THE SHINING 4K UHD Blu-ray Review
Vložit
- čas přidán 21. 07. 2021
- Stanley Kubrick's take on Stephen King's bestseller The Shining reviewed on 4K disc. Plus a look at some of the other adaptations of Stephen King books and I pick my favourite of them all which may prove to be a surprise to most. The Derann Film Services Super 8 2x400ft of Carrie is featured and we get a quick look at this on screen. Carrie was the first of King's books and the first to be made into a film in 1976. The Shining was his third book at the film was released in 1980.
One thing to note, I mistakenly say 'Shelley Long' instead of 'Shelley Duvall' in this video. Well, I'm a fan of 'The Money Pit' so I suppose I was bound to get the two surnames mixed up!
This video was inspired by Clark Teddles who told me he was about to record a review of the 4K disc of The Shining and here it is: • The Shining (1980) 4K ...
For anyone in the UK who wants to see the documentary Stephen King: Master of Horror on Channel 5s My5 catch-up streaming service: www.my5.tv/stephen-king-maste... - Krátké a kreslené filmy
The Shining is probably the best 4K UHD I've bought so far. I thought it's picture was even better than JAWS. And it sure heightens the fear factor when rewatching it...
Agreed....looks like it could have been filmed just yesterday. So hard to believe the movie is 41 years old.
Still a bold statement because that JAWS remaster was practically face-of-God mindblowing.
@@Theomite agreed.
So excited to see you cover this!! Interesting timing, the podcast I co-host, Sequelcast 2 (we cover movie franchises one sequel at a time) so we're doing The Shining, the Mick Garris mini series, and Doctor Sleep from 2019. Will send a link when the episode goes up!! Keep em' coming John!
Oh yes, I'll look forward to that one Alex. John.
I watched The Shining in 4K almost an year ago. 5 minutes in and I already knew that this disc is Reference Quality. Stanley Kubrick was a master at Capturing every single detail as seen in this 4K. Great Review as Always!
There are better 35mm transfers out there Tony but this one certainly isn't far off. Apocalypse Now and Jaws are discs I should have run to do a direct comparison but I didn't think The Shining looked as good so I didn't think of it. Sorry! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yeah I've been using Apocalypse now as Reference Quality since the DVD Days. Couldn't agree more👍
Classic flick - I seem to rewatch it every 10 years or so
That's about how long I go between re-watches of films now. John.
Wonderful review of the 4K release and some very interesting background information as always. Superb job once again.
It was good fun again. I seem to be enjoying filming these things a bit more nowadays and they're not taking quite so long to put together either. John.
This review was absolutely amazing! Very informative and thank you so much for the shoutout, really appreciate it. Clark
I think you're getting a pretty good audience now Clark and I think people are going to enjoy dropping in to see what you're up to. It was nice to see you get a mention by Leon earlier - we gave you a round of applause at that point.
My explanation of the ending of The Shining seems to be getting a surprisingly good response. It doesn't explain the conversation with Jeevsy in the toilets though when Jeevsy tells Jack "You've always been the caretaker". More thinking required there but you set me on the right path it seems.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I think some scenes near the ending, Kubrick just chucked into the film to confuse people so that if anyone manages to cook up a theory on the ending, it couldn’t possibly I include everything that every character has said (very hard to explain). Thank you so much for the shoutout, always helps and grows the channel quicker than ever! Clark.
I must say well done for how quick you put this video together, well done!
Thanks Clark. I did get through it surprisingly quickly. Filmed on one day and edited together the next. John.
@@moviecollector5920 well done! editing can take hours some times haha
It’s always great when you say it’s just like watching a 35mm print , how lucky we are to have this quality for home use. Carrie is getting a 4k release soon John from Scream Factory but we will have to import that unfortunately.
I think the people carrying out the mastering work from the transfers are getting a better understanding of HDR and how to apply it now because so many 4K discs are looking more like 35mm film now. Saturday Night Fever is the latest I've seen and what a difference it makes to have it in such previously unimaginable quality on home video. So I'm with you there Danny and couldn't agree with you more. As for 'Carrie', you'd think that title would be big enough to warrant a 4K disc release over here but I expect there are rights issues that are either holding it up or preventing it. Rollerball never appeared here but a friend has just imported the German 4K and thankfully, the inlay is reversible so we don't have to look at that awful German certification that ruins the fabulous original poster art. I might have to get a copy of that now.
John.
Hi John. Always like how you connect the dots and provide profound background. Steadycam came to my attention by 1983s Return of the Jedi/ the Endor bike chase and only later I recognised that it was used earlier and so brilliantly e.g. in Shining. Have the 4k too and agree , it’s the HDR which is impressive. I anyway think that it was a Marketing mistake to label the UHDs 4k and promote them as such. The HDR should have been the focus as this is - in my opinion - the much stronger benefit. Like Carrie very much too and have seen 11.22.63 and enjoyed it. Wish you further success with your channel. Gerald
Good to hear from you again Gerald. The Steadicam was first used in Rocky I think - the famous shot where Sly is running along the sidewalk and the camera tracks him from a van and also when he jogs up the steps to the location where he overlooks the city. Exorcist II The Heretic was another early use but I think it was called the 'Panaglide' then.
HDR is the main benefit for our tiny home screens so a marketing name based around that would have been preferable. And as much as I like Blu-ray it's a name that means nothing to most people and tends to put people off the format because it sounds like something they wouldn't understand. Get back to something like DVD and then maybe more people will take it up again. John.
Thanks for the review. It’s interesting to see the cuts that Kubrick made to the film after its initial premiere.
And also to consider the original ending, which only survives in still photos. Worth googling about it.
Now there's a story that I don't think I'd heard about before. I'd better look that up. John.
I don't even see it as a Stephen King adaptation but as a Kubrick film. I never thought his film was scary but I simply enjoy it for Kubrick's movie language, which is way more lasting.
It's a film that has grown in stature over the years. Don't think the book has but others may disagree with me. John.
John, even though I'm not really a fan of The Shining, thanks for another great video Sir. One movie I cant wait to acquire this year on 4K is one of my all time favourites, The Thing. Lets wait until you get a video done for that in the future then get everyone's take on how the disc is and have a discussion about the Molotov Theory. "Its just a Theory that I happen to agree with!"
I watched this before I bought the disc. Thank you for including the spoiler alert because I just watched this movie for the first time, so I came back to the end today. To me, the sound on this is one of the better I have experienced. The music is conveyed so well and really envelopes all of the channels. The image quality is really superb as well.
I think this is 35mm at its near best Joey. Interesting how the 4K UHD transfer looks so much better than the recent sequel 'Doctor Sleep' which does rather confirm how image quality has gone backwards. I could see it happening in the late 1990's and into the 2000's but no one else seemed to care.
By the way, I still spend time thinking about the ending of The Shining.
John.
The aerial exterior shots of the "Overlook Hotel" were actually photographed in the state of Oregon and feature the "Timberline Lodge" located at the base of Mt. Hood, which is part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. If you look carefully at the aerial sequences in the movie, however, you'll notice that the hedge maze is nowhere to be seen. I love "The Shining," but my personal FAVORITE Stephen King adaptation is the 1983 film "The Dead Zone."
