The Shining #2

In The Shining the scene that stood out to me the most was the scene in which Jack encounters the gold room with hundreds of people in it (even though they really don't exist,) Lloyd the Bartender, and the "red bathroom" scene in which Jack meets Delbert Grady, the supposed previous caretaker of the 1920s who had violently killed his wife and two daughters using an ax.

In the "gold room" scene what I found most fascinating was the immense contrast between what the audience hears and sees and what the audience actually knows. As Jack is walking towards the ballroom, we hear a pleasant swing tune coming from the distance. Instantly, the audience is in a more pleasant mood. When he walks into the ballroom itself, there are many people, all drinking, talking, and having a good time. The setting of the scene tends to relieve the audience from what it has seen so far, but in fact actually makes the audience even more uneasy. The viewers know that the hotel is completely deserted - there is no one there except for Jack and his family. The fact that all the interactions that Jack has with people, the music, Lloyd, the drinks, everything is either paranormal or a figment of Jack's psychopathic imagination. Jack is completely alone, which makes the scene a lot more "creepy." By using pleasant music, a happy scene, and a warm color palette, Kubrick confuses the audience by showing them one thing but really meaning the polar opposite of that.

The bathroom scene immediately following the ballroom scene, where Jack Torrance first encounters Mr. Delbert Grady is perhaps the most interesting scene. In this scene, there is absolutely nothing horrifying that happens, in contrast with the rest of the film. There is no blood, decomposing bodies, dead people, or "shinings" happening. The mere discussion between Jack and Grady is what brings goosebumps to the audience. First of all, the audience knows that Delbert Grady (maybe another name for Charles Grady) was the man who so violently murdered his family years before. The viewers also know that Grady no longer exists, that because Jack is interacting with him he is either a ghost or part of Jack's imagination. What I found most captivating in these six minutes of the film is again the use of contrast that Kubrick uses. The fact that Grady uses such polite and calm language to suggest such horrifying and immoral things to Jack is terrifying. The way that Grady talks to Jack is very reserved - he says "sir" after every sentence he completes, he asks permission to talk about anything that crosses the border between smalltalk and serious discussion, and has impeccable manners. However, when he says that he "corrected" his wife and children is when the audience sees that by the word "correct" he really means "murder." The fact that he uses such proper language to speak about such improper actions makes the audience even more uneasy than before.

How else does Stanley Kubrick achieve fear and anxiety in the two scenes linked above?

The Shining

The Shining is creepy. I have seen it more than once so alot of the moments that the class reacts strongly too, I do not because I know what is going to happen. I think the two things that are key in making the fear in this film are the music/sound effects and Jack Nicholson. The way the music and sounds is qued, it always gets a strong reaction from the audience and makes them jump.

In every film I have seen Nicholson in, he comes off creepy in some way and especially in The Shining...

 

This shot in particular really highlights the fear that Nicholson can instill into his audience without any dialogue.

Another good example of how music creates fear is when Danny is riding through the halls of the hotel and rides past room 237. each corner he turns the music swells, leading the audience to believe that something bad is going to happen and then nothing happens.

 Although we have yet to get to the really scary and suspenseful parts of the movie, the actors and the music have foreshadowed the terror to come beautifully.

The Shinning

So far, Kubrick has gone above and beyond in making the most harmless scenes seem as if there will soon be an enormous surprise around the next corner. This is the quality that makes this film extremely frightening. Kubrick accomplishes this goal by using certain techniques that build suspense in moments of building tension.

One scene in which I see this taking place is when Dick takes Wendy and Danny down to the cellar to see where the hotel stores all of their dry goods. There are two reasons why this scene is scary and they are the music and the camera angle.

The music in this scene is very high pitched as we have heard in past scenes. This sound is screechy and it crescendos over a period of time. This indicates that Danny is "shining", and when we hear Dick's voice talk about ice cream, a question that is repeated in the next scene, we can get a sense that  Dick knows about the Shining also. This music and theme that goes along with it creates fright because it builds on the fear of the unknown. We don't know much about Danny's condition, nor do we know what's coming, indicated by the crescendo in the music. These unknowns are scary to us, and that's exactly why Kubrick uses them. They make the movie scary.

Kubrick also utilizes a low angle as they are in the cellar. When Dick and Wendy leave Danny a little behind them as they talk, the camera goes down to the level of Danny's eyes. This gives the feeling that Danny is inferior, which brings along a feeling that he is scared.

