The Shining is a 1980 psychological thriller directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film is based on a father (Jack Torrance played by actor Jack Nicholson) who accepts the job of the winter caretaker in an apparently empty hotel. Jacks wife and his psychic son are under threat by Jack who later on descends into madness.
The shining elaborates suspense successfully throughout the film using the distinct methods of mise en scene, sound, editing and camera work as well as a strange credibility to Nicholas’s performance.
The Camera work within the shining was very efficient, the dominance of long shots down endless corridors underline the sheer size of the hotel, A perfect example being little Danny driving his tricycle where the undeniable apprehension is felt. Another suspenseful part was the rapid cuts from Danny’s face to an increasing array of ghostly apparitions. The most impactful shot in my opinion is the way the camera was tracking Danny from behind an example being the scene he was trying to escape his father through the labyrinth maze as well as the tricycles scene, this created tension and a sense of chase or following.
Sound was predominately attained throughout, being a key figure in order to capture suspense triumphantly. Shelley Duvall who plays Jacks troubled and particularly useless wife Wendy is in constant peril, an example being her diegetic agonizing screams from where Jack was attempting to inflict an axe on her. This shocks the audience, the tension unfolds as they begin to question ‘will she or will she not die’?
Also the scene where Danny asks the chef about the room 237, the chefs’ facial expressions gradually drop and throughout this the music ascends to a low non-diegetic tone building suspense. Furthermore whilst Danny was on his tricycle and riding on and off the carpet the sound of the floor boards where grim and hollow, the repetition of this part also somehow created suspense because of the long and eeriness of the scene.
An example of an edit which is added to considerably create tension is the added titles where it introduced the days. For example a title would pop out of nowhere saying ‘Tuesday’, I’ve noticed from this the suspense gradually builds slowly because as a viewer myself I began to wonder what awaited the family.
The Mise en scene throughout was very effective a good example would be Jacks face his facial expressions were always twisted and psychopathic looking. Nevertheless the talking finger Tony created suspense; the fact the finger was right created a sense of fear. The red writing on the wall ‘REDRUM’ spelt back Murder was a significant prop as it emphasized deep tension and conclusion especially when the audience were informed that it spelt murder backwards.
The shining elaborates suspense successfully throughout the film using the distinct methods of mise en scene, sound, editing and camera work as well as a strange credibility to Nicholas’s performance.
The Camera work within the shining was very efficient, the dominance of long shots down endless corridors underline the sheer size of the hotel, A perfect example being little Danny driving his tricycle where the undeniable apprehension is felt. Another suspenseful part was the rapid cuts from Danny’s face to an increasing array of ghostly apparitions. The most impactful shot in my opinion is the way the camera was tracking Danny from behind an example being the scene he was trying to escape his father through the labyrinth maze as well as the tricycles scene, this created tension and a sense of chase or following.
Sound was predominately attained throughout, being a key figure in order to capture suspense triumphantly. Shelley Duvall who plays Jacks troubled and particularly useless wife Wendy is in constant peril, an example being her diegetic agonizing screams from where Jack was attempting to inflict an axe on her. This shocks the audience, the tension unfolds as they begin to question ‘will she or will she not die’?
Also the scene where Danny asks the chef about the room 237, the chefs’ facial expressions gradually drop and throughout this the music ascends to a low non-diegetic tone building suspense. Furthermore whilst Danny was on his tricycle and riding on and off the carpet the sound of the floor boards where grim and hollow, the repetition of this part also somehow created suspense because of the long and eeriness of the scene.
An example of an edit which is added to considerably create tension is the added titles where it introduced the days. For example a title would pop out of nowhere saying ‘Tuesday’, I’ve noticed from this the suspense gradually builds slowly because as a viewer myself I began to wonder what awaited the family.
The Mise en scene throughout was very effective a good example would be Jacks face his facial expressions were always twisted and psychopathic looking. Nevertheless the talking finger Tony created suspense; the fact the finger was right created a sense of fear. The red writing on the wall ‘REDRUM’ spelt back Murder was a significant prop as it emphasized deep tension and conclusion especially when the audience were informed that it spelt murder backwards.
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