I too really like The Dead Zone. Haven't seen it for years. John.
@@moviecollector5920 It's worth a revisit! Arguably Walken's best performance on film IMO. And I think it's always worth mentioning the underrated Tom Skerritt giving yet another strong supporting turn.
I was fortunate to see The Shining in the Theater.It was re released at the Theater a couple of years ago.I wish I could have saw The Shining with a 1980 Audience,I was 8 & I wouldn’t be aloud in the Theater.I ❤️ your video & can’t wait to see this on 4K! Thanks!
It is a very good example of a film to video transfer Chris but it's the high dynamic range function that makes most of these 4K discs what they are and not so much the increased resolution because our tiny home screens are just too small to make the jump from HD to UHD obvious on its own. I never actually saw this film at the cinema. I didn't bother in 1980 because no one seemed to be talking very highly about it but the intervening years have helped and now it's regarded as another Kubrick masterpiece. We watched Ready Player One last night and there's quite a long sequence in that that pays homage to The Shining so worth watching for that if you haven't seen it. John.
There is a strong eerie feeling in that Colorado hotel...my visit there was short and I left with urge. Really bad vibes. I was happy to drive away and back to Denver. I will never go back.
Did you go around the maze though?!? John.
Fantastic video as always John. I really enjoy your content, despite not owning a single 4K disc. DVD’s still comprise the bulk of my collection. The Shining is definitely one of my favourite King adaptations, but my all-time favourite has to be Misery. Hope you are well.
A lot of people has cited Misery as their favourite Stephen King adaptations. It is brilliant but I haven't seen it in so long that it's probably gone out of my memory a bit. Something I need to rectify methinks. John.
It is a great 4K & i understand your reservations about the film, John. Thanks for the heads up on the Stephen King doc. Keep up the great work, sir! 👍
Thank you Gary. Next video will probably be a round-up of other 4K discs I've been watching this month. John.
Yet another really interesting review John, its always a pleasure to listen to your knowledgeable comments! I think this film is a visual masterpiece, so many iconic scenes. I didn't realise the snow scenes at the end were shot in a studio in summer :)
Not only summer Nick but they're running around on salt so it did to their shoes what our British winter roads do to our cars and rotted them. The giveaway is the lack of visible breath being exhaled which given how freezing it looks rather lets the film down but we're so involved in the story by that time that none of us care. John.
@@moviecollector5920 You're right John! The film is so engrossing by the end I was totally riveted and didn't notice there was no condensation.
Love your appreciation of the film medium and would love to see your take on all genre's; maybe a top 10 and in depth analyses of why you love the movies...quality vids.
Thank you Taykit. I think my review of Alien probably gives an insight into why I have such an interest in film and perhaps also my Super 8 Film Gauge video. It's largely down to Super 8 as a child as I never lost my fascination with being able to run films in the home on that tiny film gauge. John.
Shelley Long? Cheers!
Great review, can't wait to get a 4K copy
Well, The Money Pit is easily confused with this one! John.
What a fantastic review, love all the in-depth information surrounding the movie and Stephen King! I recently bought the Kubrick 4K collection; Space Odyssey, Shining and Full Metal Jacket. All classics and I love having it in my collection.
I think A Clockwork Orange is coming soon. Well, it is 50 years old pretty soon so I think we can be sure a 4K won't be too long. John.
'The Shining' is probably my favourite Horror film of all time, or at least one of them. I watch it every Halloween. It is the gift that keeps on giving, with it not giving any definitive answers, but allowing the audience to take away their own conclusions.
Its amazing that you have your own Steadicam.
I will need to upgrade to the 4K of this Stanley Kubrick masterpiece. I think John Carpenter's 'Christine' has the best 4K transfer of King's older film adaptations. I was blown away by the 4K transfer, it looked stunning on my 4K TV!
I highly recommend the TV Series 'Castle Rock', if you haven't already seen it. It is a must see for Stephen King fans.
I haven't seen 'Castle Rock' Cooper so I'll keep a lookout for that. If you haven't seen the 11.22.63 then the Blu-ray of that is fairly exceptional. It's helped by being a captivating story with wonderful characters too. Anything time travel tends to captivate me though so perhaps I'm biased.
I have quite a lot of film and video equipment as I've been making documentaries for the past 17 years. I'm trying to finalize one right now and then one more to do and I'm probably going to call it a day as discs don't sell in enough quantity any longer. John.
Great video presentation - thank you. It’s a great movie though I’ve never been certain on the ending either. What you presented seems to make sense. Great work
There are many interpretations for the ending and I think the idea is that we are left to make up our own minds. I like films like that. I did want to do a complete video all about the clues within the film that lead up to the ending but that depended on this review video doing well back when I did it but it didn't really. John.
@@moviecollector5920 yes I need to watch it again really it’s been a while. I really enjoy your videos. I’m sorry to say I’ve just found them. All the best, and once again thank you. Phil
Great review and detailed info thanks
Glad you liked it. John.
One of my favourite 4K discs. It's like the medium was made for Kubrick's films. Nice surprise seeing your review, John! Best - Andrew.
We can blame young Teddles for me getting this disc out and giving it a good bit of scrutiny Andrew. I very much enjoyed looking at it again, much more than I did the first time around. Looks like I'll get Doctor Sleep later this week so we'll see how that one stands up. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Curious to hear your thoughts on Dr. Sleep. I think it's a great a looking and sounding 4K disc. The film was pretty cool I thought; it just shouldn't be compared to Kubrick's masterpiece, because it couldn't possibly compare.
@@GuitarGuy5000000000 I also expect that Doctor Sleep will actually follow the Stephen King book rather more closely so as the film of The Shining didn't stick to King's original book I'll have to discern if it's a sequel to the film or the book. Interestingly we ran the 4K of Spielberg's 'Ready Player One' last night and the best part of that film was the whole sequence where the game went into a representation of The Shining with sets reproduced in a computer and scenes reproduced too. Quite amazing. John.
@@moviecollector5920 In the bonus features, there's an interview with King and director Mike Flanagan where they say they tried hard to make it more true to the book while still working as a sequel to the first film. I haven't read the book but it seems they got the right balance. I have yet to see Ready Player One but I am most intrigued by the scene you mention! It's funny, but because RP1 came out first, it kinda lessens the impact of revisiting the Overlook Hotel in Doctor Sleep. Best - Andrew.
@@GuitarGuy5000000000 I plan to include Ready Player One in a 4K round-up review video shortly and I expect I'll say that the best part of the film is the recreation of The Shining. It's impressive and also very funny. We couldn't quite believe what we were looking at having just done the 4K review video of The Shining. John.
Heavens You've rekindled my memories of Salams Lot me and my brothers always watched it when we were kids totally forgot there was a 2hr cut film
A brilliant and informative video as per. Thanks John 👍🏼
Thank you Lee. It seems to be doing surprisingly well so The Shining is a much more popular film than I thought it still would be. John.
