Making 'The Shining' (1980)

How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

*may contain spoilers* An insight into well known famous film. A short film going behind the scenes as cast and crew get ready to film. The film is made by Stanley Kubrick's daughter. See as members of main and supporting cast like Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Philip Stone get ready to film. See some tension, arguments such as between Stanley Kubrick and Shelley Duvall. Also, you see some members of the crew, interviews with stars of film, all the sets from film, stars learning lines and rehearsing scenes. It shows Stanley Kubrick and how he organises everything, prepares to direct scenes and his suggestions to get everything as planned. There are some technical things like use of the record player for the gold room sequence, using the snow machine for snow.

"The Shining" is clearly a film that grows on you the more you see it. And it's probably one of my favorite films not just because it has the best actor of all time the legendary Jack, also because of the way Kubrick shot it with haunting visuals and excellent camera work. So it's probably a given if you own a DVD or video copy you've seen the short documentary done by Stanley's daughter Vivian called simply "Making "The Shining". From the start it's interesting for it's memorable scenes and famous quotes like seeing Jack from the beginning order rice and noodles, and it was neat seeing Nicholson brush his teeth before filming scenes. As expected Jack always shows off in front of the camera letting the viewers know that he likes to be out of control as an actor as not being the norm is fun. Plus his very memorable quote of stating that in the average year a celebrity meets more people than the average person does in a lifetime. And too you get to see the master himself hard at work gearing up and getting himself fired up to do the famous ax scene by showing us he uses Boris Karloff as an inspiration by checking off his lines before doing a scene just like Karloff did.Also memorable is the short interviews of Scatman Crothers and Danny Lloyd, especially an emotional one of Scatman crying thanking god that he got to work with such beautiful people. And Danny Lloyd who would later disappear from the movie world laughing about his good time being so young wondering what his parents will do with all of his money! And it was revealing and also interesting showing Shelley Duvall coping with the stress of the role as at one point she even passes out on set. It was clear Stanley pushed her to the fullest, in which she would later thank him for.As we see Kubrick who gives such rare glimpses it was so clear he was such a perfectionist as it was shown during this doc he was such a master artist of the camera. From the memorable angles and fabulous shots shown of him running with the hand-held camera during filming. Overall consider this short doc a good mini meal that you must digest along with the main course as it has some unforgettable scenes and interviews with memorable quotes that will stick with you forever and it will make you respect the film even more.

This is probably the most fun little behind-the-scenes glimpse i've ever been given. I think its exactly BECAUSE its so rough, exactly because it consists of Kubrick's daughter being let loose with a camcorder on his film set for The Shining (1980) that its so compelling. As Vivian herself says on a commentary she recorded for the recent DVD re-release of The Shining, its because she was so young and everyone took her for a kid messing around that they ended up being so honest with her and allowing her to take such liberties as walking in on them in their bedrooms or asking to-the-point questions about the way they've been treated on the production (Shelley Duvall in particular, who Kubrick virtually tormented in order to create the perfect feeling for her part).Most precious of all, obviously, are the glimpses of Kubrick behind the scenes. On the ground with a camera underneath Jack getting the perfect posture and feeling for the famous scene where he's locked in the kitchen and banging on the door. His directorial rage at Shelley Duvall when she missed her queue and spoiled the perfect set-up of the snow-machine and other elements Kubrick had arranged for the shot. First thing in the morning, looking slovenly (like all great artists - caring nothing for how he looked and everything for how his film would look), greeting Jack and staring right into the camera looking less-than-impressed.As impossible as it is to choose one Kubrick production over another, The Shining is particularly great. And this little documentary, the only special feature you'll ever find on a Kubrick DVD, becomes all the more valuable for the scarcity of behind-the-scenes glimpses of Kubrick at work. Enjoy!

Offers a rare look at Stanley Kubrick at work, for which the world owes Vivian Kubrick a debt. Probably only his daughter could have that kind of access, though true to form, Kubrick Sr. is the only principal who doesn't submit to a sit-down interview. We do get to see him at work, giving notes to Jack Nicholson, sniping at Shelley Duvall, telling Danny Lloyd to look scared.Unfortunately, we don't get much more than that. This lacks the insight of Eleanor Coppola's "Hearts of Darkness", which was a full-scale memoir about the making of an important film. Ultimately this is just a home movie that happens to be on a Kubrick set. The only real revelation about the making of the film is going backstage at the hedge maze set. But the main reason to watch it is Nicholson, who never met a camera he couldn't charm.