Category: Great Films

Review of the film “Silence of the Lambs”

 Written about the film “Silence of the Lambs” a huge number of reviews and reviews, which are very ambiguous. Who is very sensitive, I would not recommend watching this picture. But for people striving to get a thrill, to think about the deep nature of the relationship between representatives of completely opposite layers of society, this film will bring a lot of emotions and feelings.

 Filming finished in 1990. The film company Orion Pictures has delayed the screening of the film so as not to create competition for its other film, Dancing with the Wolves. Therefore, “Silence of the Lambs” was released only in January 1991.

 I watched the film after reading the best-selling book of Thomas Haris “Silence of the Lambs.” Before, my opinion was that the book is always better than the film. I was convinced of this more than once. But not this time. To say that the movie was shocked to the core is to say nothing.

Preamble to the film

Haris wrote the book Silence of the Lambs in a surprisingly short time. He was impressed by the high-profile case of the maniac killer Eddie Gain, who killed dozens of people in a few years. From a harmless and friendly person he turned into a monster digging up fresh graves, stripping the skin from the dead. The freak sewed suitcases and furniture covers from this skin. After the sentence, he was hidden in a madhouse, where he read a lot, but the medical staff frightened him with long, unblinking looks.

 The image of Buffalo Bill turned out to be collective by the author of the book. In addition to Eddie Gain, he combined the identities of three more maniacs:

– Ted Bundy, who lured women into his net just like Buffalo Bill;

– Geri M. Heidnik, who hid the victims in a deep pit;

– Edmund Kemper, whose grandfather and grandmother were his first victims, like Buffalo Bill.

 The plot and directorial decisions

Silence of the Lambs is not a classic horror movie, as many say. This is a powerful psychological thriller. The power of the impact on the audience cannot be compared with any other movie. The incredible cruelty and realism of showing some scenes, however, classifies it as a “horror”. Not a single person in front of the screen remains calm, in fear grabs the armrests of chairs.

 The plot revolves around Clarissa Starling, a graduate of the FBI school, and the brilliant cannibal maniac, a sadist with the penchant for music lover and artist, Hannibal Lector. By the will of fate, she has to turn to him for help in search of “keys” for catching another buffalo Bill maniac.

 A former practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecturer enjoys almost sexual pleasure from talking with young heroine Jodie Foster. Blackmail forced him to talk about his difficult life in exchange for some information about Buffalo Bill, he enjoys listening to the story of the death of the heroine’s father.

 Particular tension comes from the screen when narrating about how young Clarissa tried to save at least one lamb doomed to slaughter on the farm of her uncle, and how she did not succeed. Since then, at night she has been tormented by nightmares with the cries of little lambs, whom she cannot help. He understands from the fly and tells her that as soon as the maniac is caught, “the lambs will shut up.”

 Enjoying the emotional experiences of Clarissa, a crazy psychiatrist, willingly or unwillingly, helps her catch another sadistic maniac. This assistance is much more effective than the assistance of the surrounding male police officers. After analyzing the motives with which the FBI agent Clarissa Starling acts, he refuses to pursue her, even breaking free from prison.

Watching a duet (Lecturer-Starling), you suddenly find yourself thinking that a crazy genius acts as a father-teacher, no matter how wild such an assumption may seem. And the “daughter”, although panicky afraid, nevertheless, hears every word, trying to understand the intricacies of hints and puzzles emanating from a terrible mentor.

 The third most important character in the thriller was Buffalo Bill, a maniac kidnapping girls. He locks them in a pit and starves. When the skin on women sags, kills, cuts out layers of skin. After that, she sews clothes from this “material”. Buffalo Bill is a person lost between a man and a woman. Having been born a boy, he dreams of becoming a woman all his life. A terrible episode, when a pathologist takes out a dead head larva from a victim’s throat, tells of a maniac’s dream of rebirth.

