Welcome to Monster Madness

Welcome to the SPOOOOKIEST time of the year: October! Each week, we’re diving into a horror classic—keeping spoilers light and chills heavy.

This time, we’re snowed in with The Shining (1980), Stanley Kubrick’s haunting vision of cabin fever, ghosts, and the slow unraveling of sanity inside the Overlook Hotel.

Isolation in the Snow

There’s something about snow that makes horror hit harder. It’s quiet, suffocating, and impossible to escape—perfect fuel for paranoia.

The story follows Jack Torrance, an ex-alcoholic and former teacher who takes a winter caretaker job at a remote mountain hotel. He hopes the isolation will help him write—and maybe heal his family in the process.

It does not.

As the staff depart and the snow begins to fall, the Overlook Hotel becomes less a setting and more a living, breathing character. Its endless halls, unsettling décor, and flickering lights whisper their own warnings.

The Hotel as a Character

What makes The Shining so effective isn’t just the horror—it’s the atmosphere. The hotel, the ghosts, and even the silence all conspire together. The real fear isn’t a monster—it’s what people are capable of when left alone too long.

There’s no masked killer here, no alien invader. Just a man, his typewriter, and an ever-growing madness.

Kubrick’s Perfection and the Cast’s Descent

What can you say about Stanley Kubrick that hasn’t been said a thousand times? The man was obsessive behind the camera—his precision bordered on cruelty—but the results are undeniable.

Jack Nicholson delivers one of the most iconic performances in cinema history, toeing the line between charm and complete psychosis. Shelley Duvall’s portrayal of Wendy Torrance feels painfully human—her fear, exhaustion, and confusion still resonate. Kubrick’s notorious treatment of her on set makes her performance all the more heartbreaking.

And Danny Lloyd, as young Danny Torrance, rounds out the trio with eerie calmness and the unforgettable phrase: “Redrum.”

The King vs. the Kubrick

It’s well known that Stephen King wasn’t thrilled with Kubrick’s adaptation. He wrote the original 1977 novel and even a screenplay, which Kubrick largely ignored.

Honestly? Good call.

While King’s version dives deeper into the supernatural, Kubrick’s version sharpens the psychological blade. And considering Doctor Sleep (2019)—a sequel more faithful to the book—ended up, well, pretty dull… I’m glad Kubrick took the axe to the original plan.

A Legacy Etched in Ice

The Shining remains one of the greatest psychological horror films ever made. It’s been analyzed, parodied, dissected, and reinterpreted for decades—and still feels as cold and unnerving as ever.

Every frame hums with purpose. Every hallway feels haunted. Every “Here’s Johnny!” still makes the hair on your neck stand up.

Final Word

Kubrick’s The Shining is a story about the slow decay of the human mind—wrapped in a hotel that’s as much a monster as any ghoul could ever be.

It’s a film that demands multiple viewings—not because you’ll miss something, but because you’ll keep finding something new to haunt you.

So grab your axe, check in at the front desk, and remember: once you enter the Overlook Hotel, you never really leave.