The Shining

Gusington · January 08, 2013, 08:26:42 AM

On a whim I bought a copy of King's The Shining. I know it is supposed to be quite different from Kubirick's film, which I love. Any of youse have an opinion on the book? Seems it will be a quick read as I started late last night and I am already 25 pages in.

Barthheart · January 08, 2013, 09:16:58 AM

The book is much much better than Kubirick's movie. And much much more scary!
There was a TV movie/mini-series made as well and it stuck right with the book and was also very good and scary.
Make sure to read at night with only one light on...... 8)

Gusington · January 08, 2013, 10:44:15 AM

Funny I am doing just that. So far anyway. And I have to say that the first 25 pages were actually kind of funny...Jack is quite the card in his internal monologue.

bayonetbrant · January 08, 2013, 10:48:15 AM

"I am Jack's internal monologue"

(I know that's the wrong story, but that's what sprang to mind just then)

Gusington · January 08, 2013, 10:56:32 AM

Better than Aquaman.

Barthheart · January 08, 2013, 11:02:20 AM

Quote from: Gusington on January 08, 2013, 10:44:15 AM
Funny I am doing just that. So far anyway. And I have to say that the first 25 pages were actually kind of funny...Jack is quite the card in his internal monologue.

Yes he is.... for now.... half the fun/scariness of this novel is you get to witness first hand a decent into madness.... :-X

Gusington · January 08, 2013, 01:55:42 PM

Giggity!

JasonPratt · January 12, 2013, 06:40:44 PM

Yes, not scary yet, scary later.

One big difference between the book and the film is that while Jack goes slowly insane, there is no doubt in the book (after a relatively early point anyway) that supernatural things are driving him insane. Whereas everything in the movie (aside from a few hints otherwise like Jack appearing in the hotel ghost photo at the end) could be explained as incipient madness on the part of the father and the son. (The TV miniseries is far more faithful to the book on this point, too.)

I seem to recall that King had either already written a sequel or has been recently composing it for a while. Haven't heard further on that though. Anyone else?

mirth · January 12, 2013, 07:10:24 PM

Wow, hadn't heard about a Shining sequel before but it's coming next fall-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/sep/19/stephen-king-shining-sequel-doctor-sleep

Gusington · January 12, 2013, 09:51:57 PM

Yeah that's why I am reading it now, in part. About 200 pages in, it's a really quick read. So far I see, er...a lot of me in Jack. Not the alcoholism but the wanting to be something better than he is. And for the first 200 pages anyway Jack appears to be a good dad.

I can see why people who don't like the book call for it to be edited down...the first 200 pages could probably have been pruned down to 50.

But it has always been one of my favorite stories (from the movie anyway) and the book is an easy win for me...can't get enough. I can't help but see Kubrick's version of the characters though...Shelley Duvall as Wendy, Nicholson as Jack, Scatman Cruthers as Halloran...etc.

Steelgrave · January 13, 2013, 12:16:00 AM

Quote from: Gusington on January 12, 2013, 09:51:57 PM
Yeah that's why I am reading it now, in part. About 200 pages in, it's a really quick read. So far I see, er...a lot of me in Jack. Not the alcoholism but the wanting to be something better than he is. And for the first 200 pages anyway Jack appears to be a good dad.

I can see why people who don't like the book call for it to be edited down...the first 200 pages could probably have been pruned down to 50.

But it has always been one of my favorite stories (from the movie anyway) and the book is an easy win for me...can't get enough. I can't help but see Kubrick's version of the characters though...Shelley Duvall as Wendy, Nicholson as Jack, Scatman Cruthers as Halloran...etc.

I remember an interview with King where he said that he hated the choice of Nicholson to play Jack. His reasoning? In pretty much his words, as I remember...."One look at Nicholson and the whole story is given away. I mean, you just know he's going to go f***ing nuts".

Barthheart · January 13, 2013, 07:23:16 AM

Quote from: mirth on January 12, 2013, 07:10:24 PM
Wow, hadn't heard about a Shining sequel before but it's coming next fall-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/sep/19/stephen-king-shining-sequel-doctor-sleep

Very very cool! Thanks for the link. 8)

Yeah the TV version had that guy that played the main pilot on the series Wings as Jack. Nice clean cut average guy..... goes homicidal maniac. Very chilling.....

Gusington · January 13, 2013, 02:40:35 PM

See now the point I am at in the book right now I can only see the barest bit of insane in Jack. But it's there. Don't we all have that bit though?

JasonPratt · January 13, 2013, 03:20:34 PM

Which was probably one of King's thematic points: the ghosts find and exploit the mental and ethical weaknesses in their victims.

Another big difference between the film and the book, is that the film is definitely all about Jack, while Jack only thinks it's all about him in the book. (The TV miniseries is closer to the book on this point, too, although by the nature of the medium it tends to focus on Jack more still.)

I'll give the movie props on one thing, though, where it nails the book compared to what the miniseries could do: Kubrick filmed the hell out of the hotel and what it meant to be isolated up there.

Gusington · January 13, 2013, 03:36:13 PM

^That's why I love the movie...I am hoping there some of that as I continue on.

Beyond that I think we can all agree that The Shining is many things beyond 'just' a ghost story.

It's the Big Bertha of ghost stories yes...but there is so much more, no matter which version you are watching or if you are reading the book.

Is the made for tv movie really worth watching? It's not another 'Langoliers'?