Sources

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-silence-of-the-lambs-1991

Review of the film “Gold Rush”

 Movie critics say that the idea of ​​the film visited the bright head of Charles Chaplin in Pickfair, the home of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Among other pictures from the Klondike Valley, the Yukon tributary, his wife, as well as long-standing friends and business partners, he showed him an eloquent photograph capturing one of the gold miners, which served as the starting point for the plan. By the way, the artistic and commercial triumph of the third full-length Chaplin production mysteriously anticipated the next, also the third wave of “fever”, which broke out seven years later as a result of the discovery of several new gold-bearing veins in Alaska. This gives the work, long and fairly classified as an indisputable classic, periodically mentioned among the highest achievements in the history of cinema, also features of a come true prophecy!

Although the true merit of an outstanding artist, of course, is different. In the comedy, considered a masterpiece and himself, Charles made serious adjustments at the height of the war, in 1942, releasing a version with the imposition of sounds and music (ironically, the picture in both categories was nominated for an Oscar) and, in addition, with lengthy author’s text, which I read personally. Perhaps someone happened to see the Soviet rental version, expressively voiced by Zinovy ​​Gerdt. A rather rare example of how this kind of modernization did not destroy the charm and did not destroy the inner rhythm of the silent film, at the same time bringing it closer to the modern viewer. The “Gold Rush” remains perhaps the brightest and most cheerful creation of Chaplin, imbued with an optimistic and even slightly naive faith in man. A comparison, for example, with the real tragedy of the domestic director Lev Kuleshov “According to the Law” (1926), also solved on American material, only confirms the correctness of this conclusion. The process of wild people turns out to be not so terrible as the thoughtless, mechanical imposition of the principles of civilisation, which are still not applicable in a situation of complete isolation from the social environment. And the exhausting struggle with the elements, and the inevitable brutality of Big Jim, almost ending with a dull mind and a hilarious attempt to cook a dinner from a tramp, which seems like a giant chicken, ultimately contribute to the tempering of spirit and character. So much so that a meeting with a bear awakened from hibernation, powerless to oppose anything to the two starving masters of nature will turn into a joyful event. But such primordial human qualities as meanness and envy will not be able to be overcome right away, and Black Larsen, an inveterate criminal and murderer, the owner of a truly black soul, brings much more troubles and troubles than harsh natural conditions.

 The wanderer manages not only to survive, but, most importantly, to remain an adherent of humanistic ideals, who have preserved the worldview of a hopeless romantic and independent artist, to whom a decent society from a neighbouring village is deeply indifferent (if not hostile). The lyrical line, which upholds the idea of ​​the all-conquering power of love, is permeated by inexplicable poetry and, despite the abundance of curious situations, despite the irony, sensitivity to the smallest, most subtle manifestations of feelings. Of high feelings, with utmost fullness expressed in the inimitable “dance of buns” demonstrated in a dream of Georgia with friends who promised to come on a visit on New Year’s Eve; the fragment did not accidentally receive an independent existence, as it were – and, by the way, rightfully serves as an example of total, absolute cinema that does not need words. At the same time, with all the life-affirming pathos and the happy conclusion of the misadventures of companions involuntarily, rewarded with a generous fate a hundredfold, “Gold Rush” is directly connected with the subsequent, more acute and sad films of the master, exposing the socio-political evil. Having survived and gained the upper hand in the confrontation with external circumstances, the man was defeated by his own kind and himself.

Sources

http://mentalfloss.com/article/83049/13-fascinating-facts-about-charlie-chaplins-gold-rush

Run, Forrest, run!

Review of the film “Forrest Gump”

For many, many years, or rather 23 years, the film “Forrest Gump” excites the minds and hearts of lovers and admirers of good cinema

 The film of Robert Zemeckis was released in 1994. This is a film adaptation of the Winston Groom novel of the same name. The picture immediately became popular. What to say? The film won first place at the box office in 1994. But Forrest Gump is not at all outdated over the years. Until now, old fans and the new generation of movie fans who have grown over 20 years are watching and revising it. And it still pleases. Craving for the beautiful but does not weaken at all. No technological revolution and political game can drown out people’s faith in justice, kindness and humanity.