This is just one example of a scene where Kubrick does an awesome job at making the audience scared of nothing.

What makes a movie scary to you?

The Shining

So far, if there is one thing The Shining is good at, it is building tension. It constantly has scenes where you think something is going to happen, through a combination of shot type, music, and color. But (so far), 90% of the time, nothing happens. It certainly keeps you on edge, and I think in the future, when something does actually happen, it will have all the more effect and be more unexpected. So far, I think the most suspenseful and scary scene is when Danny is riding a bike through the halls, and stops at room 237. As usual, it has the creepy music building up in the background, with unnerving high pitched noises mixed in. Also, when Danny is riding, the camera follows him, almost in a subjective POV. This means the viewer is just as clueless as Danny as to what is around the corner, and every single turn has you expecting something to be there. This is also one of the first scenes that actually delivers on the suspense, but only just. Danny stops at room 237, which we already know has some sort of reputation. Danny slowly watches the door, grabs the handle, and tries to open it, and you just KNOW something scary is going to be in there. Not quite, but it does have a brief flash of the two mysterious girls, and they aren't exactly pleasant. That scene builds the tension well, and even gives a little surprise, if not a full blown scare.

The Shining

While I have seen The Shining before, I still find certain scenes suspenseful. One scene in particular that I found disturbing and suspenseful was towards the beginning of the movie when Danny stands in front of the mirror in his bathroom, talking to "Tony," his imaginary friend. As Danny asks Tony questions about the Overlook Hotel, the camera zooms into his reflection in the mirror, from Danny's back right. There is a subtle hint of music playing in the background, just enough that the audience can sense that something dark is quickly approaching. When the camera finishes zooming, Danny says, "Tony, tell me," since Tony refuses to answer him, and Danny's eyes open wide because he is seeing something terrifying in the future. The music escalates in creepiness and volume in this moment and the camera cuts to the elevator flooded with blood and the two little sisters. This foreshadow was created by zooming in on Danny's face to try to get a sense of what is going on in his head at that moment, where his thoughts are consumed by Tony who, while Danny thinks is his friend, is trying to possess him.
Zoom-ins and close-ups (combined with music/non-diegetic sound) are important in this film because they help the audience predict that something bad is going to happen, and usually show a change in the character's expression when the zoom is complete, such as in the mirror scene. The combination of the two camera techniques creates a feeling of suspense because the audience has to wait for the full zoom to happen before something happens, because in that split second where the camera stops, that leaves infinite options for what is going to happen next. Zooming in keeps the audience on the edge of their seat, because it is so important in that moment that they pay attention, since absolutely anything can happen.

When is another important scene where zoom is used to create suspense?

The Shining

We know from the location of the Overlook hotel alone that the Torrance family will be spending the cold winter months very alone and isolated from the rest of society. But Stanley Kubrick does a very good job of depicting the remoteness of the hotel through shots in the beginning of the film that should seem very normal if a family had actually moved into the Overlook for the winter. One scene that especially how secluded the family is is when Wendy and Danny are exploring the hedge maze together. When they were being shown the maze during their first tour of the hotel, they were told that they shouldn't go in there unless they have an hour of time to kill because without being able to see the whole view of the maze, anyone inside could be really trapped in there for a long period of time, just like the family could be trapped inside the hotel for the remainder of their time there.

This specific shot of the film shows how small Wendy and Danny are when they reach the center of the maze, and how much is around them that they have to weave their way out of. There is no one on the outside to see this birds eye view and to help them to find their way out, so Wendy and Danny are truly alone to try to get out of the maze.
How else does Kubrick effectively portray the idea of the complete isolation of the Torrance family?

The Shining

Stanley Kubrick uses the music and use of diegetic sounds to emphasize fear, suspense, and madness.  In one particular scene where Jack is sitting at his desk and typing on his type writer, the camera zooms in very slowly on Jack. The music is suspenseful, high pitched, eerie, and drowns out the back ground noises. The zoom in from behind Jack makes the feeling of the scene very sinister. You can't see what is in front of him except you can see Wendy coming in from the right side. As Wendy approaches Jack the music starts to increase in pitch and volume.

