In 1977, acclaimed horror author Stephen King published his third novel The Shining, a cold, sinister story about a seemingly ordinary family, and one man’s downward spiral into madness. The rights to the book were quickly swept up by Stanley Kubrick, known for his controversial and groundbreaking films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange.

The film came out 3 years later in the summer of 1980, and it was not a commercial or critical success. However, over time the film has gained a huge following, and is now a massive cornerstone of modern pop culture.

The film revolves around Jack Torrance (played masterfully by Jack Nicholson), his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and their son Danny (Danny Lloyd) as they watch over the Overlook hotel during the winter. Despite the hotel supposedly being empty, each family member has a very different experience within the hotel, ranging from pleasant to terrifying. Is the hotel actually haunted, or is the isolation playing games with them?

The Shining is an incredible feat of 1980’s cinema. The directing, acting, music, cinematography, everything is absolutely perfect. It masterfully creates a chilly, unnerving atmosphere that perfectly houses a story of this nature, and it can be interpreted in many different ways. For years people have debated what the true meaning of the film is, whether it be an allegory of the treatment of Native Americans throughout history, to a confession of faking the 1969 moon landings by Stanley Kubrick. Everyone who watches the film will have a very different experience, and I highly recommend experiencing it for yourself. It is a film truly unlike any other, and it demands further re-watches in order to absorb every tiny, calculated detail.