 In 1995, the picture was appreciated not only by the audience, but also by professionals. Around the world, 38 different awards have been received! She was immediately nominated for 13 Oscars and in fact received 6 gold figurines! Moreover, in such prestigious nominations: “Best Film”, “Best Special Effects”, “Best Adapted Script”. In addition, Zemeckis himself received an Oscar as “Best Director,” and starring incomparable Tom Hanks took home a statuette for “Best Actor”. I would be very surprised if this did not happen! There is still justice under the sun and moon. It’s a pity that it doesn’t always work well but that is not the case here.

 Retelling the plot, I think, is completely useless. Most of the readers are probably watched this miracle of world cinema, and many read the actual novel. By the way, the film has many differences with the novel. But no one, I hope, will blame the scriptwriters for this, or maybe there are those who are dissatisfied. After all, you have to keep in mind that you will not please everyone! But for beginners, I will dwell a little on the history of Forrest Gump. Literally in a nutshell. Only in order to become interested (I hope), they must have watched the film. Believe me, you will not regret it!

 The film begins romantically – an adult Gump sits at a bus stop, a feather falls from his eyes from the sky where a smooth story begins. Moreover, people on the bench are changing, and Forrest still tells the story of his life, as if he had not noticed it. He was always a little strange, to say the least, mentally different. They didn’t even want to take him to a regular school, but his mother, whom the boy loved very much, nevertheless achieved a standard  education for him. Mom is generally something special for Gump – a bright image full of love and worldly wisdom. He even quoted it all his life, and with it the audience for many years, as proverbs, repeat: “Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what kind of filling you come across.” Or “Fool is a fool of strife” (in some translations of “He who is a fool knows himself”). Many more phrases from the movie “gone to the people” and are still cited. The words yelled by Jenny Carren (Forrest’s best friend and lover) “Run, Forrest, run!” Are heard several times in other films.

 It is interesting that in the unpretentious story of Forrest, a kind and simple guy, before the eyes of an amazed viewer, there passes a huge layer of the U.S. history, almost 30 years old, refracted through the prism of consciousness of the protagonist. And he, voluntarily or involuntarily, affects these events. We see historical characters (Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Richard Nixon). Moreover, it is known that Tom Hanks himself insisted on this. He wanted the story to look as authentic as possible. And it worked.

 Forrest speaks and speaks. And before our eyes, exciting events rush through – years of study, love, friendship, playing sports, military service, and with it, the war in Vietnam, the death of friends, then life in peacetime. Everything is so simple and so true that we cry and laugh, not doubting that Forrest is telling the truth. He is just a good person and even a hero. But he doesn’t even think about it. He just livesю. At the end of the story, the feather flies up. Between two moments of flight of a light pen – a whole life, a whole era.

 This touching story was told to us by a team of real professionals. Starting with the director, scriptwriter, cameramen, artists, and etc. One cannot fail to note the work of the composer. The music of Alan Silvestri is the decoration of the film. In addition, the picture sounded a lot (almost 50!) of compositions of the 50s – 80s, which helped to plunge into the atmosphere of previous years.

 The lead actor is the beloved by millions – Tom Hanks. He is so accustomed to the image that you cannot even imagine another Forrest Gump. But John Travolta, Bill Murray and Chevy Chase auditioned for this role. With all due respect to them, I am very glad that Tom was approved. He did the impossible – made him love his hero wholeheartedly. And empathise with him. Bravo, Tom! You are deservedly on the Best of the Best team.

