Did You Know These 10 Things About ‘The Shining’?

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Released in 1980, ‘The Shining’ quickly became a classic horror film. Directed by Stanley Kubrick and adapted from a novel by Stephen King, the movie centers on Jack Torrance and his family, who spend a winter as caretakers of the remote Overlook Hotel. Initially appearing to be a story about isolation, it soon evolves into a chilling look at insanity, the supernatural, and a family falling apart.

As a huge movie fan, I’ve always been fascinated by ‘The Shining’. It didn’t get the best reaction when it first came out, but now everyone agrees it’s a truly brilliant psychological horror film. What really gets to me is how incredibly unsettling it is – the atmosphere, the acting, and those images… they’ve stuck with me for years! It’s clearly influenced so many filmmakers since, and even after all this time, it still genuinely scares people. I recently came across some fascinating behind-the-scenes details, and here are ten things about ‘The Shining’ that I didn’t know!

The Famous “Here’s Johnny!” Line Was Improvised

The iconic line “Here’s Johnny!” in the axe scene wasn’t written in the script. Jack Nicholson actually made it up on the spot, taking inspiration from how Ed McMahon used to announce Johnny Carson on ‘The Tonight Show.’

That line quickly became iconic in horror films and solidified Nicholson’s place as a legendary actor.

The Overlook Hotel Was a Combination of Sets and Real Locations

The hotel’s outside was designed to look like the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, but the inside was actually constructed on movie sets in England. Stanley Kubrick intentionally made the sets feel both believable and unsettling.

The film’s long, winding hallways and confusing layout made the audience feel uneasy and disoriented.

Shelley Duvall Faced Extreme Pressure During Filming

Stanley Kubrick was famous for demanding a lot from his actors, and Shelley Duvall faced an exceptionally difficult time on set. She had to film the baseball bat scene 127 times – an unusually high number of takes for any movie.

The demanding process completely drained her, both physically and emotionally. However, it ultimately led to a performance that felt incredibly genuine and authentic.

The “Blood Elevator” Scene Took Nearly a Year to Perfect

Creating the famous scene of blood pouring from the hotel elevator took months of planning. It involved using thousands of gallons of artificial blood and required several retakes because of technical difficulties.

Kubrick insisted on perfection for this scene, causing a nearly year-long delay in filming. However, the extra effort resulted in one of the most memorable moments in the movie.

Stephen King Disliked the Adaptation

Even though the movie was a hit, Stephen King has publicly said he doesn’t like Kubrick’s adaptation of his book. He didn’t think Jack Nicholson showed Jack Torrance as gradually losing his mind, and he felt the film took too many liberties with the plot of his novel.

King eventually wrote his own TV miniseries adaptation in the 1990s to bring his vision to life.

The Hedge Maze Was Added for the Film

Although not featured in Stephen King’s original book, the iconic hedge maze outside the Overlook Hotel was built specifically for Stanley Kubrick’s film. It served as the backdrop for the thrilling and suspenseful final chase between Jack and Danny Torrance.

The maze symbolized the characters’ feeling of being trapped and heightened the overall sense of confusion.

Danny’s “Redrum” Scene Was Filmed Backward

The word “REDRUM,” which is “murder” spelled backward, was written on a door and filmed so that it would appear correctly when reflected in a mirror.

This smart visual technique heightened the impact of the reveal, making it one of the film’s most memorable scenes.

The Carpet Pattern Became Iconic

The distinctive hexagonal carpet design in the hallways of the Overlook Hotel quickly became famous and has since appeared in many movies, television programs, and video games.

The design was striking and strange, contributing to a disturbing feeling and making the experience feel like a bizarre, inescapable dream.

Jack Nicholson Ate Cheese Sandwiches to Get in Character

To get into character, Nicholson would eat cheese sandwiches right before shooting difficult scenes, even though he disliked them. The unpleasantness actually helped him feel more upset and appear more intense in his performance.

Nicholson’s dedication added to the authenticity of his increasingly unhinged performance.

The Film Was Initially Snubbed by Awards

Although now considered a classic horror film, ‘The Shining’ initially received a mixed reaction from critics and was even nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies), including one for Shelley Duvall’s performance.

Initially, the film received mixed reactions, but over the years, both critics and viewers have come to recognize it as a true horror classic.

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2025-09-22 20:45