Behind The Scenes: It’s All Play & No Work For Jack Nicholson & Stanley Kubrick On The Set Of THE SHINING
Director Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Stephen King‘s The Shining is an atmospheric slice of sophisticated horror. Sure, it may not be a page for page adaptation of King’s book – but it’s still a mighty piece of filmmaking, which is filled with nuance and detail.
Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance might be nuts from the get-go but Nicholson delivers a tour-de-force performance. Kubrick apparently put poor Shelley Duvall through the wringer as Wendy, Jack’s on-the-edge wife.
King was never a fan of Nicholson’s casting as Torrance – but he becomes that character, or that character becomes him. King was always of the belief that Nicholson brought too much insanity to the table before Torrance lost his mind. The book and the film exist in two different states, and if you want to see a literal translation of King’s novel, then there is always Mick Garris‘ 1997 television mini-series (which King prefers).
Released in 1980, The Shining grossed $45.5 million at the US box office from a $19 million budget.
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