Sources

https://www.paramount.com/movies/forrest-gump

 

Forrest Gump traces the trials and successes of an unlikely proponent of the American dream and the vision of a more accepting and co-operative community. As a boy, the young Forrest, developmentally-challenged, must suffer the injustice of discrimination. He is different from his peers and thus excluded and snubbed; only Jenny offers him a seat next to her on the bus. A critical conversation spoken about the film would be the relativity between the actual film and MLK Jr. Just as all of Forrest’s achievements are not to be underestimated, so too Martin Luther King Jr in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The subtlety of what these men achieved through their action or non-action; especially King’s genuine, if somewhat tongue-in-cheek, response to his critics and, of course, bearing in mind that Forrest Gump’s achievements are representative of potential as he is merely a fictional character; makes their success even more effective. An element that stood out with the view of the critical conversation is that  Both men are consistent and their actions are for the good of others, never themselves. Both the movie and King himself reveal how we have complicated basic elements of human decency and turned them into social and political “problems.” Forrest Gump is a seemingly unremarkable person who is able to rise above his challenges and therefore motivate and inspire others, presenting viewers with a remarkable message; he reinforces what King always said about being “patient and reasonable.” There is no pretentiousness about the film’, there is no pontificating and, even though Forrest is often in the right time at the right moment, opportunity is what it is. The film is, like King’s Letter, something to keep returning to and, from which, a person can learn some new aspect of himself every time. The irony of Forrest Gump must not be ignored as he went from being the object of scorn to someone to emulate. Just as Forrest does not allow his challenges to stop him from aspiring to something great so too King who did not allow imprisonment to stop his call for justice and the fight against “unjust” laws. People often claim that they cannot make a difference, that their contribution is so small as to render it insignificant. It is fortunate that Martin Luther King Jr did not think the same way. My rating of this film would be a 10/10. I enjoy how forest is portrayed as a social outsider, this is comparable to me due to the fact that my sociality isn’t the best. He wants the same thing we want while struggling with the same things we struggle with. By showing us his unique struggles we gain empathy for this film , the true reason on why this is a considered a great film. The simplicity of the plot, overall theme, attention to details and the good ending are all character tics of this film being great. This movie has won multiple awards, six academy awards to be exact.

Sources

https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/forrest-gamp-1994-448/reviews/

The Godfather is considered one of the greatest movies our time. It was the top grossing movie of 1972, won multiple Academy Awards and catapulted the organized crime genre into the popular culture limelight. The movie, following the story of the powerful Italian-American crime family, the Corleone’s, is a perfectly paced, character-driven drama crammed with fantastic dialogue, edge-of-your-seat scenes and an unforgettable storyline all told from the point of view of the criminals. It is a beautifully shot cinematic masterpiece featuring impeccable acting, music choices and overall look, making it truly compelling, powerful and memorable. Don Corleone is a man known for his ability to make decisions very quickly. He is a highly respected man who knows exactly what he wants and is able to execute his thoughts decisively, thus commanding respect through steadfast leadership. In his famous words, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse,” he makes it clear that he doesn’t mess around during negotiations. An element that stood out was how he handled his business. Im not recommending that you go about threatening or killing each another to demand respect, but by knowing what you want from your business and being unwavering in your decisions, you stand a far better chance of succeeding in the cutthroat world of business. He got straight to the point during business decisions and made compelling offers that were attractive to the opposite party. Also, he worked closely with his team to ensure they were making the right choices, but at the same time choose his team wisely so that he could trust that they will make the right decisions. He wasnt hesitant; hesitation can all too easily lead to missed opportunities. Business is Business, Know your competition and remain one step ahead of the game in order to grab opportunities as they surface and beat the competition. In the words of Michael Corleone, “it’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.” Sonny Corleone was a character known for his short temper and when he reacted impulsively and emotionally towards a photographer, this nearly killed his brother-in-law, which led to his demise. In business, there are winners and there are losers but at the end of the day, business is business and there is no point in reacting emotionally when it comes to making decisions. When people base their business decisions on emotion, mistakes happen, so eliminate emotion and ego from the equation. It shows the incidents which are wrong according to the law but as an audience we feel connected towards characters. It spell bounds the audience in a manner that everything looks right and appropriate. Nothing seems to be inappropriate which we can disapprove. A critical conversation read about the film was about the details of organised crime in the film and how much overall power the godfather had but No scene in movie shows any harm to civilians. It also does not show any women trapped into illegal and antisocial activities like prostitution. This movie does not show any wrecked life due to gambling. The movie shows mafia life from inside. There is a scene in which a person comes to Don. Don says ” Why did you go to police? You should have come to me. Your daughter is suffering on a daily basis. If you would have come to me then your enemy would have become mine, And then they would fear you”.This clearly shows the influence of Godfather. This movie would be considered a great  film because It shows the text of morality and humanity with a brushing of fear. It is a story of power with controlled manner. It a story of influence but with texture of humanity. It is a story of destruction but with clear depiction of family values. It is a masterpiece in real sense.

