10 Woefully Troubled Film Shoots That Derailed Major Movies
3. Kubrick Went Complete Crazy For The Shining
Stanley Kubricks iconic horror flick The Shining is adored by many, but it wasnt an easy ride to get it made. Kubricks love of shooting scenes repeatedly for elongated periods of time really took its toll this time around. Three days were spent shooting the much-reposted Heres Johnny! scene where Jack Nicholson chops through a door with an axe, and it took a whopping 127 takes before Kubrick was happy with the scene when Shelley Duvall swings a baseball bat at Nicholson. 148 takes were purportedly needed for the bit when Scatman Crothers explains the Shining to Danny, too. A shoot like this would take its toll on anyone, and surely push the best of us to our breaking points. Its no surprise then, really, that the cast turned in such manic and unhinged performances theyre probably channelling an awful lot of real rage into their scenes. Dont sympathise with Shelley Kubrick told the crew when Duvall caught her hair in a window, before ordering her to do another take. More of this story can be found in the Making The Shining Documentary, which proves that shooting this film was almost as torturous as the horrors it represents.