As previously seen in the movie the viewers can assume that Jack doesn't show much compassion towards his family. So when Wendy is approaching Jack it makes the viewers cringe and sit on the edge of their seats. At the very last minute when Wendy approaches Jack the music comes to a very abrupt and sudden high pitched noise as he pulls up his paper from his type writer. As the viewer you can only assume what he might pull up and to have the music heightened so much at this one particular instant makes the viewers jump. Do you think Kubrick should've used such suspenseful music in this particular scene?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRTGVvQosWk

The Shining

While Kubrick uses his music to create most of the suspense in this movie, I found the one time he didn't use music the creepiest to me. The particular scene I found very suspenseful was the first time we see Danny riding his bike through the hotel. This was suspenseful because there was no noise other than the noise his bike made on the wood floor and the noise it didn't make on the carpet. Although you didn't have the typical suspenseful music playing, only being able to hear his bike made the whole place seem even more empty and isolated. As we saw him riding the bike you saw it form a subjective point of view and never knew what was gonna com around the corner. Your anxiety was built up because of the unknown. The camera was also slightly shaky as it was following Danny. It might not have been intentional, but it added a sort of erie effect because of the shakiness. It made it seem like everything going on around Danny was unsettling and not supposed to happen. Do you think the lack of music in this scene was helpful in creating the suspense and feeling of isolation?

The Shining

One interesting shot in The Shining that we've seen thus far is when Jack overlooks the mock hedge maze in the hotel. Jack is center in the frame and is peering down on the maze. It is evident that Danny and his mother Wendy have a closer relationship than Jack does with either of the two. We have had hints based off of how he treats his wife, he is a recovering alcoholic, and that he had once injured Danny's shoulder. Jack has a fixation on the hotel for he seems to have adjusted seamlessly despite his writer's block. I think a maze in general is an interesting concept, especially in this film since when one enters a maze, there is no way to navigate your way through since there are a lot of different paths you can take, yet only one takes you to the intended destination. This idea can relate to the film since so far we know bits and pieces of the plot but have not really experienced the true "horror" just yet. The symbolism of Jack looking over the maze, and the maze itself might actually be pointing towards clues that will reveal the meaning of the film and what is to happen next between the three family members as well as the possibility of the maze being a part of the plot later on. What do you think that the hedge maze symbolizes? Why is it included?

The Shining

So far in The Shining, the most frightening scene to me was the maze. Everything is foreshadowing and symbolic, from Wendy and Danny being trapped, never able to see around the corner at what's coming next, to Jack studying them from a predator's perspective. Like the birds in Psycho being symbolic of Norman studying his prey before attacking, the extreme high angle into the model maze seems to reflect the same thing. Jack clearly has the power over his wife and child, the idea of which is also compounded when Wendy and Danny in the real maze is overlain to make them appear trapped in the model one.

Additionally, the music in this scene stands out compared to just about any other. Stanley Kubrick tries to trick the viewer with his ominous music and camera angles, implying that the moment of impending doom has finally arrived when there ends up being nothing waiting around the corner. However, the music in this scene, while ominous, isn't intense and suspenseful. It's more patient, almost hypnotic when combined with the zoom into the maze, because nothing really happens in this scene... It's just meant to foreshadow the family's new dynamic and new impending doom.

The Shining

One scene in The Shining that I found particularly suspenseful and scary were the shots of Danny on his bicycle rolling around the hotel lobby. While bicycling, the viewer hears the non-diegetic sound and loud tone of the music building up louder and louder at each turn. I liked how it was filmed from a subjective point of view; it really felt as though we were in Danny's shoes. I also liked that the scene was filmed from a long shot from behind while he was on his bicycle because it also gave the feeling that there was someone watching him and following him around the hotel. Similar to the bicycle scene, in the maze scene, the viewer gets the same feel (subjective point of view). By building up the music with non-diegetic sound and shooting them as a long shot from behind, it really builds up the suspense. It keeps the viewer on their toes and worried about what is behind the next corner. The use of non-diegetic sound and subjective point of view really add to the suspense of the film.