Sources

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/godfather-re.html?scp=9&sq=loews&st=cse (Links to an external site.)

https://www.jstor.org/stable/29775826?read-now=1&refreqid=excelsior%3A8c7271a81cb8c077f33adbfd79609fdc&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents (Links to an external site.)

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/godfather-review-1972-original-movie-986404

Several philosophers until now have held the idea that our life on earth is nothing but a stage in the vastness of existence. Whether this means that there is another stage, after life on earth or that our life is merely a stage in the context of all existence, might vary. Nevertheless, our life is merely a stage.The film “2001: A Space Odyssey” is a film by Stanley Kubrick and explores the space mission of Bowman and the involvement of a space monolith that has been there since the time of the “ape-man.” This monolith is a part of a story that spans across millions of years and hence serves as a point of reference.The relativity is used to show the journey of man from primitive stages to extreme advancement and yet, the entire journey is merely a stepping stone in the grand scheme of things. Therefore, the film doesn’t view humanity as a final goal but more like a stage that is bound to transcend into something more.This film is fairly artistic and therefore open to interpretation. Different viewers have expressed their critique and understanding of the film differently. The journey of the story from the “ape-man” beginning to the moon exploration, up until the journey to Jupiter are different phases that seem to connect the story. The director Kubrick and the writer, Arthur Clarke purposefully left the film open for philosophical and allegorical interpretation. Like any good science fiction novel, 2001 provides a detailed look at the scientific world it chronicles. Great care is taken to ensure that the reader gets a sense of the experience of the technology described in the book. Dr. Floyd’s journey to Space Shuttle One is described with attention to details such as the experience of a high-acceleration liftoff, the adhesive sauces used to keep chops firmly in place on one’s plate, and even the rotating bathroom that allows for the effect of gravity on the spaceship. A Space Odyssey has the distinction of being one of only a few classic books to be based on a movie, rather than the other way around. Its author, Arthur C. Clarke, based the novel on a screenplay he wrote in conjunction with Stanley Kubrick in 1964. The book, which was released a few months after the movie, fills in many details left unsettled in the movie. 2001 was written at the very beginning of the space age, before man first set foot on the moon in 1969. It was clearly inspired by much of the fascination with space, which gripped a nation exploring an uncharted terrain in the 1960s. The 1960s were also a time of confrontation with the communist U.S.S.R. and tension over the potential for use of nuclear weapons. The Cuban Missile Crisis was recent history at the time 2001 was in the process of being conceived. The instability of foreign relations as well as the proliferation of nuclear weapons led many at the time to wonder whether a nuclear holocaust might be around the corner. A Space Odyssey explores technological innovation, its possibilities and its perils. Two particular dangers of technology are explored in great detail. First, Hal presents the problems that can arise when man creates machines, whose inner workings he does not fully understand. Second, the book explores the dangers associated with the nuclear age. The novel issues a warning against the destructive power associated with that technological innovation in the military arena.2001 takes a long-term view of development, human and otherwise. The story traces the development of man from man-ape. Uniquely, 2001 considers not only the evolution that has led to the development of man, but also the evolution that man might undergo in the future. Thus, we follow Bowman as he is turned into a star-child by the advanced civilization of extra- terrestrial intelligence. The novel recognizes that evolutionary theory implies that humanity is not the final goal of some process, but only a stopping point on an indirect process. One way this process might continue, the book imagines, is that humans will learn to rid themselves of their biological trappings.

