The Shining (1980)

[RedHarvest]

Originally Posted by Bronson13

Do you guys consider this a cult classic or just a classic?

Classic horror film.

[Bronson13]

Originally Posted by BrianJoynt

Classic horror film.

Thank you. Some idiot on YouTube was trying to tell me the Shining is a cult classic. I’m just like do you not understand what cult means? It’s a small group of faithful followers. I told him to look up the distribution line Arrow Video as they release cult films but he was too hard headed to do it.

[critterdvd]

Originally Posted by Bronson13

Do you guys consider this a cult classic or just a classic?

It's a classic. I feel like it's one of those movies that everyone has at least heard of, if not seen, even if you are not a Horror/Suspense fan in general.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by Bronson13

Do you guys consider this a cult classic or just a classic?

classic

cult classic implies it has small following that worship it , and hence excludes films with widespread acclaim like this. Donnie Darko would be cult classic.

[Bronson13]

Tell the guy on YouTube this.... he said I was obviously young considering the shining a classic. He says all Kubrick films are cult classics.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by Bronson13

Tell the guy on YouTube this.... he said I was obviously young considering the shining a classic. He says all Kubrick films are cult classics.

Ebert perfectly described what "classic" means: "that I can't stand the thought of never seeing the film again"

Throw that in his face and why that's all Kubrick films.

[Gacivory]

I can see an argument for it being cult, in that when it came out it got terrible reviews and was nominated for Razzies. Then in later years it grew in esteem!

[GeoffOliver]

2001 is also absolutely a “classic.” It’s in the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry for crying out loud, along with Dr. Strangelove (one of the original 25 picks no less), and The Shining probably isn’t far behind. It’s just an important film all around, even outside the horror community.

In my opinion, a book and a movie are two very different art forms, and should never be directly compared. You can enjoy one more than the other, but they’re using completely different methods to tell their stories. The book is King’s The Shining and the movie is Kubrick’s The Shining. It’s interesting to compare and contrast the story differences, but the movie is first and foremost a reflection of Kubrick’s vision before it is a retelling of King’s book. Just because a movie is very faithful to a novel doesn’t necessarily make it “good” or “better” by any stretch of the imagination. Just look at the miniseries.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with hating a movie, even a classic one, but everyone should at least realize why a beloved film has its fans, and both sides should try to be respectful. It’s one of my pet peeves when people outright shame others for enjoying a film (not saying that’s happening here, but I do see it elsewhere). Every film has merits, if only historic in some cases, but that’s a whole other discussion.

[Bronson13]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

I can see an argument for it being cult, in that when it came out it got terrible reviews and was nominated for Razzies. Then in later years it grew in esteem!

Yeah that was his argument.

The fact Kubrick got nominated for worst director should make the razzies absolutely irrelevant.

[Bronson13]

If The Shining has the critical acclaim that it has today back in 1980 it would have absolutely gotten nominated in these categories at the Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Actor: Jack Nicholson
Best Director: Stanley Kubrick
Best Cinematography
Best Score
Best Adapted Screenplay
And Maybe Best Supporting Actor: Scatman Crothers

[GeoffOliver]

Darren Aranofsky’s mother! was also nominated for many a Razzie, but regardless of how you feel about it (I thought it was weirdly fascinating), you cannot deny that there were worse movies last year. The Razzies only pick nominees that people would find funny, or at least strongly react to. Why do you think they nominate Megan Fox every year she’s in a movie?

[Cherokee Jack]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

Darren Aranofsky’s mother! was also nominated for many a Razzie, but regardless of how you feel about it (I thought it was weirdly fascinating), you cannot deny that there were worse movies last year. The Razzies only pick nominees that people would find funny, or at least strongly react to. Why do you think they nominate Megan Fox every year she’s in a movie?

That's as embarassing as many of the Academy's picks & omissions over the years.

[thatguamguy]

Originally Posted by Bronson13

If The Shining has the critical acclaim that it has today back in 1980 it would have absolutely gotten nominated in these categories at the Oscars:

The problem is, most of these categories had really stiff competition. I could see Shelley DuVall getting a Supporting Actress nomination, because there are a few nominees I could see her getting more votes than, if the movie had some momentum. But it's hard to say which director or actor would be swapped out for Kubrick or Nicholson -- I guess Rush for the directors, but clearly he impressed people if he got nominated for a movie that wasn't up for Best Picture.

[GeoffOliver]

The movie should have been nominated for Best Cinematography. It’s some of the greatest of all time in my book. Also Best Production Design, which was so cleverly designed with the fears and themes of the film. It was more than just simple decorating.

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

Also Best Production Design, which was so cleverly designed with the fears and themes of the film. It was more than just simple decorating.

Brilliant contemporary production design like this almost never gets nominated, only period pieces, and then half the time they're getting nominated just for the decor of existing historic homes they're shooting in. Sigh.

I think the guilds at least divide contemporary and period/fantasy and give awards for both.

It's like costume design, AMAZING contemporary work, like Fincher's Dragon Tattoo, never gets nominated.

[hanshotfirst1138]

Originally Posted by Bronson13

Thank you. Some idiot on YouTube was trying to tell me the Shining is a cult classic. I’m just like do you not understand what cult means? It’s a small group of faithful followers. I told him to look up the distribution line Arrow Video as they release cult films but he was too hard headed to do it.

Well, judging by Room 237, there’s a cult following of fans within the normal group of fans.

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

2001 is also absolutely a “classic.” It’s in the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry for crying out loud, along with Dr. Strangelove (one of the original 25 picks no less), and The Shining probably isn’t far behind. It’s just an important film all around, even outside the horror community.

In my opinion, a book and a movie are two very different art forms, and should never be directly compared. You can enjoy one more than the other, but they’re using completely different methods to tell their stories. The book is King’s The Shining and the movie is Kubrick’s The Shining. It’s interesting to compare and contrast the story differences, but the movie is first and foremost a reflection of Kubrick’s vision before it is a retelling of King’s book. Just because a movie is very faithful to a novel doesn’t necessarily make it “good” or “better” by any stretch of the imagination. Just look at the miniseries.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with hating a movie, even a classic one, but everyone should at least realize why a beloved film has its fans, and both sides should try to be respectful. It’s one of my pet peeves when people outright shame others for enjoying a film (not saying that’s happening here, but I do see it elsewhere). Every film has merits, if only historic in some cases, but that’s a whole other discussion.

This is the Internet. Please take your mature, intelligent, reasoned discussion elsewhere .

[thatguamguy]

If something is famous enough to be referenced on "Friends", it is too famous to be just a "cult classic".

[GeoffOliver]

I think Spielberg’s Ready Player One’s incorporation of this film (far more than a mere reference. The film itself actually plays very heavily into the plot of the second act) is more than validation of this film’s status as a cinema classic. The characters even reference King’s dissatisfaction with it.

[WeeBey]

The Shining is absolutely a classic film, no qualifiers, just classic.

A cult classic in the horror genre would be something like The Last House on the Left.

[GrimJester]

Yeah, I know someone who hates horror movies, the only ones they saw are Psycho, The Birds, The Exorcist, some Tim Burton movies, and The Shining. It is completely in the mainstream.