MovieChat Forums > The Shining (1980) Discussion > the sense of doom from those aereal shot...

the sense of doom from those aereal shots

posted 8 years ago by andyk69
13 replies | jump to latest

I watched the movie last night after more than 10 yrs,
what a freak movie this is, very good film,

while I was watching, those areal shots of Jacks car going to
the interview and them with his family going to the hotel,
I felt this sense of doom or destiny was already following
them, like theres no scape to their faith,
does anyone has this same feeling with this scenes?

also, do you think Shelley Duvall performance is award worthy?
I really think it is.
( and I dont mean that Razzie award nomination ;)

[–] kmags84 8 years ago

Agree on both points. I can't think of many opening shots that remotely compare. I always enjoy the beginning of Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas, Blade Runner etc, but this takes the cake.

[–] Barbed_Wire_Strawberry 8 years ago

Opening of Clockwork is up there for epic-ness.

Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride

[–] Irishdrummer007 8 years ago

I agree. the opening scene sets up this mood that goes on for the whole film.

[–] KingCobra686 8 years ago

And it shows how remote the hotel really is, which helps later in the movie. I think it was in the book, but there was some dialogue about how they almost didnt make it up the steep hills even in the lowest gears on the VW Bug. That was in perfectly clear weather with no snow, so it was certainly impossible for them to try and get out of there once the snow started.

Also, the musical score behind that intro was awesome.

[–] Moviemadness2012 8 years ago

Kubrick was a master of camera movements, especially in the pioneering use of steadicam.

Both Nicholson and Duvall overacted just a tad at times, IMO, but that didn't bother me.

[–] antonasmodeus 8 years ago

The opening shots of "The Shining" are brilliant but even more so with Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind's wonderfully iconic music.

[–] Kompressor_Fan 8 years ago

The way the camera sweeps down and seems to almost touch the car going around the corner just a moment before the credits start.....a brilliant shot.

[–] barajasb97 7 years ago

I agree I agree I agree I agree

[–] IMDBRefugee1SD (139) 7 years ago

That music is a big part of that feeling of doom. It's an arrangement of the Dies Irae(Wrath of God) from the mass for the dead. Iconic indeed.

[–] Otter (24464) 7 years ago

I was just going to say that most of the feeling of doom comes from the music, not the visuals. If swoony romantic Music was playing, we'd think we were watching a young couple in love going to a romantic getaway in the beautiful mountains.

[–] Slaterson14 8 years ago

Every moment of this film is amazing but those are possibly me favorite shots paired with the music, when the camera lowers down the the level of the car and continues going off the edge of the road is one of the coolest shots Ive ever seen in a film. I was a bit bummed to find out years ago on the commentary that Kubrick himself wasn't even there for the shooting of those scenes but no doubt he would of been the genius behind them and had to of told them how he wanted it to b done.

[–] bradhbbrd 8 years ago

I think they also show how remote and removed from civilization the overlook is.
Also the mirrored lake hints at the mirror theme in the film.

[–] tieman64 8 years ago

I think they also show how remote and removed from civilization the overlook is.

And the intro almost feels like a journey back in time. Like Jack is seeking out pioneer or frontier times.