- What hotel was used for the exteriors of the Overlook?
Timberline Lodge, near Mount Hood in Oregon, was used for front exterior
shots of the Overlook. The exterior shots of the hotel involving the
actors, together with all of the interior sets, were constructed at
EMI Elstree Studios near London.
- What does the end shot of a picture of Jack Torrance at a 1921
July 4th party signify?
Similar to his somewhat mysterious and ambiguous ending to 2001:
A Space Odyssey, this has been debated by Kubrick enthusiasts
for years, and typically, Kubrick himself never gave a definitive
answer, preferring to let audiences decide for themselves.
Probably the most logical interpretation is that it is the visual
confirmation of Grady’s (Philip Stone) line to Jack Torrance
(Jack Nicholson) in the red bathroom scene: "You’ve always
been the caretaker." It also plays on the theme that Evil has
always existed and always will.
- What exactly does "shining" mean, in the context of
the film?
"Shining" is the term that Halloran (Scatman Crothers)
uses to signify psychic abilities or extra-sensory communication,
which he and Danny Torrance (Danny Lloyd) have.
- Who came up with the idea for Jack Nicholson’s signature
"Here’s Johnny!" line?
Reportedly Jack Nicholson improvised the line during the shooting
of the scene.
- Who invented the Steadicam (and operated it on the film)?
Garrett Brown, for which he won a Science and Technical Academy Award
in 1978.
- What are the differences between the U.S. and international versions
of the film?
Kubrick cut some 20 minutes from The Shining before its
international release, which were later restored on the home video
version. Here is a list of the major cuts (from Monthly Film
Bulletin, November 1980):
- The beginning of Jack’s interview for the caretaker position
at the Overlook Hotel.
- The scene of a doctor (Anne Jackson) examining Danny after he
first "sees" the Grady twins.
- During their tour of the Overlook, Ullman shows Jack and Wendy
the Colorado Lounge. Most of this scene, where Ullman talks about
the hotel’s past, has been cut.
- The beginning of the scene where Ullman shows Jack and Wendy
the hotel grounds and the hedge maze.
- Much of the scene leading up to Halloran’s first appearance,
where Ullman shows off the Gold Room and remarks how all the liquor
has been removed for insurance purposes.
- The end of Halloran’s scene in the kitchen with Danny,
where Danny asks if Halloran is scared of the Overlook and Halloran
says "…the Overlook Hotel here has something about it
that’s like shining."
- The end of the Torrances’ first night in the hotel, when
Wendy brings Jack breakfast and they talk about their vastly different
impressions of the place.
- After Danny and Wendy explore the maze, a scene of Wendy working
in the kitchen while a news report on the TV talks about an incoming
snowstorm.
- The title THURSDAY after Jack banishes Wendy from the lounge
while he’s working.
- After the scene where the Grady girls invite Danny to play with
them "for ever and ever," Wendy and Danny watch TV.
- Some dialogue from the middle of the scene in the Gold Room,
where Jack is served a drink by Lloyd the bartender.
- A scene of Wendy crying and talking to herself, right after
the scene of Jack and Grady in the red bathroom.
- A scene of Halloran trying to contact the Overlook, which takes
place right after the scene where Jack sabotages the radio.
- The title 8 A.M. before the shot of Halloran’s plane in
flight.
- A dialogue scene of Halloran on the plane talking to a stewardess,
then his scene of landing at the airport and talking to garage
owner Durkin (Tony Burton) on the phone.
- The beginning of the scene where Wendy goes into Jack’s
lounge and finds his type-written pages of "All work and
no play makes Jack a dull boy." This showed Wendy and Danny
watching TV and Wendy taking the baseball bat as she leaves the
room.
- During the climax, when Wendy is running through the hotel being
confronted by ghosts, a few shots of a scene showing skeletons
sitting at a table with a champagne bottle and glasses.
It’s interesting to note that almost all of the scenes of
the Torrances watching TV were removed for this version, perhaps
to enhance their isolation or remove pop culture references.