10 Things You Didn't Know About Stanley Kubrick's The Shining

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Published on January 3, 2018 2:14:31 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPmRXIx3T64

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The Shining is a masterpiece of a film mainly thanks to the brilliant mind of Mr. Stanley Kubrick. After all, we all saw what happened when Stephen King himself insisted there be a more faithful adaptation.

#1: Actress Shelley Duvall said that it took three days worth of filming before the infamous “Here’s Johnny,” scene could be completed. All-in-all, there were over 60 doors Jack Nicholson chopped through before Kubrick was satisfied with the footage. In all fairness, it’s been reported that it took so many takes because Jack Nicholson was, at one point, a fireman, and was chopping through the doors far too easily.

#2: Filming was so stressful for actress Shelley Duvall that she became physically ill and suffered hair-loss. Jack Nicholson has stated that he doesn’t believe Duvall gets enough credit for the role, as he said it’s personally the most difficult role he’s ever seen any actor or actress undertake. Duvall has also stated that this role was the most difficult of her career.

#3: It’s well-known that Stephen King isn’t a fan of the film. While admitting that Kubrick was able to get some amazing visuals, King says that the film lacks substance.

#4: It would be very difficult to picture any other actor besides Jack Nicholson in the role of Jack Torrance, but it’s been revealed that there were other considerations for the role. At one point in time, Kubrick was considering Robert DeNiro.

Robin Williams was also considered for the role.

#5: In an attempt to find his next film project, Stanley Kubrick would read new books. His secretary remembers that every time Kubrick would come across a book he didn’t like, she would hear him throw the book at the wall inside of his office. However, once Kubrick began reading The Shining, the secretary didn’t hear the familiar sound of a book hitting the wall, so she knew that Kubrick had found his next big project.

#6: There was nothing snowy about the legendary hedge maze in the film. Instead, the snow you see was actually over 900 tons of crushed up styrofoam and salt.

#7: The MPAA had a policy that they wouldn’t allow trailers to be approved for by all audiences if blood were shown in the trailer. However, the trailer for the film does show the iconic scene of blood pouring out of the elevators. Stanley Kubrick accomplished this feat by convincing the MPAA that it was rusty water flowing out of the elevators, rather than blood.

#8: Director Stanley Kubrick was famous for his numerous retakes during filming.

The elevator shot took 3 takes. However, each take took 9-days to set up.
The “here’s Johnny,” scene took 3 days of filming, and over 60 doors.
It’s reported in the Gunness Book of Records that the scene in which Wendy backs up the stairs while swinging a bat was shot 127 times.
The shot of a ball rolling towards Danny while he plays with toys was shot over 50 times.
The scene of Jack throwing a tennis ball against a wall in the hotel took days worth of retakes.
It’s reported that Scatman Crother’s scene in which he explains Shining to Danny took over 140 takes.
The tour he gives Wendy and Danny took over 85 takes.
His death scene took 40 takes, but Kubrick originally wanted there to be 70 takes of this scene. However, Jack Nicholson was able to convince the Director to go easy on the old man.

It’s no surprise that Crothers would eventually break down crying on set, asking Mr. Kubrick what he wants from him.

#9: The hedge maze was so elaborate that it required its own map in order to navigate it. Still, crew members would often times find themselves lost within it.

#10: The film was originally released in theaters with a totally different ending. After the shot of Jack frozen in the hedge maze, there’s a cut and we’re suddenly in a hospital setting with Danny and Wendy. Ullman, the Overlook’s manager, talks with Wendy in private while Danny plays with some toys in a waiting area. Ullman tells her that her husband’s body has not been found, and investigators were unable to find anything unusual at the hotel. Ullman also suggests that Wendy and Danny stay with him for a while until things settle down.

As he’s about to leave, he passes by Danny playing with toys in the waiting area and tosses Danny the tennis ball which had rolled towards him earlier in the film. You know, the one that led him to room 237?

The film then ends with text on a black screen:

This ending was only seen during the first week of the film’s release before Kubrick ordered all theaters to cut the ending off of the film and send it back to the studio, which Kubrick would go on to destroy. All that remains of the original ending is the pages from the script.