12 Brilliant Movie Scenes When Actors Weren't Acting

3. Shelley Duvall's Hell - The Shining

Stephen King might not have liked it (depending on what day you catch him on) but The Shining remains the best adaptation of his work and one of Stanley Kubrick's best films. Even now, it's harrowing to watch Jack Nicholson's descent into madness and Shelley Duvall's all-too-horrifying reactions as she is tormented throughout the Overlook Hotel.

Part of the reason that's all so compelling is because it was all very real. Kubrick notoriously verbally abused Duvall throughout filming, making her repeat takes to make her seem weakened and frantic, and generally made sure that her on-screen hysteria was as convincing as possible.

Both Nicholson and Scatman Crothers were also subjected to repeated takes and reshoots that pushed them over the edge: Crothers broke down, but Nicholson pushed himself to the beautiful, hammy performance that is still his best.