5 Most Terrifying Scenes From The Shining

2. "Hello Danny."

Perhaps the most graphic of scenes in The Shining, Danny is innocently riding his bike along one of the long, narrow and intensely claustrophobic hallways of the hotel when he is stopped dead in his tracks by the untimely appearance of two twin girls. The seeming virtue of young children is subverted horrifically in this scene as the twins ask Danny to "come play with us" in a surreal, consonant, disturbing monotone. If that was not enough, Danny is then forced into witnessing blood curdling chaotic visions of the twins lying dead on the carpet, who are covered in blood, with an axe and upturned chair in view. The jarring effect of the shots where the horrific scene is only in view for a matter of seconds creates an overall sickening aspect to the scene, as the twins are shown as alive and dead in equal measure. From the audiences perspective, it is as though we are seeing the events from Danny's view, as the camera is placed just above his shoulder, whilst before the camera was on a continuous journey through the winding hallways with Danny, once he stops abruptly, the camera also halts, reflecting Danny being frozen stiff with fear. The score evokes additional suspense and fear within the audience, as the Hitchcock like shrill noise rises unbearably whilst Danny is approaching the corner of the hallway, creating tension as there is a feeling of inevitability due to the chilling soundtrack that something terrifying will be lying in wait beyond the corner of the doomed hallway.
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