Friday, November 8, 2024

One Good Point (Movie) - The Shining, and "What is a horror movie?"

The Shining is another of those "classic" movies that I had never seen, but we finally got around to it this year. I watched it while I was in Halloween mode, further tilting the door open for me when it comes to scary movies. But in talking about this movie with some friends, I encountered people who said The Shining wasn't a true horror movie, but was more of a "thriller." And we spent a bit of time investigating what the actual difference was.

Thrillers are defined by "thrilling," unsurprisingly haha, with lots of twists and turns, and often an antagonist's elaborate scheme or intricate network of danger. Spy movies are a good example of conventional thriller movies.

Horrors, meanwhile, are intended to frighten or disgust, with shocking imagery, and often with a supernatural antagonistic presence: a monster, a ghost, a possessed doll, etc. The Bourne Identity is not a horror movie, but is a thriller. And, by these definitions, The Shining is definitely a horror.

So how was it? It was alright. It was good to finally see the context of some of those classic scenes: the hedge maze, the elevators, the creepy hallway girls, and Jack Nicholson peeking through the door and shouting, "Here's Johnny!" And it was stark but probably frustratingly realistic to watch a man's wife put up with a lot of bullshit from him. I spend a lot of time on /r/AmIOverreacting, and it's wild to see some of these stories.

Overall it was not the most compelling horror I've seen, but it was rewarding to watch. And my cousin says Dr. Sleep answers a lot of the questions you have coming out of this film, so, add it to the list!


Looking to kick it old school and watch The Shining? Click here to find out where you can stream it today on JustWatch!

No comments:

One Good Point (Movie) - The Shining, and "What is a horror movie?"

The Shining is another of those "classic" movies that I had never seen, but we finally got around to it this year. I watched it wh...