The Shining

Noah Pines
Robbins
11/17/14

All Work and No Play

In horror movies like The Shining, the non-digetic sounds and camerawork are equally important. Stanley Kubrick uses many, unconventional shots, similar to Hitchcock's work. One scene that I felt was incredibly suspenseful, was when we finally see Jack working on his typewriter for the first time in the movie. A deep focus shot of the entire room is shown, making everything look very isolated in the enormous room. Jack has his back to the audience, and you see a figure emerge from a hallway. Both people are in shadow, and the music intensifies as the figure gets closer. The music builds to a loud crescendo as the figure reaches the table; Jack throws his arm in the air... a piece of paper, and the music goes quiet again. Although nothing was said in this scene, the non-digetic sound built the suspense for the audience.

The Shining

How does Kubrick create suspense using music/ sound?

In my opinion, there are many factors that contribute to Kubrick's ability to create suspense in The Shining. The element that caught my attention the most, however, was the use of music and sound to create a sense of anxiety and anticipation of what will soon happen.

In this film, music, as well as sound, is used as a device to create anxiety. By the time about one quarter of the movie is finished, the audience knows that every time a high-pitched sound that drowns out the rest of the movie is heard, Danny is about to foretell something terrifying that will happen in the future. Because the audience automatically associates this sound with what we've already seen Danny foretell (blood down the hall and creepy sisters holding hands,) it automatically fears what Danny will see. Generally, Kubrick also tends to use deeper pitches and minor tones in the musical pieces of the film to create the mood of the movie. Since even the opening credits, the audience hears a (in my opinion) horrifying soundtrack, which indicates that this will indeed be a horror film. 

The Shining

The Shining, a horrifying film produced in 1980, has many fearful aspects. For example, something that makes this film truly a horror film is it’s use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound. However, there was one scene in this movie so far that really stood out to me as scary. The scene in which Danny rode on his big wheel through the hallway. He passes the mysterious room 237 which we previously witnessed a worker telling Danny to never go inside of. I think that the most frightening thing about this scene was how long it was held out. For example, Danny took his time reaching for the door knob, only to find out that it was locked. Another thing that’s scary is how the camera is constantly being tracked forward behind Danny, so we can only see as much as he can. We can’t see beyond the corners, which creates a very suspenseful vibe.

Do you think that the scene was scarier because of the fact that there was no talking, rather 

suspenseful music? Why?

The Shining

The Shining

                One of the hardest tasks to accomplish in writing and filmmaking is how to show something rather than tell it. While it is easy to simply write how someone is feeling, showing it through the scene has a much more powerful effect. Stanley Kubrick does a successful job of this in The Shining. The feeling of isolation is enhanced by the camera angles, diegetic noises, and the separation of characters.
                 In the opening scene of the film, the camera is at a bird's-eye-view angle. Jack's car is seen from way above, with nothing but nature surrounding it. This gives the effect of isolation because he is the only car or person for miles. The only diegetic noises in the film so far (aside from the dialogue), have been the sound of Danny's bike, and Jack slamming the ball against the wall. Since these two sounds are the only thing going on in the huge hotel, they echo and seem much louder than they should. This gives off the feeling of loneliness because the scene is only filled with noises the characters make, not from other people or things moving around. Finally, the feeling of isolation is shown through the separation of Danny and Wendy from Jack. Danny and Wendy are often shown exploring the hotel grounds, whether playing in the snow or searching through the maze. Jack is never with them, he is either in his study or playing with the ball. This shows how Jack is removing himself from his family and putting himself in a state of isolation.
               How else do you think Kubrick shows isolation throughout the film so far?

The Shining

The movie The Shining does a good job at making scenes more intense with the use of music or dietetic sounds and unique angle placements. One of the scenes that I found particularly creepy compared to other scenes was when the mom and son are in the maze.

This scene is terrifying for a few reasons, one being the fact that in the maze, they have no idea what is around each corner or where a dead end could be. What makes this sequence more intense is the diegetic sound in the background playing. The mom is exclaiming underneath it "Isn't this so beautiful" but her words are drowned out by creepy noises and almost scratch like sounds. The director does a good job at giving the scene a different vibe than what the audience would feel if the sound wasn't there.

Another shot that stood out to be in this scene was when Jack is up above pounding a tennis a ball across the room and then suddenly heads over to a replica model of the maze. As he is looking at it, the camera zooms in and it becomes a bird-eyes view of the actual maze with his wife and son. It turns into him staring down at them, like he is plotting his future plans against tormenting them.

