The Shining (1980)

[stvn1974]

Watched this with my brother on Halloween night. He leaped over the coffee table and ran out of the room when the twins were on screen (he is thiry-nine years old). He also can't take when the girl rotates her head in The Exorcist.

[eiknarf]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

Watched this with my brother on Halloween night. He leaped over the coffee table and ran out of the room when the twins were on screen (he is thiry-nine years old). He also can't take when the girl rotates her head in The Exorcist.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Cherokee Jack]

Agree that the theatrical poster is a dud especially compared to the magnificent trailer:

[Show spoiler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b726feAhdU

Originally Posted by OutOfBoose

Preferably both cuts.

A restored coda version Easter egg, a la the horrible 'Old Sarah' ending from T2, would be great as well if at all possible. This is absolutely my favorite film when it comes to analyzing the effects of editing and it would be great to see how Kubrick's first released cut played.

[BluProofie]

I wonder if the original ending exists.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by jlyon1515

I know many here don't like it, but I actually like it! I find it FAR better than the theatrical poster (below). And yes, I'm aware Saul Bass illustrated the poster. I have never never said something is better than a Saul Bass work, but I find his poster art for The Shining very lacking.

[Show spoiler]

I love Saul Bass' work generally speaking, but yeah, his poster for The Shining sucks ass. I'm shocked that Kubrick signed off on it.

Originally Posted by BluProofie

I wonder if the original ending exists.

Apparently it does, and it was almost screened a few years ago, but Kubrick's family said no.

[bobbyh64]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

Apparently it does, and it was almost screened a few years ago, but Kubrick's family said no.

Pretentious a-holes.

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

Watched this with my brother on Halloween night. He leaped over the coffee table and ran out of the room when the twins were on screen (he is thiry-nine years old). He also can't take when the girl rotates her head in The Exorcist.

Jeez what a wuss! I watched it as a kid - scared me senseless but I didn't run out of the room!

[Todd Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

I love Saul Bass' work generally speaking, but yeah, his poster for The Shining sucks ass. I'm shocked that Kubrick signed off on it.

Saul Bass did a lot of designs for The Shining, quite a few which I like better than the existing poster but that’s the one Kubrick picked.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Todd Tomorrow

Saul Bass did a lot of designs for The Shining, quite a few which I like better than the existing poster but that’s the one Kubrick picked.

I know. Kubrick was a silly sausage.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Todd Tomorrow

Saul Bass did a lot of designs for The Shining, quite a few which I like better than the existing poster but that’s the one Kubrick picked.

Yeah, he did a bunch of them, and Kubrick kept picking out things he didn't like. It's ironic because some of his nitpicks were that the others had irrelevant imagery.

[Kyle15]

idk about y'all but I love the theatrical poster.

[English Patient]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

idk about y'all but I love the theatrical poster.

Me too. It's simple and iconic. Getting a little tired of seeing the familiar Jack Nicholson image on every reissue of the movie (except the steelbook). Wish they'd use the theatrical poster for once.

[Yojimbo68]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I watched the UK cut last night, and I loved it. I can't recall if it's my first time seeing the shorter cut as I feel like I must have seen it before, but it's a great cut, and I feel like it tackled everything that needed to be tackled (i.e. nothing major seems to be lacking from it). I can certainly deal without all the added stuff in the beginning with Danny, or the extra scenes with Hallorann, and those blasted skeletons. I may watch the longer cut soon while I have the other fresh in my mind, just to see.

I agree with this. I watched the UK cut a while back for the first time and really didn't miss anything. The film really seemed to flow better too. I think Horror movies work best when they are 2 hours or under although for most 90 to 100 minutes is the sweet spot.

[English Patient]

Originally Posted by Yojimbo68

I agree with this. I watched the UK cut a while back for the first time and really didn't miss anything. The film really seemed to flow better too. I think Horror movies work best when they are 2 hours or under although for most 90 to 100 minutes is the sweet spot.

Although I prefer the longer cut of The Shining, I generally agree with your overall point. Too many horror films end up padding their runtime with tiresome subplots or slower, sentimental 'character development' type of scenes that don't really advance the main plot. That's why I was somewhat impressed with movies like Lights Out and Don't Breathe - they were short, no-nonsense films, economically told. They weren't great films, but their length and crisp pace made them seem better than they really were - probably because the filmmakers didn't linger over the lamer parts of the story.

[Baron Blood]

Originally Posted by English Patient

Me too. It's simple and iconic. Getting a little tired of seeing the familiar Jack Nicholson image on every reissue of the movie (except the steelbook). Wish they'd use the theatrical poster for once.

I agree.
My guess is Kubrick liked all the questions the original poster conjured.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by English Patient

Me too. It's simple and iconic. Getting a little tired of seeing the familiar Jack Nicholson image on every reissue of the movie (except the steelbook). Wish they'd use the theatrical poster for once.

Besides Jack, and the Redrum door, I think this UK release's cover is the only other one used for the BD

.


I wouldn't mind the original poster, just for a change.

[English Patient]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Besides Jack, and the Redrum door, I think this UK release's cover is the only other one used for the BD


I wouldn't mind the original poster, just for a change.

Wow, I've never seen that one before. I still prefer the steelbook image, although it's not all that riveting.

There are so many visual opportunities for great covers for this movie, it's too bad Warners doesn't get creative. They went to the bizarre trouble of packaging the movie with a t-shirt the last time, yet they kept the same cover imagery. Missed opportunity.

[KID_Q]

I think the original poster would be perfect for a reversible cover on the BD. Yellow poster on one side, some new art on the other.
I'd love this as a new cover:


Also these are some of the designs Kubrick rejected:

[MifuneFan]

To be fair to Kubrick, these weren't very reminiscent at all of Bass' work, so it's not really what he was looking for when he wanted a "Saul Bass Poster". I actually agree with a lot of Kubrick's criticisms, though it still boggles the mind that he chose the one he did.

[Rory]

It still boggles my mind he chose to make The Shining at all.