Research: The Shining

1.

  In todays session, we watched a series of clips from Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining' (1980). In groups we would each have a section we needed to write about. Here is a copy of the notes I gathered:

Script:

• Naturalistic.
• Simple/Minimal.
• Contains repetition.
• The young boy is mute - The audience doesn't know what's happened to him.
• First Jack speaks of his "Nightmare", and vastly changes his wording to it being a "Dream".

Edit:

• Hand-held.
• Relatively long take.
• Shot-reverse-shot.

Camera:

• Tracking shot.
• Rich reds - Representation of violence?
• Birds-eye view - Being watched?
• Camera goes under the table with him - as though it's in his mindset.

Sound:

• Slow orchestral soundtrack.
• Echoed dialogue - Shows that they are alone in the hotel.
• Boiler room has diegetic hum - There is the sound of a scream as she flicks the switch.

Art Direction:

• Symbolic elements for danger: e.g. The red in the key, carpet and inside Jack's coat.
• The maze-like elements: e.g. The structure of the house, the design on the carpet, Danny's hand-knitted jumper. - Danny is sat in the centre of the maze-like design on the floor - is he 'trapped'?
• Lighting = Cold.
• The set up of Jack in the chair made him look regal - the cross fade into the next scene also demonstrates a crown-like image on his head due to the chandelier in the next shot.

I have learnt in this session that it is important to think in detail about the structure of a location, and how interesting it can be to create symbolic elements. I also think that it is essential that each element stated above is done to the highest standard, in order to form a film that has depth to engross an audience.

References:

1. http://www.google.com/imgres?q=the+shining&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=en&authuser=0&biw=1280&bih=680&tbm=isch&tbnid=oAOTyahgju4URM:&imgrefurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jun/22/rereading-stephen-king-the-shining&docid=ZxA47KNFYAudsM&imgurl=http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Books/Pix/pictures/2009/01/07/shining460.gif&w=460&h=276&ei=dnCtUL2ZNcOu0QWD4YHQAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=337&sig=117828630293561111691&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=233&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0,i:159&tx=111&ty=36