The shining is the least important supernatural force in this
Why is it called after that?
shareCertainly it's the least interesting thing about the story, at least in the Kubrick film.
Frankly the film would have worked just as well if the whole "shining" thing had been cut and it'd just been about a child at the mercy of forces beyond his control, but that wasn't happening after the studio had paid big money for the rights to "The Shining", and was expecting the title of a best-selling book to sell the film.
"Frankly the film would have worked just as well if the whole "shining" thing had been cut.."
I would agree that this could have been extremely scary without the supernatural element, but I disagree that it was worthless and expendable. A great many of the horrific images had their origins precisely in Danny's ability to "shine" past events that lingered in the hotel. And some of the best dialog involved Jack's shining moments with Lloyd the bartender and Delbert Grady, not to mention the creepy scene with the rotting woman in 237. All great stuff in my opinion.
Actually I mean that the movie would have worked without the kid's supernatural abilities, which didn't figure heavily in plot of the movie (I understand the book is different), and which didn't seem crucial to his survival.
If the only supernatural elements had been happening to the dad, such as his visions of the hotel's old days and the murderous butler, we would have had that lovely "The Turn of the Screw" ambiguity, where we never know if the bizarre events happening on the screen are supernatural or hallucinations. Well, we'd know at the end, which would have been way cool.
I agree. That would've been cool too, and those who like Nicholson's crazy performance would've been equally happy.
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