There is another version of The Shining I own that was released around 2,000 on DVD by WB - not pan & scan - but rather has the mattes removed from top and bottom thus revealing more detail above and below, and was done with Stanley Kubrick's approval. Doing this actually makes the film a virtual 4:3 ratio of the 35mm print (which doesn't surprise why Stanley approved). If this version was to be scanned and released at 4K, it would be suitable for IMAX, ironically.
35mm film from 1980 is a bit of a stretch for IMAX but a lot of videos shot at 2K make it onto the big screens now and it would look better than them. Modern film stocks are much finer grain so even at 90 feet wide at the Waterloo IMAX they still look very good. 70mm IMAX is unsurpassed to this day and probably will be for many years to come.
If you analyze the full 35mm frame of The Shining you'll see that it was shot with the intention that cinemas would have mattes in the projectors to screen it at the correct ratio which was 1.85:1. The opening alone would spoil the film somewhat because the shadow of the helicopter would be visible if it weren't masked correctly. But I dare say the guidelines were in the camera viewfinders so the cameramen would be able to ensure the frame was suitable for all screening formats including television broadcasts at 1.33:1 academy ratio back in the 1980s. John.
Classic saw this on first release and was spooked walking home in the dark. Very eerie.
It has a rather unique atmosphere to the whole film. The hotel and the use of the steadicam gives it something special. John.
Now I really want to finish watching "11.22.63"! Thank you John!
Also, I have never read or seen "Carrie", or "Pet Cemetery". I will now!
Explanations about the plot are all in the book. It does not hide too many secrets. Story in the book is not really scary. It is a social drama about alcoholism and abuse in the family. "Doctor Sleep" is quite a good continuation of the story.
My personal favorite cinematic reincarnations of King's stories: "1408" with John Cusack and Samuel Jackson, and the two new reincarnations of "It" - both: young actors and adults are absolutely wonderful!
Because the film and the book are different can we apply the solutions to the mystery from the book to the film? I don't know because I never read the book. But the sequel apparently is based closely on the book so answers any mysteries from the first book but can that also apply to the first film?
Pet Sematary was a good book but I don't think it makes a good film. I haven't seen the remake though. Carrie is disturbing but damned good and ground breaking in terms of both the film and the book. I think it still holds up today.
I've got all your emails from the other day Dmitri so expect a long reply to those shortly.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Please do not hurry with replies. Take your time.
"Shining" is more of a Stanley Kubrick's vision than of Stephen King. So, I rather agree with you that they should be studied as separate subjects. Kubrick added a lot from himself: changed the tone of narration and added hidden messages for the viewer, which in turn add more connection to that era in our real world with its more sinister shadows. King did not go into specifics of criminal syndicate's business and the occult. Kubrick was more fascinated with these ideas. So, in my humble opinion, these are separate beasts: book and film.
I am excited about watching "Carrie"! Thank you for suggestion!
Dmitri
I love this channel, it remembers like 60minutes tv show of the movies.
I'm rather fond of it too John so thank you. Takes far too much time to produce the videos though but I'm getting that down as time goes on. John.
Loved The Shining! Scared me when I was younger. As did Salem's Lot! Thanks for the great review!
I was hardened to horror movies by the time I was 16 or 17 so very little ever gave me a scare by the time The Shining and Salem's Lot were current. But I do think they're both pretty terrific. John.
Thank you. My favourite adaptation is still the Mist
That was a surprisingly good film and a great ending too. John.
Another terrific video. I always love seeing the extra things from your collection like the 8mm reels of Carrie and the Steadicam. The Shining is among my favorite films of all time, and the 4k disc is a real treasure.
My problem with your interpretation of the "haunted photo" that fills up with the hotel's victims (which otherwise makes a lot of sense) is the repeated statements throughout the film by characters like Grady that Jack has "ALWAYS been the caretaker", that this hotel he's come to the for the first time is somehow also somewhere that he's "always" been. Personally, I'm more interested in following the human element of the characters than the supernatural. The Overlook is a much more magical place in King's novel, which seems to put much of the blame for Jack's growing psychosis on the haunted hotel. In Kubrick's film, by contrast, Jack seems like an abusive, controlling menace from the beginning, and all the hotel provides him is a stage on which to play out his madness.
Of course, none of what I just said provides any kind of answer to why there's a picture of Jack in a 50-year-old photo, and frankly, I don't really have an answer. The film seems to imply that Jack is more than just the latest in a string of victims the hotel has haunted; it seems to present him as almost the hotel's main haunter. He's front and center in the photo, and the way Grady says Jack has "always" been the caretaker seems to imply that the previous murders (like the chopped-up twins) were also somehow Jack's doing. But I guess at the end of the day, I'm comfortable leaving that element of the ending ambiguous, and understanding it as somehow symbolic. Jack is dead and frozen out in the hedge maze; Jack is also alive and in charge of the hotel in the past. Honestly, if you need a straightforward explanation that ties it up in a knot, your photo slowing filling up with ghosts ain't half bad...
I think you'll find some of the other comments and discussion about the ending in the comments on here interesting Craig but to summarize it looks like we've worked it all out. That statement from Jeevesy did cause me some problems and I couldn't explain it but I can now because your interpretation is almost there. Jack is a figment of Wendy's imagination so the scenes we see with him going for the interview and everything else are all in Wendy's mind. I suppose she saw the photo and introduced him into her delusion. The upshot is that the ending in its original form was a complete mess and would have destroyed the film and possibly Kubrick's reputation too so there was a last minute save to leave it all ambiguous and up to the audience to interpret. If you accept that then everything makes sense and falls into place.
John.
The aspect ratio is interesting as the DVDs Kubrick was involved with just before he died was 4:3. That means the picture is cropped.
I think the sequel, Dr Sleep explains what the deal is with the hotel.
Eyes Wide Shut was released to cinemas in academy format but I didn't know any of the others were. I really don't think The Shining was done in 1.33:1 but maybe that's what he wanted at the time. The distributors would have thwarted that though otherwise they'd have cinemas inundated with complaints because the masking wouldn't move in that far... as Disney proved with their 1990s releases of the classic cartoons. John.
@@moviecollector5920 There is an interesting article about it.
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.alternateending.com/blog/kubrick-and-his-ratios/amp
While it doesn’t benefit most of his movies, I do think it helps make the hotel look more open and grander.
Great review! I managed to buy The Shining, Doctor Sleep along with The invisible Man all on 4k plus I bought 3 Arrow video blu rays with them, Psycho 2, The Sender (1982) and Frankenhooker plus I bought the scream trilogy on blu ray since my DVD's weren't in 16:9.
Well that caboodle is going to keep you going for a while Andrew.
I just want to say I love your content keep it up! Absolute Kubrick fanatic. 15 and I own most his films on 4k, glad someone doesn't think I'm out of my mind for buying these 4k movies.
If you're only 15 and you're a fan of Kubrick films then you're going to end up with a career in movies somehow! Maybe you should start writing now and how about a project on Kubrick films for something? Writing is the best way to get to grips with English and grammar and if you end up in the film industry it could work wonders for you. No end of teaching is a match for doing it for yourself.