The reason the mood is so suspenseful from inside the hotel is the fact that throughout the film Jack hasn't been in a shot with his wife and son at the same time other than the car ride. This shows that he is slowly becoming isolated away from them and they are possibly beginning to look like pray or possible targets.

Jack looking down on replica maze

Real maze

The Shining

A pivotal scene in The Shining is the one in which Wendy "breaks Jack's concentration". In my opinion, it is in fact one of the most disturbing, because it is really the first time we have seen Jack exhibit any signs of violence, although we have seen him in frustration over his apparent writer's block.

Kubrick once again uses a technique in which there is no score, only the dialogue of the characters. This draws the viewer in, and forces them to pay attention. Although we felt uneasy before, (thanks in large part to Nicholson's eyebrows) we now begin to have a horrible feeling of dread every time we see him. This is helped by the fact that the next shot featuring him is absolutely bone-chilling.

Do you think that Nicholson convincingly descends into madness? Or is he simply too unsettling from the beginning?

The Shining

In the Shining there is great use of zoom and music to create the feeling of suspense. A scene that stood out to me with suspense was when Danny, the little boy, was on his tricycle going down the halls. He does this often but there is one scene where he stops after passing room 237. At the beginning of he scene there is no music expect for the sound of Danny's wheels on the floor. As he gets closer to the room the music builds very slowly. The camera follows him consistently from behind. Once he stops right at the door, the camera shows from his (low) angle the room number. The camera follows Danny as he does to the door and tries to open it. The music stays at the same tone and volume however a slight acceleration in almost a 'voom' sound when there is a vision of the two sisters in blue dresses behind the door. The Danny goes back to his tricycle and the camera stops following him as he speeds away down the hallway. This was very suspenseful for me because I also recalled before one of the workers warned Danny not to go there. Therefore, it was more interesting and suspicious as to what was in there. Creating a focus in curiosity for the audience while watching this specific part.

http://www.curzoncinemas.com/library/films/3147/make-mine-a-double--26-room-237---festen-/

What do you think was the purpose of this scene?

The Shining

There is no doubt that director Stanley Kubrick has mastered the art of creating suspense in his film, The Shining, but what is interesting is how he does this. For me, what has made the film scary so far is the element of foreshadowing. Kubrick often drops hints at what will happen throughout the film that leave you on the edge of your seat. Along with music, foreshadowing helps build the suspense and thus makes the movie scary for viewers.
One scene in particular where the use of foreshadowing aids in building suspense is when the viewer can confirm that something sinister will happen with the main character, Jack. His wife and young son are playing in the snow laughing and having fun. He is sitting inside the hotel looking at them through the window. But what makes this scene interesting is the face that Jack makes. He is looking at them in a malicious way, almost as if he's evil. This is a contrast from how he acts in the beginning of the film, which makes this scene scary for viewers. Because the viewer is aware of Jack's change starting to occur from the previous scene when he yells at Wendy for bothering him, this scene only solidifies this theory, that in fact he is different from how he is in the beginning of the film. Also, his face here is shot with an extreme close up shot. You are able to analyze just how he is different now as opposed to before. For example, you can now see the stubble that has grown on his face most likely from typing day in and day out. Something else is that the background behind his is blurred, and is a similar color to the sweater he is wearing. This only helps the viewer focus on Jack in this scene, showing that he is, if not, the most important character in the film, and to look out for what is to come of him. These elements help build the curiosity within the viewer. These foreshadowing techniques is what ultimately builds suspense.
But what could some other scenes be that help built suspense this far along in the film? Is foreshadowing a definitive way to create a movie to be "scary" all the time? Why or why not?

The Shining Part 1

Scott Yarmoff
Mrs. Robbins
Film Analysis period 3
11/17/14

The Shining Part 1

I have seen this movie before and can tell you that if you don't like horror, it's only going to get worse from here. We haven't seen a thing in class yet. Up to this point, I would say the scariest part would be when Danny is biking around the hotel and finds room 237. The scary part isn't when he arrives at the room but rather when he is biking through the hallway. Eerie music picks up as Danny rides through the hall which would normally just slightly build until something horrifying pops up. The music and the fact that the audience can't see around the corner before each of Danny's turns adds to the suspense that anything can come up. This sequence had happened once before with nothing coming out of it, so the audience is forced to believe that something will happen this time. Kubrick keeps the audience on the edge of its seats again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t60oY0TbTU