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"The Shining" in Blu-Ray: A Quick Re-assessment.

Posted by Cosmic Closet (A) on December 10, 2008 at 18:57:06

I saw the film when it first came out at the Uptown Theatre in Washington DC, and, like many, I was severely disappointed. I liked King's novel, and expected a good, straightforward re-telling. Not so, it being Kubrick. However, I didn't get it at the time, although I liked Kubrick. Some scenes stayed with me, especially Nicholson's conversation with the bartender, but overall, I never felt like re-seeing it.

Or so I thought. Something made me get it on Blu-Ray (at $12 at Costco a reasonable risk) and now I get it. The mood in it is one of a kind, an eyewitness report of a mental breakdown, augmented by unforgettable visuals and performances.
Kubrick masters the "old house" ominousness in an updated, elegant way, along with imposing his patented 'distance' in scenes that in other hands would be just conventional story elements (like the opening interview.)

Blu-Ray comes in as an important mention here, because the deep-focus wide angles demand visual resolution to really suck you in, and the Blu-Ray helps do that in spades. The negative looks terrific, and the ballroom scenes and bluish exteriors of the Overlook really take on new life.

So, I guess I am converted to his view of the story, and this is one instance where I find the Blu-Ray format really helps the appreciation of the filmmaker's intentions, Kubrick being such a stickler for optical perfection in his films to further his vision.

Highly recommended in Blu-Ray, even if you have been 'on the fence' about the film. Good extras, too.

CC.

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