8 Jaw-Dropping Movie Scenes That Define Stanley Kubrick

6. The Shining (1980) - Tricycle - The Perfection

The Film: For my money, The Shining is very rarely a scary film. Maybe that is because of its deconstruction via Room 237, the over the top (none the less entertaining) performances or the weight of expectation it has received from often battling The Exorcist for the 'scariest film ever' pundit. As a lover of all things Kubrick, I feel that The Shining's artistic merit is often overlooked in favour of it's scare factor, which for me is lacking. The word 'scary' in the film world holds many connotations, mainly that something has the ability to 'frighten' or 'unnerve' an audience, leaving you to think of it's content or themes for days on end. With the case in point being the twins in the corridor or the old lady in the bath, this film is much more creeping than it is scary. Due to age it can also look a little tired thanks in part to the late '70s early '80s mise-en-scene. Yet within a strangely dated and slightly confused (see Room 237) set, real beauty shines through thanks in part to Kubrick's meticulous nature coupled with the greatest SteadiCam work ever seen. This is reason enough to herald The Shining for much more than being scary. The Scene: Ask anyone which film first used the SteadiCam and only a few mega geeks will answer with Bound for Glory (1976), Marathon Man (1976) and Rocky (1976). Most will think that it is The Shining, and with good reason too. The Shining pushed the camera beyond it's conceived limitations. Whereas the above films only used it as a replacement for a Dolly or track (for running shots mainly), Kubrick wanted the cameras bracket inverted in a manner that would mean low SteadiCam shots could be achieved, all the while keeping the operators holding position the same. This innovation requested by Kubrick has been the most important addition to the cameras history and has since lead to its creative license being pushed forward. The innovation of a low SteadiCam is most apparent when we follow Danny around on his tricycle towards the start of the film. We see this shot three times, the third time round leads up to that iconic moment as he faced with the twins and the camera swings around the corner to see why he has stopped - The feeling that comes with being that extra second too late to what Danny is seeing, coupled with the shock of perpetual motion coming to a complete halt is effectively jarring and portrays the power of Kubrick's great use of the camera. The way in which all of these shots are constructed is nothing short of genius; the sound of the trike on different surfaces - The silence as it rolls over a carpet coupled with the almost rhythmic clunk as the motion progresses onto wooden flooring, the way in which the camera only ever turns the corner after Danny - leaving the audience one step behind and increasing the feeling of impending dread and of course the impeccable framing. Considering the speed the operator has to go (with the SteadiCam strapped to his torso no less), whilst keeping it all framed and steady, it really shows testament to the craft. I would edge anyone to watch the documentary that was filmed during the making of The Shining by Kubrick's daughter Vivian. It can easily be sought out via the DVD/Blu-ray or YouTube. It remains one of only a few 'making of' docs about Stanley and his incredible work (there is also one on Full Metal Jacket), providing a personal insight into his thought processes, obsessive nature and meticulous planning that leads to such clean and water tight films. If you watch the documentary, it also soon becomes apparent how many times the camera operator trips up or a stumbles during these moments, proving that getting this hypnotic shot was in no way an easy feat. But boy was it worth it.