Sources

1. http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180404-why-2001-a-space-odyssey-remains-a-mystery
2. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-2001-a-space-odyssey-1968

My experience watching the Godfather was very positive. Organized crime and corruption has always interested me and that is what The Godfather is all about. The Godfather was full of action from the very start which also kept me engaged even though it was a very long film. A scene that stood out to me in particular was when Johnny Fontane and Don Vito tried to convince Jack Woltz to give Johnny a part in a movie and when Woltz refuses they cut off the head of his horse and leave it in his bed the next morning. This scene stood out to me because it didn’t seem like it would be that big of a deal for Johnny to not get the acting part, but I thought that it symbolized that the family gets what they want by any means necessary and commit extremely personal crimes, like killing pets, to send a message. 

The elements of the film that stood out the most to me were the mise en scene and the sound. For the mise en scene, I thought that the setting was realistic and the costumes also helped play a role in shaping who the characters were. The sound also helped add to the film because it was kind of ling but the music let the audience know when something important was about to happen and helped me pay attention more. 

Critical conversations of The Godfather were very positive, this makes sense because The Godfather has been nominated for and won several awards. The Godfather is also viewed by many as “one of the most influential films of all time” (History). I also didn’t know that the film was based on a book originally but critical conversations also said that the film did a great job of staying consistent with the storyline of the book and capturing most necessary details. One critic had an interesting take on The Godfather and wrote, “The Godfather presents the gangster’s perspective of the Mafia as a response to corrupt society.  Although the Corleone family is presented as immensely rich and powerful, no scenes depict prostitution, gambling, loan sharking or other forms of racketeering,” (George De Stefano). 

I would tend to agree with the critics takes on The Godfather. I was worried about how my viewing experience would differ from critics because the film was made so long ago but I was engaged the entire time and thought it was very profound and interesting. 

 

Sources

1. https://books.google.com/books?id=2482tWkpfpQC&pg=PA94#v=twopage&q&f=false
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Godfather

I thought Pulp Fiction was a good film and I can appreciate why it was critically acclaimed, however I thought the film was very drawn out and it focused on too many unnecessary details that draw away from the story line. The movie followed the characters scene by scene and didn’t skip around at all which made it seem more realistic but it also just dragged the movie and it was somewhat monotonous at times.

A moment that stood out to me was when Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace were sitting at the diner talking. This scene seemed to drag on for a really long time and it felt like almost half of the movie was their dialogue at the diner and seemed somewhat unnecessary to spend that much time on one scene. 

One element of the film that stood out to me was the use of segmenting to help break the film down and make it easier to comprehend and prepare the viewer for what’s about to happen. The movie is very long so it’s broken down into 7 main segments- “Prelude to The Gold Watch (flashback), Prelude to Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace’s Wife, The Bonnie Situation, The Diner, The Diner ii, Prelude to The Gold Watch (present), Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace’s Wife, and The Gold Watch” (Wikipedia). This was a smart choice by the director ton split the film up into segments so that it kept the audience engaged and let them know what to look for in each segment of the film and what to pay attention to. 

I read varying critical conversations about Pulp Fiction, some describe it as an excellent film while others describe the film as “authoritative, influential, and meaningless” (Foster Hirsch). Other critics think that Pulp Fiction is a reference to postmodernism because it has several references to the 1950s and was even called a masterpiece, “Describing the film in 2005 as Tarantino’s ‘postmodern masterpiece … to date’, David Walker writes that it “is marked by its playful reverence for the 1950s … and its constantly teasing and often deferential references to other films”. He characterizes its convoluted narrative technique as ‘postmodern tricksiness’,” (Wikipedia). 

