The Shining- Analysis of Horror Techniques

The shining is my all time favourite film, by my favourite Director. I thought it would be good to research why its scary, so that when we make our film we can incorporate some of the techniques, or at least have a more thorough understanding of horror.

The Shining is a Gothic horror masterpiece by Stanley Kubrick. In the film, the beautiful cinematography, and stunning landscapes distance the film from the violence and gore in most modern horror films.

The shining creates unforgeable fear of the paranormal, as its the perfect sett for a haunted house, a big, empty old hotel, isolated from the outside world. The scenes were filmed in bright daylight or very heavily lit scenes, which add a normality of an daily setting to the film. The soundtrack is rather abstract and creepy, the audience feel uncomfortable listening to it as they don't know what forebodes the music.

Kubrick uses stills of the past, appearing unexpectedly for only a second, which has a direct effect on the audience. It frightens them, and secondly the image sticks in their mind and they associate it with the film afterwards. 

The theme of duality runs throughout the film.

The evil characters appear in mirrors many times, but we don't always notice them. For instance, at the start of the film we are introduced to Danny's imaginary friend through his reflection in a mirror. Jack Torrance appears in many mirrors throughout the film, including some trick shots zooming out from his reflection and panning towards the actual shot.

When the Grady twins taunt Danny, we get a unsettling feeling. Stanley Kubrick asked the casting office NOT to cast twins, which turned out to be a brilliant decision, as the children were forced to look like each other, even though the actor's at 8 and 10 were two years apart. I feel that forced symmetry is more disconcerting than a natural one.

There are lots of hidden meanings in the film. The most reoccurring  are Indians and Indian culture. Although we never see any Indians in the film, there is a reference in every single frame. For example, in the food locker scene, Kubrick placed two cans of calumet baking powder in the floor locker, (calumet is a peace pipe used by Indians) It also has a Indian chief logo on the front of the can.

The hidden message that I find most interesting, is that at the end of the film, the camera pans into a 1920'a photo, and the soundtrack ends. The people at the cinema would of talked among themselves and applauded, which is the sound of moviegoers moving from one state of consciousness to another. The audience don't know it, but they are involved in the movie, as they are part of the soundtrack at the end, which reflects their unawareness of themselves being part of the movie, and highlights what people like them have done to the American Indian culture and others, and how they're completely oblivious to it.

Sources www.Wikipedia.com