Stephen King always maintained that Jack was being sent mad by outside influences (that the hotel is haunted), while Stanley Kubrick said that it was all in his own head.
What's your take?
2006-09-23 11:11:20 · 20 answers · asked by Hello Dave 6 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Movies
Watching it now, it occurs to me that the hotel must be haunted - otherwise who opens the store cupboard door??
2006-09-23 11:55:29 · update #1
A bit of both - after all the former caretaker went mad and murdered his wife and twin daughters. There's something inherently evil in the Overlook Hotel, that's for sure, although we're aware that Jack's got a drink/violence problem and you know what an addictive personality's like??? Great film though!!!
2006-09-23 11:21:44 · answer #1 · answered by gerbiltamer 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't get that you say Stanley Kubrick says it all in his head...
"Jack" was a recovering alcoholic with violent tendencies towards his wife and child so he would have been an easy target for the spirits at The Overlook.
Solitary living can also increase the "mad" side of someone...
If you have never seen the updated tv version of The Shining, you should...It stars Rebecca DeMornay and Steven Weber. It is great and doesn't have the Kubrick twist...It is more true to King's book...
2006-09-23 18:33:35 · answer #2 · answered by pipi08_2000 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe what King said was that his life set him up for the possibility of the hotel to take him over. So for that matter they would both be right. But I don't think that it could "all" be in Jack Torrence's head because there's the issue of Danny and everything he saw and experienced. So many occurrences between Jack and Danny overlapped. And in the end even Wendy believed.
2006-09-23 18:18:04 · answer #3 · answered by Hacksaw 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the book, the hotel is haunted. That's what I always got from it. Since Stephen King wrote it, I'll go with what he says.
2006-09-24 01:40:16 · answer #4 · answered by wolflady 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The hotel is haunted... But Jack is escaping through writing and alcohol... Jack see's the good 'haunting' but his son see's the bad... His wife see's Jack being plain evil... It's a bloody good film :)
2006-09-23 23:54:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jack's addiction's and mental state meant that the "evil" outside influences found it easier to infiltrate him.
The book is much better than the film, the battle between good and evil in the spirit world underlies the whole book.
2006-09-23 18:28:10 · answer #6 · answered by bambam 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There were most definitely ghosts and spirits all over that hotel - they tormented the others that were there too, not just Jack. But Jack is the one they were trying to "possess". I think that his state of mind made him more susceptible to their influence. He was just the weakest of the three people there.
So I guess that makes my answer... "BOTH"!
2006-09-23 18:22:30 · answer #7 · answered by DangerMom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great film. honestly scares the shite out of me. I think the film is about how everyone has the capacity of losing complete control at some stage in their lives. Jack Nicholson is class.
2006-09-23 18:18:27 · answer #8 · answered by neilcosby 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obvious, the hotel was full of ghosts. He even looked like one of the previous caretakers. He could have even been reincarnated. Or he took on the actions of other caretaker through possession. oooooo scarey.
2006-09-23 18:16:54 · answer #9 · answered by someones sister 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jack had problems before going to the hotel... alcohol problems and anger problems... but the hotel drew him there....
2006-09-23 18:15:16 · answer #10 · answered by Mary G 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