“Heeeeeere’s Johnny!!”
With Halloween just around the corner, we thought it only too fitting to dedicate our Good Vibes movie review this month to a true classic of the horror genre, if not just a classic of cinema in general. Even better? It’s centred on a truly terrifying hotel…
We are of course referring to Stanley Kubrick’s masterful interpretation of Stephen King’s novel ‘The Shining’. This is more than just a haunted tale; it’s a journey into the realms of isolation and madness. So, grab a blanket, a friend or whatever it is you need to avoid feeling as creeped out as possible, and let’s get stuck into our ode to the tale of the Overlook.
Jack Torrance is a recovering alcoholic and struggling writer who is handed the keys to the Overlook Hotel in the remote Rocky Mountains in Colorado as its new winter caretaker. Taking along his wife Wendy and his young psychic son Danny, what follows is the deterioration of his sanity and his psychological unravelling as he is overwhelmed by the hotel and its history.
One of the most successful actors of all time, Jack Nicholson is the man responsible for bringing Torrance to life, and he does so to such a chilling effect that this would end up being one of the most iconic roles of his career. He is complimented perfectly by Shelley Duvall, who gives a genuinely convincing terrified performance as his terrorised wife, and Danny Lloyd is the final Torrance, delivering what is surely one of the all-time great child performances.
Aside from the top-class acting, it is unquestionably Stanley Kubrick’s direction that elevates ‘The Shining’ to legendary status. His use of motion and zoom very rarely allows us as viewers to settle, and by keeping so much of what is real or not within the plot unclear, we can’t help but feel uneasy. Additionally, we have to point out the score of this movie. We’re not talking Penta Sounds Vol.31: Heads Will Roll creepy; we’re talking seriously anxiety-inducing.
On to the final star of the show, the Overlook Hotel itself. Much like a Penta, this hotel is blessed with a stylish and chic interior. Thankfully, that’s where the similarities end. There are no tidal waves of blood coming from our elevators, our staff are warm and welcoming as opposed to creepy and unsettling, and as far as we’re aware none of our locations are built on Native American burial grounds.
Ultimately, this is as much a film about isolation as much as it is about telepathy, spirits, and murderous rage. Luckily for you, by staying at a Penta you can avoid all those things, especially feeling isolated, by spending a good night in the Pentalounge. Sure, the walls of our hotels probably have some stories to tell, but nothing like this though.
43 years on from its release, ‘The Shining’ holds up as an amazing movie and takes our vote as the best accommodation-related horror film of all time (Hitchcock’s Psycho gives it a pretty good run for its money) and we seriously recommend that you to find a few hours to give it a watch or rewatch. Also, we strongly advise that you make sure that you are following us on social media where maybe, just maybe we’ll be giving you the chance to win some absolutely awesome ‘The Shining’ related goodies...
Still credits: “Ty4K HDR | Here's Johnny ”, uploaded to YouTube by Apex Clips
