always the caretaker, maybe hes just an echo as well that we the audience are seeing and hes reliving his story because he always was the caretaker and had been there before. Jack like the pig and bear guy, old woman in the tub, and so on is a piece of the past of the hotel but we see his full story and what drives him crazy. So I guess its us the audience who are shining

10-26-2008, 06:43 PM	#20
Variable Special Member Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Northern New Jersey Blu-ray collection:12	how could it be that the audience is just shining if we see Jack outside of the hotel?

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