Great to hear from you and carry on enjoying those movies. 4K is fabulous but probably better than we need for home viewing so don't ever rule out Blu-ray or modern DVD for that matter because some of them are almost as good as 4K. It's HDR that makes the difference in the main.
Great CZcams ID by the way.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 thanks for the response! I've been tested for borderline eidetic memory so I should be able to do some interesting things.
@@openthepodbaydoorshal7806 That should certainly prove to be a great assistance with whatever you do. If you end up directing films you won't need storyboards as you'll just be able to store the images in your head! John.
Great review, and great extra information about the making of it, and I agree of you conclusion about jack in the Picture. Good Job!
Thank you Tom. There have been some good suggestions with regards to the ending in the comments below if you want to spend some time trawling through. It seems that the original intention was going to be a ridiculous nonsense whereby it was all in Wendy's head so thank gawd that was dropped at the last minute. It does explain everything though when analyzed. I think it would have destroyed the film and the fudge we were left with was far better and has given us something to discuss for the last 41 years which is part of the reason the film has such a good reputation today. John.
Love your reviews! Thank you for taking the time. I think Barry Lyndon is Stanley Kubricks best creation...maybe a review in the future? 😊
Maybe soon Anton because it seems that Kubrick's films are all coming out in 4K now. John.
You are correct when stating that The Shining was not greatly received at the time of release. As I recall, reviews were mixed (Nicholson's character was a bit too off balance from the beginning) and I am surprised that it is now regarded as such a classic. I had seen it in the theatre at the time of its original release in my early twenties. I did like the film very much at the time and still do , but didn't really consider it such a "horror" film because it wasn't really that scary..more creepy than scary, although it certainly was and is impressive visually. I remember folks in the theatre were laughing at times.. especially when title cards (such as "TUESDAY") would appear with dramatic music-- The audience would read the title card out loud and laugh!.. I had also seen Carrie in the theatre at the time of release and the audience responded much more appropriately.
The Shining may have been ahead of its time I suppose Stephen but I tend to think that it's more that people have seen it more than once and that is necessary to appreciate it. Jack Nicholson's performance did put me off back in 1980 but now it doesn't bother me and I can clearly see why he was considered a shoe-in for the role of The Joker in the 1989 Batman. Many films from around the same time are now considered masterpieces that rather missed the mark on original release and Apocalypse Now is a prime example in that regard.
John.
Afternoon John. It's a great 4K disc. My favourite Kubrick films alternate between 2001, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon and The Shining depending what day you ask me. I'd be interested to hear your views on the Criterion Blu-ray of Barry Lyndon, it's a beauty in my opinion. I'll be picking up the 4K of A Clockwork Orange later this year. It's one of those films I've got lots of editions. I had it on NTSC laserdiscs, 3 DVDs in the Stanley Kubrick box sets and 3 Blu-ray's the standard edition the 40th anniversary edition and in a Kubrick Blu-ray box set. Crazy isn't it. I'd be interested in seeing any Kubrick films you have on 8mm, I saw your 2001 8mm on your review of the 4K. Great video as always John.
I expect I'll do a review of the 4K release of A Clockwork Orange Steve. I've actually got a trailer for that one on 35mm and I think it's from 20 years ago so it must have had a re-release then.
I don't have Barry Lyndon but with all the Kubrick films getting the 4K treatment lately perhaps I'd better hold on for a while. I've never owned it on anything so it will be good to re-visit the film after so many years. Can't remember anything other than it being a great looking production so that will be fun.
Tonight we're watching the 4K of Mad Max Fury Road so we'll see what that one's like. I had quite a lot of people ask me to take a look at it and Ready Player One which is slated for Monday night's entertainment.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 afternoon John. A trailer for A Clockwork Orange from 20 years ago sounds about right. It was re-released on the big screen after Stanley Kubrick died in 1999 and his grip on the film being shown here in the UK was eased.
@@stevenandnicola123 That makes sense. It's not a very good trailer though. John.
Excellent review!
Thank you! John.
I remember once reading that Kubrick intended for the movies he shot on spherical lens 35mm film to be viewed in the full 1.33:1 frame.
Eyes Wide Shut was 1.33:1 at the cinema. I can't recall if cinemas had modified the masking to frame the academy frame by then but they'd had trouble with Disney re-releases so I believe the cinema in which we saw Eyes Wide Shut displayed the film correctly. John.
The DVD format was released in the last few years of Kubrick's life, and as I recall he was strangely adamant that all of his films (with the exception, I believe, of 2001) be released on home video exclusively in 1.33:1. I believe it wasn't until after his death that The Shining and the rest were available in 1.85:1. Interestingly, it seems from Kubrick's remarks on the subject that his main concern was less fidelity to the theatrical experience than filling the home screen (which at the time was typically no larger than 13"-36").
There's an excellent bonus feature on the Criterion blu-ray of On the Waterfront that shows how the cinematographer composed every shot to work whether matted to 1.85:1, 1.66:1, or 1.33:1, knowing it might be projected in any of these aspect ratios at individual theaters. I wouldn't be surprised if the same is true of most of Kubrick's films; as I recall from that original run of full-frame DVDs, they certainly don't look BAD in 1.33:1.
@@craigrussell3062 All makes sense to me Craig. A lot of films are shot by the cinematographers with multiple screen ratios and probably even more so today given all the chicanery with the IMAX moniker which is used for various formats today without actually being IMAX as we all know it... or knew it. John.
Favorite Stephen King movies are Carrie, Shining, Misery, Dolores Claiborne, Shawshank, The Mist and of course, Dead Zone. I was a projectionist for Carrie. Had fun watching audience at the end.
Dead Zone is another film I want to see again. I was a projectionist for Carrie two days ago! I did think about running the ending in reverse and pointing out that the cars were then running the right way but I thought I'd leave that for a full review of Carrie if it ever gets a 4K release. John.
@@moviecollector5920 the big jump is really fun to watch from the booth with 100-200 people in the theater - but I'm evil 🤪
@@Celestialrob I jumped so much the first time that I had a long held false memory of how the arm comes out. But I'm a bit sadistic too... the shock scene in Phantasm where the Tall Man puts his hand on Jody's shoulder - I always turned the volume right up to make everyone jump out of their skin! John.
@@moviecollector5920 OK, we're both evil :)
great movie! Have the 4K disc and it’s a brilliant transfer! Thanks for the review always good to hear your thoughts
Thank you for taking the time to thank me! John.
Great review and a very interesting ending theory. Makes a shining kinda sense!
I've never seen or read about anyone else's theories as to the ending and when Clark suggested his ideas to me it kind of fell into place and does explain the whole thing even if I'm probably barking up the wrong tree. John.
Carrie is such a brilliant movie with such great acting, really must get round to seeing it again
I'm hoping it will get a 4K release so I can do a full review. Not sure it will get a 4K release at all but I'll keep hoping for it. John.
Movie Collector, regarding the spoiler talk, you pretty much nailed most of it. The hotel is haunted by dark moments which can easily influence the weak minded, in this case, Jack Nicholson, the dark energy feeds of the living, specially from fear. There's a movie sequel to The Shining called Dr Sleep, which is also written by Stephen King, where the shinning concept is explained deeper.
