The Shining. 1980.
One of the most significant aspects of this movie, necessary for the story as a whole to have its most significant effect, is the isolation, and it's presents flawlessly. Even the opening shot of Jack driving to the hotel and saying he made the trip in 3 and half hours tells you that the Overlook is in a isolated area,making it the perfect place for horror.
Jack Nicholson is remembered for a number of roles but this has to be one of his top best performances as the ex teacher, reformed alcoholic who becomes a caretaker of a hotel with a haunting past. Often ask if Shelley Duvall was the right casting choice for the loving devoted wife but then...we know Kubrick pushed her to the brink of madness and exhaustion.
One of the creepiest parts about the movie is the feeling of isolation that Kubrick makes. The hotel is very silent, and the rooms are huge, yet always empty. It is also eerily calm when Danny is riding his bike through the barren hallways, everyone says "you never know what is round a corner" and then we see the Grady Twins just standing there and then a blink and miss of the blood covered walls and the bodies of the girls.
Philip Stone gives a chilling performance as a waiter who then reveals to be the previous caretaker Grady, going from a calm bumbling waiter and delivering his lines as a ghost is a brilliantly done switch by both actor and director with some good creative writing.
Danny Lloyd who plays young Danny is great as the troubled child who we learn had his arm broken by Jack and then seeing fear of being in a isolated area, and learning of Shining by hotel cook Scatman Crothers. Crothers doesnt seem to have a big part but certainly brings some relief that he has a connection to Danny and goes to form his own rescue party and is meet with a grim demise to the hotel caretaker. A great piece of cenematic movie.
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Up next will be Pit And The Pendulum and some point later.