The Shining (45th Anniversary IMAX) Review – A Seminal Experience

PLOT: A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter, where a sinister presence influences the father into violence. At the same time, his psychic son sees horrifying forebodings from both the past and the future.

REVIEW: There’s a reason that Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is often near the top of many “Best Horror Films Of All Time” lists. It’s imagery is iconic and its performances are legendary. The film has reached a status that few films can manage. And, despite Stephen King not being a fan of it, I think it actually goes pretty well with the book. There are plenty of little details that are enhanced if you’ve read the novel. But does The Shining hold up as an experience on IMAX 45 years later?

For the select few who are unaware, The Shining follows the Torrance family as they move into The Overlook Hotel. Jack Torrance has taken up the winter caretaker position, as the hotel needs looked after during the long and arduous winter during the off season. Isolation starts to get to the entire family, as weird events start occurring, and Jack’s sanity starts slipping more and more. Their son Danny has a unique psychic ability that warns him of the impending doom.

Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance is still wonderful demented and, despite his big turn towards the end, is much more subdued in the buildup. You can feel the hotel taking him over with each passing day. But this is really Shelley Duvall’s movie. Her performance as Wendy has been criticized over the years but if there’s anything about this film that’s aged well, it’s her take on the matriarch of the family. She plays the emotional abused mother so well, and it’s so gratifying to finally see her snap into action. Young Danny Lloyd is quiet but brings so much to the table, nailing every moment he needs to sell a moment.

Seeing The Shining on IMAX is an otherworldly experience, with so many elements getting a chance to shine on the large format. Kubrick is so intentional with his framing Kubrick and color palette and it’s a lot easier to appreciate on such a big screen. I also really love how much the sound design and score from Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind help to layer the film in such a sense of dread. The atmosphere is truly astounding and really engrosses you. The story aside, it’s easy to get lost in all the technical details as everything that shows up in the frame feels so intentional.

I really love that studios are doing these anniversary screenings as they provide the opportunity to see these films on something more than just the televisions in our living rooms. If there’s any film deserving of the theatrical experience, it’s Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece. I find myself jealous of those that may have never seen the film and this was their first time with it, as it’s still so impactful. It takes something truly special to feel so timeless nearly half a century later and this does just that. I can’t recommend this one enough.

The Shining Is Now Playing In Select Theaters For It’s 45th Anniversary.