Doctor Sleep would be interesting but the film The Shining does not match the book so it's quite likely the interpretations don't match. I don't think it matters because I don't think Kubrick understood his ending and the idea was probably to leave it all a bit muddy and vague so people would discuss their own interpretations... which is exactly what we've been doing on here of course. He was a cunning devil that Kubrick! John.
@@moviecollector5920 There is a 2019 Doctor Sleep film that's a direct sequel to Kubrick's The Shinning, they even re-create a bunch of scenes given that the main character is the kid from the first movie. I'd recommend it 100% in 4K, it is very sharp along with the HDR, and the Atmos is also really good. One of my favorite horror films of recent years.
@@CmlDexter It's just gone on the HMV shopping list for our next Mondo Mooch which should be this Wednesday if all goes to plan. No doubt all my current thinking about the ending of The Shining will be thrown out of the window! John.
Good review, as always! I did like this film in 4K, it's excellent, I'm just hoping we get a 4K of Barry Lyndon, my favourite of Kubrick's, and one of my favourite of all time.
All the Kubrick films seem to be appearing Luke so it's quite likely Barry Lyndon won't be too long. John.
@@moviecollector5920 fingers crossed. Hoping it gets a nice collectors edition!
I really enjoyed the 11/22/63 novel and thought the adaptation was really great and had me emotional at the end, as the book did.
The ending of 11.22.63 is beautiful. We all so want them to end up together and it's heartbreaking when it becomes clear that it's impossible. John.
Another great review. Cheers, John.
It's a great disc. I didn't think much of Dr Sleep though.
I haven't seen Dr. Sleep yet. Don't know if I should. John.
@@moviecollector5920 it doesn't ruin the shining, it's just a thorough waste of time.
Thank you John for showing us your steadicam and also for a couple of recommendations. Stephen King: Master of Horror which I shall watch now and 11.22.63 which I’ve tracked down on Blu-ray.
That documentary is excellent and 11.22.63 is even better, plus it's a beautiful Blu-ray with outrageous colour and definition. John.
@@moviecollector5920 - Just finished watching the documentary. 👍🏻
@@cheekster777 I like it that Stephen King sometimes comes out with drinks and biccies for fans on the Stephen King tour. What a nice chap!
@@moviecollector5920 - Would like to do that tour when next Stateside. 😎
Awesome review John :) The Shining is an outstanding horror film and I've seen it many times. There's so many great Stephen King movies, Pet Sematary, The Mist, Cujo, Dolores Claiborne, Christine, Children of the corn, Dead Zone, Silver Bullet and Firestarter just to name a few. I love the 11.22.63 miniseries and have watched it twice. It's well written and very interesting.
How can so many great stories come out of one person's mind? It's quite astounding really.
Now then, I didn't think much of the 1989 version of Pet Sematary so what do you think? I''m hoping the remake will be worth my while and not another disappointment. So if you think the original version is better than maybe I'll get the remake a miss. Must see The Dead Zone again soon as I loved it. Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen were both perfect in that one... then again, they generally are in everything they do. John.
@@moviecollector5920 @Movie Collector I think Pet Sematary 1989 is far better than the remake with great performances by Dale Midkiff and Fred Gwynne. I haven't read the book but many people thinks that the 1989 version is a good book adaptation. I do like the remake but it's just not as good
Random fact. The road they used to film the opening scene is in Montana, the Going to the Sun road. When they get to the top and show that aerial shot of the hotel it's the Timberline Lodge in Oregon.
But where's the maze in that aerial shot??? Oh, it's thousands of miles away at Elstree Studios! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yeah, I was a little bummed when I visited the Timberline Lodge and didn't see a maze.
Great info, thanks.
I think the recent sequel is darned good too Gary. John.
Another great review John.
But I think that end theory is stretching it 😉...There are so many theories and I'd recommend watching the Documentary, Room 237 for some of the best.
The sequel, Dr Sleep is very good too and gives you an idea of what was happening in the original film...either way, you may have opened a can of worms sharing a theory on The Shining 😆
That was the plan! If I do learn of a more plausible theory I'll be jolly relieved but I think the truth of it is that even the film makers didn't understand it. The nonsense I've cooked up does answer all the questions though even if it is complete tosh! John.
Great video as usual. Very interesting theory of the ending. Hmm...
Apparently my theory is wrong but I haven't seen the recent sequel which apparently has an entirely different interpretation. John.
Another great review John, always look forward to your informed take on these transfers.
Loved the colours on this myself, this is another transfer that in contrast to the old warner bluray is night and day in comparison.
I really get the impression that the warner Kubrick bkuray set was sourced from the old dvd masters.
Looking forward to a clockwork orange getting released in Septemberand hopefully Barry Lyndon and perhaps eyes wide shut 🤞So many 4ks coming in the next few months its going to be an expensive year.
Thanks again for the great content.
It's quite possible the transfer that went onto DVD was a downscale from 1080 lines and therefore the Blu-ray was easier to knock out quickly. But back then it tended to be prints that were used for the transfers so not so much care was taken to get things up to the exceptional quality we enjoy today. John.
@@moviecollector5920 for sure, that's the best thing about the 4k era for me, camera negatives getting scanned for transfers. Long may it continue.
Great to see you John. Loved this review as always. Stay well my friend.
It seems to be getting rather a large audience which is encouraging. It always seems to be more based on the popularity of a particular film rather than my reviews but that's to be expected. We are having a pretty serious heatwave here. Feels almost like southern California. John.
@@moviecollector5920 yeah, I looked through your view numbers are definitely picking up! We have a chilly 26 degrees Celsius here in Marin today. I just bought Criterion box sets of Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini. 53 movies!
@@Celestialrob That'll keep you going for a couple of days through the cold weather Rob! John.
always such a joy watching this channel.
Excellent review!! Not yet watched my 4k copy of this as been busy with house renovations. Also just started to binge watch breaking bad which I had never seen. I think the ending explanation is great as I had always thought he was the original care taker from the 20's but reborn again but fate was making him go back to the same place to die. Your explanation seems better as mine was based on the dialogue where the bartender tells him in the toilets that he's (Jack) always been the caretaker.
That was my original take on it based on the conversation with 'Jeevesy' the waiter in the toilets. But it doesn't explain so many other holes in the ending. I think I'll continue to try to work it all out but other than that conversation in the toilets my current theory does seem to explain everything. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I think your current theory is the best one!
The Shinning is probably my favorite horror film. I own the 4k blu ray but have yet to watch that transfer. I'm sure it looks pretty great.
It is pretty darned good. The interesting thing is that a lot of people think films/videos look better today which is not correct and if you look at the sequel Doctor Sleep and compare it to The Shining it's clear to see that The Shining is far better in every respect than the more recent film. Image quality started to get dumbed down towards the end of the 1990s but there have been exceptions with some excellent 35mm productions and even a few 70mm films since that time. Christopher Nolan and Kenneth Branagh are the two stand-out film makers in that regard.
John.
Another awesome review mate, you seriously know your stuff. I'm looking forward to the 4k steelbook release of Shawshank Redemption even though the artwork ain't great.