I can agree with the varying critiques of the film because I can appreciate how influential and important its references to postmodernism ast the time of its release were but I also can understand how a critic would be harsh and write that it seems “meaningless” at times because I also felt that way during the film. 

 

Sources

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulp_Fiction#cite_note-164

My experience of The Shining was good but it could have been better. I thought it was interesting in the beginning when the chef knows that the boys mother calls him “Doc” and reveals that he is psychic to the boy and that he knows that the boy is psychic too. I thought maybe the director could have done a better job explaining that part of the movie. Another element I was confused about was in the end after Jack dies and it shows the poster for the Overlook Hotel in the year 1921 and in the very front is Jack. There were also a few scenes that confused me. One scene in particular that confused me was when Wendy locks Jack in the food pantry and he somehow escapes later. The movie didn’t show how he escaped and it seemed unrealistic. Other than those confusing spots of the film, I thought the director did a great job of keeping the audience engaged and keeping the tone of the film eerie and creepy throughout the whole movie. 

The elements of the film that I was most impressed with was the sound, visual effects, and editing used in the film. All of these elements usually play a critical role in most horror movies but The Shining did an excellent job of utilizing all three. 

In the very beginning of the film during the drive up to the hotel there is scary music playing which sets the tone for the whole movie and makes the audience aware that something bad is going to happen at the hotel. Then when Jack arrives and interviews at the hotel the manager tells him about the murders that had previously taken place at the hotel. Then whenever something bad is about to happen during the movie, like when Danny has a vision or when Jack is chasing around Wendy with an axe, scary music is playing and it crescendos when there is an anticipation scene. Also the lack of sound throughout other scenes in the movie adds to the loneliness and isolation of the hotel making it even more creepy. 

The visual effects during The Shining also contribute to the overall tone of the film and give it an alarming feel. A scene that stood out to me with effective visual effects was when Danny was having a vision and saw the hotel lobby flooded with blood. The color red often appears in this film, for example when Danny becomes possessed and starts saying “red rum” he writes it on the door in red lip gloss, a lot of the rooms in the hotel have red in them, and the characters are also wearing red clothes in many scenes. I think this choice was done on purpose by the director to symbolize violence, blood, and murder and was a prequel for what would take place later in the film when Jack goes crazy and murders Dick who came to rescue Danny and Wendy. 

The other element of the film that impressed me the most was the editing of scenes and the different types of editing used to have an optimal viewing experience. There are several eye line match shots in the film that create anticipation scenes and make the audience jump from their seats. One eye line match shot in particular that stood out to me was when Danny was riding his tricycle through the hotel lobby and then it switches to his face and you can see his expression go from normal to terrified and then the camera switches from Danny to the two girls asking Danny to come play with them and then it flashes to images of their chopped up bodies.  Another scene that stood out to me using analytical editing was when Jack is going crazy and then he sits down at the bar for a drink and at first it looks like no one is there but then Jack starts talking to himself, the camera zooms in on his face and then he begins talking to Lloyd the bartender and orders a drink. 

Critics have written several different opinions on The Shining. Although most critics have overwhelmingly positive reviews of the film, many critics have different interpretations of what the film symbolizes. One famous interpretation was by Bill Blakemore who suggested that the film was symbolic of the genocide of Native Americans, the reasoning being that the hotel is said to have been built over an Indian burial ground, there are several Native American artifcats depicted throughout the film, and Dick Hallorann was murdered on top of a Native American rug when he returns to rescue Danny and Wendy. 

The critiques I read somewhat matched my experience of the film but I thought it left a little more to be desired. There were a few holes in the storyline that I mentioned earlier which confused me and I thought that the director should have put more emphasis on Danny’s visions and made them seem more realistic and last longer than they actually did since they play a critical role in the film. 

 

Sources

1. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/shining
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shining_(film)#cite_note-92