[user104658]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I love Stephen King as an author but I find that his books don't often translate well to film (or maybe the ones that were made were just made at a bad point in time) so i fnd it odd that he wouldn't like The Shining considering, imo, it was one of the best films

It isn't all that faithful to the book though, it left out a lot (...most? ) of the actual stuff about "The Shine" which is a major element that runs through many of King's books e.g. many of the characters in The Stand have it - Mother Abigail being the obvious example, but also Tom Cullen definitely and heavily implied with Fran, but potentially ALL of the plague survivors have it to some extent as they all dream of Abigail / The Man In Black if they're good / bad respectively. Also at least a couple of the "IT" core cast.

Another obvious example is John Coffey, like the drink, only not spelt the same. And lots of theories that "Carrie" also has a form of The Shine.


But yeah, it plays a huge part (obviously...) in The Shining but it's mostly glossed over in the Kubrick movie, despite the... err... title. I suppose that would be somewhat frustrating as an author. It's a good "simple horror adaptation" but the roots are severed.

[ChristmasNeeve]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

It isn't all that faithful to the book though, it left out a lot (...most? ) of the actual stuff about "The Shine" which is a major element that runs through many of King's books e.g. many of the characters in The Stand have it - Mother Abigail being the obvious example, but also Tom Cullen definitely and heavily implied with Fran, but potentially ALL of the plague survivors have it to some extent as they all dream of Abigail / The Man In Black if they're good / bad respectively. Also at least a couple of the "IT" core cast.

Another obvious example is John Coffey, like the drink, only not spelt the same. And lots of theories that "Carrie" also has a form of The Shine.


But yeah, it plays a huge part (obviously...) in The Shining but it's mostly glossed over in the Kubrick movie, despite the... err... title. I suppose that would be somewhat frustrating as an author. It's a good "simple horror adaptation" but the roots are severed.

I suppose Seems like with the sequel they are focusing on that though

It was a great film though

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I suppose Seems like with the sequel they are focusing on that though

It was a great film though

It's an incredibly well made and filmed movie (as most Kubrick movies are), I don't think King has ever denied that, he was just frustrated about some of the bigger changes that were made. As some slight back-story... King's father abandonned the family when he was really young so he has some obvious father issues that crop up in his writing. A very specific element of The Shining, was that the father had his personal demons but ultimately was a caring father and only turned psychotic because the hotel, which was legitimately "evil", got into his head over time and corrupted him (which I guess could be considered a metaphor for general mental health struggles). The book ends with him overcoming that briefly, in time to tell his family that he loves them, he gets them out of the hotel, and then he blows up the old boiler and burns the place to the ground sacrificing himself.

In the Kubrick movie he DOESN'T regain his clarity, he freezes to death still trying to murder his son, the hotel remains standing, and also his psychotic nature is harder to pin down (he never seems like a good or loving father from the start).

It's a major shift in tone and the "father-son" message (that deep down he always loved them) and taking King's family life into consideration, I guess the reasons for him not liking the changes are clearer.

[James]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

.....The book ends with him overcoming that briefly, in time to tell his family that he loves them, he gets them out of the hotel, and then he blows up the old boiler and burns the place to the ground sacrificing himself.



In the Kubrick movie he DOESN'T regain his clarity, he freezes to death still trying to murder his son, the hotel remains standing, and also his psychotic nature is harder to pin down (he never seems like a good or loving father from the start).....

Judging by the new trailer this film looks it is a sequel to the original film ending rather than the book's one.