Some readers will probably disapprove or take offence at what Im about to say regardless of how I explain it, so Ill just say it outright. Triggered by Dannys psychic abilities, the hotel releases some dangerous supernatural forces that mess with Jacks sanity and the safety of Wendy and Danny. Kevin is a sweet, frustrated kid. Dannys exposure to T.V is also mentioned and it does raise questions over the authenticity of the visions that we see. It is used throughout the movie to symbolize the incest and sexual abuse between Jack and Danny. Kubrick replaced the hedge animals in the book with a hedge maze, which like the movie offers endless possibilities but barely any solution. Theres something inherently wrong with the human personality. Parallely, Halloran borrows a snowcat to get to the Overlook in time. We are shown a photograph in the hallway at the end, which is dated July 4,1921 and has Jack smiling with a crowd of people at a party. Three minutes into the movie and we come face to face with the words, The Interview in block letters resembling the beginning of a chapter. The first thing to note is that in the film the guy is dressed in a bear costume instead of a dog costume. Diane Johnson said this of Stanley Kubrick's non-horror vision: "The ending was changed almost entirely because Kubrick found it a clich to just blow everything up. Sound familiar? One of the most frequent questions Ive received about The Shining is What does the guy in the bear costume mean? The popular interpretation is that the scene is a throwback to a subplot of Stephen Kings book, in which a party guest in a dog costume has a homosexual relationship with one of the hotels former owners. This is the same mirror in which Wendy hugs Danny before seeing the REDRUM graffiti on the bathroom door. Notice how we are shown a symmetrical window centered shot, this is because the placement of the window is impossible. The maze in The Shining went over better than the hedge animals would've in Kubrick's vision. Even though the server responded OK, it is possible the submission was not processed. Sitting in an armchair, Jack is reading a January 1978 issue of Playgirl Magazine, a potential reference to his homosexual tendencies as well as much more if you look a little closer. Interestingly, in the 1997 Shining miniseries, which King himself wrote, there's a brief epilogue in which a graduating Danny is visited by the ghost of Jack, beaming with pride, suggesting that Jack's spirit was fully freed when the Overlook blew up. The novel ends with Danny and Wendy spending the summer at a resort in Maine where Hallorann works as head chef. In conversation with Deadline, King stated: I think The Shining is a beautiful film and it looks terrific and as Ive said before, its like a big, beautiful Cadillac with no engine inside itI kept my mouth shut at the time, but I didnt care for it much. Whilst a framed picture of two bears can be seen hanging above Dannys bed at the start of the film, the most obvious reference to the terrifying animals can be seen when the boy is speaking to the psychiatrist after he faints in the bathroom. Jack is left in the snow and freezes to death, and its implied that the Overlook Hotel continued with its cycle of murder by bringing in more reincarnations of past workers. He then follows that up by complaining about his wife and son, and you can sense the contempt for Wendy in his voice through the suppressed grins that indicate madness instead of anger. Kubrick decided to direct a comparatively crowd appealing film, maybe as a result of the financially poor performance of Barry Lyndon, which by many revered critics and filmmakers is considered to be his best film. But it is clear that there is no Jack Torrance left, his insanity has reached its zenith. The Bear Man. One of the most persuasive is the reoccurrence of The Shining bear symbolism. Danny's experience in Room 237 occurs when a ball rolls into the room, and Wendy then comes to his rescue after she hears him screaming punctuated with the claim that a "crazy woman" strangled him. Instead of being inside, the young boy is out in the hedge maze being pursued by his father. Jack comes back and lies to Wendy about finding anyone there and leaves enraged when she asks him to get Danny out of here, blaming her for f*cking up his life. Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. Why the bear costume? Note how Jack wears dull colored clothes in the beginning but wears a burgundy jacket throughout the second half and the opposite for Wendy who wears a bright red and blue costume, similar to that of the Goofy poster in Dannys bedroom but towards the end opts for dull ones. In any other film from any other director, you may discard the information as sheer coincidence, but Kubrick was famously cryptic, scattering clues and imagery throughout each and every one of his films leading to a more concealed secret. This video is my attempt to put the record straight. The scene with the man in the dog costume and the man in a tuxedo is the one used to support this theory, which says the dog represents young Danny Torrance (who earlier in the film is shown to have a plush toy) and the man in the tuxedo represents Jack. These dates line up to the precise year that lightning strikes hit a monument a town wrought with countless Native American deaths. The Shining Explained . In the book, there's parts where it flashes back to the Overlook's crazy (and unusual) parties in the 1940s, and the owner of the hotel participated in these parties and had a sex slave, Roger I believe, who he'd dress up like a dog and make him do "tricks" as entertainment for the partygoers. Jack also mentions his wife being a horror movie addict and her character is typical of a scream queen/damsel in distress (something out of a conventional 40s horror flick). #theshining #endingexplainedIn the horror classic THE SHINING from Stephen King and directed by Stanley Kubrick, Jack Torrance and his family become the wint. Roger the Dog Man is a fictional minor character featured in the 1977 horror novel The Shining by author Stephen King. In the book, the man dressed in a suit is actually Horace Derwent, the mysterious owner of the Overlook Hotel, and the man in the costume (which is a dog in the book) is Roger, a one-time lover of his. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Jack, Ullman, Bill Watson, Lloyd the bartender not one wedding ring, and Gradys hands are gloved so we cant see whether he is wearing a ring or not. There seems to be many hints in the film that Wendy is aware of her sons abuse and is covering up and denying the issue. Here's The Shining bear scene explained. While he may be one of the weirdest Overlook Hotel ghosts in the movie, Mike Flanagan decided to keep all the ghosts that would've stuck with Danny the most, and that wasn't the bear man. Spiked with sexual innuendo, this conversation holds several clues to the truth behind the relationship between Danny, his father and the imagery of the bear, with many suggesting that the animal is symbolic of Jacks predatory control over his family and sexual abuse of his son. Its rumbling overcome by Jacks maddening bellows, who eventually freezes to death. But that hasnt stopped people all over the world from trying. Create robust and customizable shot lists. The sexual abuse theme is even communicated in the making of documentary. Beyond being one of the most incredible and beloved horror movies ever made, it's also a project . Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is a textbook example of a storied film. I've never read the book. The Overlook or the hedge structure. Jacks manifestation as a rotten, naked old woman in the room 237 dream sequence parallels the horrific physical disgust Danny would have felt during his nightmarish ordeal. The Shining novel and film work best as separate pieces, and each ending has a different meaning. In an interview (via Huffington Post), Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan discussed why he didn't include this particular character, and his reasoning makes sense. A shift from dog to bear costume doesnt have any significant effect on the aesthetic scariness of the scene so there must have been some sort of logic at work in Kubricks decision. The scene dissolves and we can feel the frustration dripping out of Jack, which is brilliantly conveyed through the thumping rebounds of the tennis ball. Set in the towering, fictional Overlook Hotel, located in the Colorado Rockies, the haunting tale follows Jack Torrance (Nicholson), his wife, Wendy (Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) who opt to look after the hotel over the winter. There are many reasons why Stanley Kubricks The Shining is considered one of the most influential horror movies of all time. Why does Tony stay in Dannys mouth? Coming back to The Overlook, Jack then starts hacking through the main door of their quarters with an axe, while Wendy and Danny run into the bathroom. Simply put, this The Shining analysis posits that the film is just as much about the genocide of Native Americans as it is about ghosts haunting the hotel. The open patch on the bear man's behind in the film simply adds to the sexual emphasis. The second obvious factor is that Kubrick has omitted the entire back story associated to the dog costumed man in the book, leaving his audience at a complete loss as to the scenes meaning. Breaking the cycle. This is also one of the only theories to be supported in part by Stephen Kings novel alongside the figurative representation of hell. Jack embraced Danny on the bed in the fatherly love scene, from which Danny would have also been able to see his own predicament in a mirror. In this post, well break down the six biggest theories on. For all of the supernatural twists and turns in The Shining's story, knowing that it's based on a real location makes the film (and its ending) all the creepier, even though King reportedly hated many of the changes. Check out our list of the best adapted screenplays of all time and our guide to writing adaptations to learn more about the process. From across the hall, they casually look up at her. The Shining Ending Explained: Why Jack Is In The Photo, The Shining Movie's Most Significant Difference From Stephen King's Book, IT Chapter Two's Shining Reference Hints At Stephen King's Shared Universe, The Shining Has An Alternate Ending You Will NEVER See, What Jack Nicholson Was Really Like Filming The Shining, Lloyd the bartender was never a real person, The Shining: The True Story & Real-Life Hotel Behind The Movie. Jack Torrance left, his insanity has reached its zenith bathroom door went over better than the animals... A snowcat to get to the Overlook in time s the Shining is does... Ever made, it is possible the submission was not processed to T.V is also one of best... Incredible and beloved horror movies ever made, it & # x27 ; s the Shining is considered of. Is even communicated in the Shining is a features writer for Screen Rant, who eventually freezes to death Kubrick! Monument a town wrought with countless Native American deaths check out our list of the that... 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