Let's hope the steelbook looks better once you see it in the metal because sometimes they surprise. Most of the time they don't though! John.
A most excellent episode. Thank you.
Thank you Nikolaki. John.
Thanks to your reviews I've just upgraded to 4K and Dolby Atmos. I believe I'm getting The Shining and 2001 on HDR Blu Ray from Father Christmas!
They'll make for a merry Christmas... add Murder On The Orient Express onto the list and it will make a VERY merry Christmas!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Hi John, you've just reminded me of your fantastic review of Murder of the Orient Express on 4k and have just ordered it myself! Thanks for the recommendation, Dave
@@loftlegacy That is the best video quality I have ever seen. Next best is probably Tenet but if you don't already know Tenet then it can be a little confusing. I had to watch the film twice as well as all the extras in order to work it all out for the review. The common denominator for all the best 4K discs is their origination on 65mm or 70mm film. That's not a surprise to me but you'll be hard pushed to find anyone else doing these reviews who has much comprehension of that.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 John, I think your channel is fantastic as it's got that depth of technical knowledge and you have such a good way of describing film to the lay person consumer (such as me). Dave
Agreed, it's the least loyal Syephen King but as a horror cult film, or "auteur horror" it's arguably the best ever made. Its a film I can just throw on and watch with the sound off and have the imagery wash over my eyes. My favourite King film adaptation is CUJO from 1983 - which I was happy to find out is also King's personal favourite. Have you seen it?
I don't think I did ever see Cujo. I remember a friend reading the book and telling me how good it was but I didn't get to the book either. Maybe the thought of a mad, deadly dog didn't float my boat at the time. I'll have to take a look soon. John.
Another great video. I don’t consider it a good adaptation because Kubrick didn’t adapt the book, he took the characters, location and made his own version, and I love it. It has to be one of the most analysed films of all time. Check out The Wendy Theory on CZcams, makes a lot more sense than some of them out there.
I remember you saying in an earlier video how good Brannah’s Murder On The Orient Express looked. Are you going to do a full review of it sometime? Would be really interested in seeing that.
I expect I'll do something more comprehensive on Orient Express when Death on the Nile comes out. I hope to get to see that one in 70mm in October so if you have any cinemas capable of screening a 70mm print anywhere near you then it's got to be worth the trip.
I don't know if my theory on the ending of The Shining is right but it does seem to explain everything and fill in all the holes. John.
@@moviecollector5920, where would you see that in 70mm? I usually go to my local in Kingsbridge, or Vue in Plymouth. Don’t know where the nearest 70mm showing would be. Cheers, Mark
Wow a Sony HDR-HC1E? I have one here in the US to allow an easy conversion to 24P. I haven't used it in ages but I love that camera!
Close Darren but it's a Sony HVR-A1E. I also have an A1C which is the same camera but was originally destined for China. Both are fixed to PAL 25fps. I've shot a lot of documentaries with them but don't use them very much these days as technology has moved on a bit and I'm using 4K cameras now (even though I don't release anything 4K other than a few CZcams videos). John.
@@moviecollector5920 Fantastic, yes the pro version. it's still amazing how much has changed in the past now about 15 years. One feature I think is still gone from today's cameras but useful for documentary is night vision that these cameras really excelled with.
@@darrenorange2982 Because I've been doing classic cars and vintage tractors I haven't had a use for the night vision function. I should have got a job on 'Most Haunted' just to have an excuse to use it! Mainly using a Panasonic camera now but have a fabulous little Sony action camera that shoots imagery almost as good. John.
Extremely interesting thank you for a great video. The shinning in 4k is incredible I think 👍
It's transferred very well to 4K disc and I doubt it would be possible to get much more out of it. Probably could with a new 35mm print off the original camera negative though! John.
I love this film and the 4K presentation will no doubt be stunning if the Blu Ray alone is anything to go by. Love the Leeds born actor Philip Stone in this who plays original caretaker Grady. He was in Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, Flash Gordon, Indiana Jones and 2 Carry On films, quite diverse. The music from The Gold Room was beautiful too featuring Al Bowly, absolute class John. Always makes me smile with the opening credits of The Shining with the Overlook in Oregon and no maze in sight, just a car park, go figure! 😀
Morning Gary! It is a bit obvious the maze isn't there when you get to know the film but back in 1980 no one considered the home movie market and the possibility of watching a film over and over again. Now we have the web where such things are pointed out ad nauseam and anyone who is interested in a film can get to pick up on all the minor flaws. My own take on it is the maze was only put in while Jack was having his job interview! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes things are scrutinised a lot more but it doesnt really matter, its whether you enjoyed it. I love it, just wished I had got the 4k boxset instead of the standard edition.
@@garypeach8945 Me too Gary but at least we'll both know next time it gets a re-release. John.
I really wish they still kept the open matte version for both the bluray and 4k
Was that an academy format Pedro? Maybe it was intended to be academy but over here it would have been 1.66:1 and that would probably be the best compromise. John.
I went to see the 4k remaster at the cinema - well worth it! It was the first time I'd seen it, although I can't decide if I prefer the film or the book. They're both so distinctly different it almost seems unfair to compare them.
Movie Collector I read the book a couple of years ago before I saw the film. It was the book I read as a break between all the books I HAD to read for my literature degree. I enjoyed the book, then loved the film, but I feel like if I were to read the book again it would be impossible to picture what's going on in my head seeing Jack Nicholson and other iconic imagery from the film.
@@alpertroncp2198 I fully understand that. John.
Great review as usual .
Thank you Mic. John.
I think the ghosts at Overlook lives in a microcosm of there own in which time is standing still and where it is always a 4 July party going on. People can become part of it and they are all assigned new roles. Hence, Grady is not the caretaker anymore. That role has been reserved for Jack. The photo is there to show that Jack has now joined the ensemble.
That's a good interpretation Dirk. You may find some of the comments below quite interesting as I've had some interesting discussions with fellow film buffs and there have been some other good interpretations among them. I was going down the same route as your own conclusion so between us we're probably not too far off the mark. However, it does seem that the ending intended was abandoned at the last minute and that's why we're still trying to work it out today. Apparently the intention was to imply that it had all been in Wendy's head... ridiculous but true. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I think the truth is that neither Kubrick or the writer had a very defined idea of what they were trying to accomplish. But the party theme seem to run through both the film (masquerade costumes, "Great party, isn't it?") and the novel (confetti and balloons are found in the elevator that start operating on it's own). Kubrick was apparently tired of his films being over analysed. He seemed morr focused on making his films work as movies rather than hiding messages.
@@Dirkschneider The best thing about the ending is that here we are more than 40 years later still discussing it and reaching alternative conclusions. At the time of first release it was a bit annoying not to have a defined ending but over the years it's turned out to be one of its biggest strengths.
I love your intros John, especially your super 8 projector in full motion!
This 4K release has done justice to Kubrick’s classic! The HDR is superb now, and had been lacking for decades on home video!
Don’t know if you’re a fan but Christine (1983) from John Carpenter also deserves honorable mention on the 4K front!
