The intro car-driving sequence of ascent into soon-to-be Hell (complete with appropriate music) is scarier than every film on my “F List” combined. Why? Because Stanley Kubrick understood what a TRUE horror film was/is/should be/(will always be?)…random gore is unnecessary when there’s actually SOMETHING there.
The basics are plucked from Stephen King’s novel, but this is Kubrick’s film, not a “movie version of the book”. I much prefer Kubrick’s emphasis on terror/insanity than King’s more mundane “haunted house” and more silly animated evil hedge creatures. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t ask).
Nicholson is perfect in a scary sort of way, given his character. Noone else is “bad”, but he’s the STAR, which makes his slow descent that much more powerful.
Perhaps you have to be slightly twisted as well as brilliant to produce a brilliantly twisted film. If so, Kubrick fits the bill perfectly.
There are a few hokey moments, but they’re easily overlooked.
I’ve heard/read that Stephen King isn’t too fond of Kubrick’s version of this story. Frankly, I find this puzzling, as this film is brilliant, unlike movie versions of ‘Firestarter’, ‘Children of the Corn’, ‘Pet Sematary’, ‘Salem’s ‘Lot’, ‘The Running Man’…the list goes on. And on.
Fortunately, being disliked by Stephen King doesn’t hold quite the weight it used to…given his output of the past 15-odd years, that is.
I’m truly amazed that Richard Bachman would lower himself to the continued use of the pen name “Stephen King”, at this point.
Overall Result: A work of (demented) art.
Inspirational Quote: “It’s okay…he saw it on the television.”
Grade: A