What's it about? Jack Nicholson plays Jack Torrance, a struggling writer who moves his family out to live in the remote Overlook Hotel after he lands the job as off-season caretaker. As their isolated stay begins, increasingly strange and supernatural events begin to occur, and Jack's mental state of mind - and the safety of his family - rapidly deteriorates.What makes it groundbreaking? Stanley Kubrick is a director who has broken new ground unlike any other director, and it's no surprise that when he turned his hand to horror the result would be something special. Despite making an enemy of Stephen King on account of changing the source material considerably for the film, his version of The Shining is a masterclass in filmmaking, demonstrating the effectiveness of the steadicam while at the same time successfully merging paranormal elements with those of the psychological thriller. Like The Exorcist, this is one of the most iconic horror movies of all time.