Thank you
I don't have Christine Charles but I'm sure I'll get it sometime soon. Haven't seen it since it was broadcast on television and it didn't work very well that way. 1.33:1 pan and scan and probably chock-full of adverts.
By the way, the projector in the intro is my 35mm machine. It's impossible to get a shot of the Super 8 gate in motion as there's just not the space between the components to get that angle.
John.
Christine looks great, looks very much like film, I love the grain structure in this film and colours are well balanced.. was too young to see this at the cinema but I imagined what it felt like with this 4k
@@ethanberry9846 Many of the 35mm transfers onto 4K are looking very much like genuine film so it sounds like Christine is another success story. Some mastering once the films are transferred are getting digital sharpening added which spoils them a little but when you consider how good they still are for such comparatively low cost, it's still an amazing achievement. John.
@@moviecollector5920 yes this doesn't look like it has been tampered with, the cherry colour of Christine looks more bold staying away from what most dredded as the car popping with colour, colours are very natural, darker, bolder, richer, no neon colours here, nice to see a few soft spots also and a few flaws which are more baked into the film than the 4k, it's possibly the most natural looking film on 4k, skin tones are more natural than the blu ray where there was a push more towards orange and red, similar to the old top gun blu ray where skin tones ran too red, this is pretty much a razor sharp for the most part considering its age but really came out on 4k with very little fuss and always seems a bit pricey to buy online
@@ethanberry9846 Certainly convinced me it's time I took another look at Christine. The one I hope they give the 4K treatment to is Starman. The Thing should be rather special in two months time though. John.
There's a film documentary Room 237 by Rodney Ascher which has elaborate theories on this film some are way out there but other pose really interesting points - watch with an open mind.
There have been quite a few comments on here about the ending and it seems that 'it was all in Wendy's head' theory was the original ending. Dear oh dear! So we've got to be thankful Kubrick or someone forced a last minute change. John.
I just found out A Clockwork Orange is releasing on 4K blu-ray in September in US. I’m not sure about the UK. Hoping you will be able to review it when it’s out though. I’ve already pre-ordered my copy.
I think that one's going to get a review Sean. John.
hi, Movie Collector ! actresses Sissy Spacek and Piper laurie got Nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Brian De Palma's movie Carrie
They were both perfect in those roles. Actually, everyone in that film was just about perfect and that's what makes it so believable and haunting. John.
The Shining is so much about the atmosphere of dread and spooky occurances. It's more or less the Jack Nicholson Show. But all performances are top tier. Director Kubrick tortured Shelley Long to wring a hysterical performance, something frowned upon nowadays. Great movie, one of the best.
It's just been pointed out to me that I said Shelley Long when it's actually Shelley Duvall. Sometimes I should darned well get someone to check what I'm about to say! But The Money Pit's a great film too and I'm sure Shelley Long would have been great in The Shining as well even if she wouldn't have looked quite so upset as Shelley Duvall at times. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I thought it was Duvall, but I corrected myself when I wrote Long, imdb is our friend 😊
@@moviecollector5920 No problem, sometimes we all make those mistakes. No need to edit the video, it's just a little innocent mistake. You do great content, just keep going, mistakes will happen and it's a part of learning from them.
While I didn't read the short story, Silver Bullet seems like a very good Stephen King film adaptation!
Well there's one I'll have to see now. Well done Mike! John.
Kubrick's daughters behind the scenes film shot on location is really good she captured the events and the scene with Kubrick directing Shelley Duvall is brilliant.
I watched that first time without the commentary and second time with the commentary. It's very telling. I don't think I'd have taken the treatment that Shelley Duvall got very well. Kubrick might have found himself with a black eye if it were me. John.
Brilliantly done as usual. Could hardly wait to get home and watch your review. Although I prefer the TV version of 'shinning' over this, you have piqued my interest into giving it another watch. Also funny that you mentioned 'Carrie' as I read that and 'salems lot' at the age of 12 and I can honestly say that both books gave me nightmares for weeks.
I was reading all the Stephen King books around the same time (and James Herbert who was even more frightening to read). I never saw the television version of The Shining but I think this 4K is longer than the theatrical version so maybe it's more similar to the TV edition. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks. I'll look into those books aswell. Difference is that I was reading "King's" books during the mid 80s. Also, I recorded a Steven King adaptation of 'rose red' (similar to shining hotel) which you might want to check out.
@@mobey56 I've not had much time to read over the past 15 years or so but I hope to get back into it soon... getting old you see. But of the James Herbert books the best I remember are Rats and Lair. Bloody hell, they were a terrifying read... probably because I can't bear the thought of giant rats more than anything but they were horrific books. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks for the heads up sir; will definately check those titles out. I find reading helps in relaxing (unwinding) me and do so on my daily comutes. On a side note, if you have a kindle or any other e-reader: then it is easy to adjust the font to your liking.
*note - The Shining 4K disc is the Extended version. (144 mins.)
Yes. Strange that it doesn't come with the original version but it doesn't seem to have messed the film up at all. John.
@@moviecollector5920 before purchasing the 4k Blu-ray I was aware it wouldn't include the theatrical (and in my opinion superior) cut. But I am still incredibly disappointed that it doesn't.
In my opinion the theatrical is far superior to the extended edition, having watched both versions about 5 to 10 times each over the last two decades. While I don't really want to buy it yet another time I do still hope they one day choose to release a 4k Blu-ray with the theatrical cut. Although given the fact that the extended version is what the American customers are used to, I'm not holding my breath 😔
@@Ewld If the original version of the film ever turns up on 4K I'm buying it and the extended one might even go in the bin!!! But probably not! John.
Thank you John this is one of my favorite discs. How did you like those sweeping shots from helicopter through the snowcapped glacier national park to open the film? It really sets the mood and captures what is to come... isolation and terror!
I was going to mention the opening helicopter shots Theo and how it gave a foretaste of what was coming with the Steadicam later on but when it came to it I thought I'd be complicating things and causing more work for myself. If I'd have been preparing this film for a 4K release I'd have run Black Magic Design Davinci Resolve stabiliser over those helicopter shots just to make them completely, totally smooth. But that might have upset some people so it's understandable.
One my favourite s horror s. Just got docter sleep. Might put on tonight it looks gd 👍
I haven't checked The Shinning out with 4K resolution, but I will (soon)!
It's the HDR that makes such a difference. Makes video look more like film than ever before. John.
I want a set up like this at some point in my life.
I read The Dead Zone novel and I have the movie on Bluray and DVD. This is my favorite version of the book. I haven't read the novel The Shining but I do like the movie. I watched the movie on free to air channel in Australia but it has an extra scene that is deleted in the DVDs and Blurays.
I haven't seen The Dead Zone for a long time but always liked it. One I keep thinking to purchase and never manage to remember when I'm in HMV.
John.
Great review John, but you are making me feel old. I saw both Carrie and Piranha on original release after I had got married!!!!
I'm making myself feel old Brian! But I wouldn't have changed anything as it's all been such an adventure. John.
hi John.
Great review, as always love it.
I saw the Lions King. (2019) on 4k the other day, it is definitely one of the great looking pictures on a 4k movies I have seen.
if you have not seen it can recommend watching it.
greetings from Johnny.
If that was the cartoon of The Lion King Johnny then cartoons do tend to look sharper because of the outlines around the drawings. It was the same on Super 8 but The Lion King was still an exceptional Super 8 release. Having said that, Disney got it horribly wrong with The Little Mermaid on Super 8 as they'd forgotten how to produce a negative! John.
@@moviecollector5920 hi john.
first thanks for your reply
no the computer-animated movie, from Director
Jon Favreau.
Greetings from Johnny, seen in your next video.
I really enjoyed this film in 4K. I think when it was released, people were a bit underwhelmed because 2001 came just before it. I thought the transfer was impeccable.
Quite right Chris, it's an excellent video transfer. What most people have little or no knowledge of is the different film gauges. The Shining was shot on 35mm and 2001 A Space Odyssey was shot on 65mm giving almost three times the picture area. That is why the best 4K discs so far have all come from 70mm releases. The best video I've seen (i.e. shot on video and not film) is Le Mans '66 which at first glance has almost a 70mm look to it. John.
@@moviecollector5920- that’s the UK version of Ford vs Ferrari correct?
I agree that movie looks awesome in 4K. And the sound design was impeccable (I’m a pretty big racing fan). Blew me away.
@@chrisd6736 That's the one Chris. I'm a big classic car fan and have actually shot a couple of classic racing documentaries over in the USA. I get more freedom to shoot these things at race tracks in America than I do over here to the point that I gave up trying over here. Did one at the Nurburgring in Germany too and they weren't anywhere near as draconian either. John.
Absolutely love the shinning. One of my fav horrors. Love my bluray. Good review again john
I think it's a film that gets better with repeated viewings. Better watch it again then! John.
@@moviecollector5920 oh 100%. I find that with almost all Kubricks
great review as always.the shining gets better with each viewing.first time watching i thought it was okay.now a dozen viewings later its brilliant.
some movies have that effect.theres a 4k 1984 Dune coming soon .how about that.by the way i absolutely love those super 8 packaging.
those and us laserdiscs have some amazing covers.
Funnily enough I just replied to a comment to say that I think The Shining gets better with repeated viewings. I haven't tried the same with the 1984 version of Dune... I thought it was so boring that I've never taken a second look so maybe the time is coming. I loved the book though. John.
I really like this channel,, it's detailed.
Thank you Michel. Good to have you here. John.
Well if you go off the ending Kubrick cut becuase it was too much like psycho where the hotel manger tells Wendy that she was the one hired to clean and care for the overlook and that their was no jack.
He had the projectionist cut the scene since the prints sent to theaters did have the scene intact.
I find that makes the most sense as the opening is Wendy going to the hotel with Danny & all the interactions between everyone means that the three people had the shine which is why they didn’t think anything of it; so they saw all the ghosts the haunted hotel always had.
I don’t think it holds up that well since it means you were purposely shown scenes that didn’t actually happen like in joker but as the actual reveal of what did happen was cut we are only left with the ending of the picture that was the icing ontop of the he was always the groundskeeper line from the ballroom scene.
Just as well that ending didn't make it into the world then. Terrible. And we've seen it so many times before. A few years ago we sat down to watch a really interesting film starring Jake Gyllenhaal called 'Enemy'. We were both really struggling to work it all out and then all of a sudden it went off. Basically the same ending as you've outlined and we both felt quite angry about it as we'd wasted two hours watching what was essentially a con. If we ever run Enemy again we might see it differently but without the knowledge of the stupid ending ahead of time it ruined the whole film. Same would have happened with The Shining. But it does explain that conversation with Jeevsy the waiter when he tells Jack that he's always been the caretaker. I'm amazed that Stanley Kubrick almost got it so wrong. Thank gawd he cut that out at the last minute otherwise he might not be quite so well regarded today.
As is they'd take on a single mother to maintain a hotel like that through a winter. It was a stretch having Jack and his family left all alone but a mother and child only. Ridiculous.
Thanks for filling me in on this though.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 yeah, it is a shame we can’t see the actual scene as he filmed it but it is a stretch to think even with a recommendation that during the harshest winter on record they would hire a single women in the 80s no less to care for a giant hotel.
I guess with modern views it could be rediscovered as a feminist film but it is like you said a very hard ending to sale on people.
It does however explain why jack is reading playgirl & why in the interview at the beginning he brings in another person for their opinion as they are so worried about her taking care of the hotel and when jack says that Wendy likes horror stories because they know about the hotels past the scene ends becuase in fact Wendy told them that to get the job at the haunted hotel.
It all works but like you said that’s far too much to unpack at the end of a film and would have needed to been pulled off so perfectly to win everyone over. The right call seems to have been made.
Would still love to see the deleted scenes he filmed
@@Thecatdrums3 It's all this mystery and what might have been that has made the film so successful because we still find ourselves talking about it over 40 years later. That in itself is quite amazing. Thank gawd they saved the day right at the end otherwise none of us would be able to watch the film today with that original ending. John.
That ending explanation makes a lot of sense... Another great vid, very insightful as always. It's always a pleasure seeing your vids in my sub box :)
Always a pleasure to read your comments Chaddy. Next video should be a round-up of the 4Ks I've seen this month that I haven't reviewed. Still got a couple more to watch I think but they've all been pretty good so far. John.
I prefer The Wendy Theory...
@@HardRockMaster7577 The Wendy theory appears to be the original ending but it probably would have been the end of Kubrick, or at least, he wouldn't have been taken seriously any longer. Thank gawd he didn't go down that route as we've been conned by that same ending by so many film makers. The worst example is the Jake Gyllenhaal 'Enemy'. John.
Great review I do like the dark knight rises
What a classic film! Has to be one of Jack Nicholson best performances, great review as always 👍 😎
Jack Nicholson has done so many great performances but this is certainly one of them. The Joker might be his best but I really like him in The Bucket List with Morgan Freeman. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Randle P. McMurphy
I bought this yesterday and watched , I was blown away by the PQ and AQ of the 4k, its a film Ive not seen from start to finish either so was really surprised how great it was but this has defiantly been one of the best 4ks
It's not quite up there with the best Carl but it's a very good 35mm transfer so probably one of the best of those. For the best image quality on 4K look for those originating on 70mm and 15/70 IMAX such as Death on the Nile and Tenet. Apocalypse Now and Jaws are the best 35mm transfers on my home system. For the best movies shot on video I think Le Mans '66 and perhaps Fast & Furious 8 are among the best I've seen and do prove that video can work.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John for the info, I will definatly look into 70mm films as a starting point. I agree with Jaws its superb onmy system too ( 82 OLED Samsung, with Denon Amp AVR-X2700H )
@@C4rL72 The Shining isn't quite as good as Jaws and Apocalypse Now (as far as my recollections go anyway) but it's different to project video rather than watch on a telly so you may find it looks better on your system than it does on mine. 82 inches must be over five feet wide so that's a big telly! You almost need masking and curtains on that one.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yeah it just fit on my chimney breast ( old terraced house) but its a cracking TV with great upscale abilites, calibrated correct its a stunning picture.