C) Brainstorm ideas on the role of the highlighted words in the essay.

Unit 10

ANALYZING A MOVIE

READING AND

VOCABULARY

Exercise 1. a) Read the film essay sample paying attention to the highlighted words.

B) Translate the highlighted words into Russian.

c) Brainstorm ideas on the role of the highlighted words in the essay.

“The Shining” by Stanley Kubrick

Undoubtedly one of the most ambiguous movies of the 20^th century is “The Shining” shot by Stanley Kubrick. It is a horror film, telling a story of a family, that has moved into a hotel called the Overlook, which was inhabited by ghosts. Throughout the film, the plot develops around the Torrance family: Jack, Wendy, and their son Danny. Kubrick based the film on a novel written by Steven King. The literary source is rather thrilling and intriguing, and the film can be basically given the same positive assessment.

According to the screenplay, Jack Torrance is a writer who has quit abusing alcohol, and moves into a distant hotel in the mountains with his family. The winter weather conditions make the hotel fully isolated from the outer world. All roads leading to it are covered with snow, so no vehicles can pass. During this period, the hotel is closed. Isolation, however, is what Jack needs to write his new novel, and at the same time, he will work as the hotel’s keeper. The hotel was built on a patch of land where an old Indian cemetery had been located. During the film, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicolson), influenced by the evil spirits, gradually goes insane and attempts to kill his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd), but fails to do so and dies.

The first and foremost criterion to evaluate “The Shining” is the atmosphere that was reproduced in the film. Kubrick managed to convey a sense of isolation and detachment, as well as the mystical fear constantly increasing throughout the film. Despite the luxurious furnishing, the Overlook hotel looks like a cemetery. The tension is also delivered through scenes with ghosts and the depiction of how Jack gradually loses his mind. One of the most horrifying moments in the film is when Wendy takes a look at the manuscript Jack has been writing during the period of time their family has spent in the hotel. She sees that all pages are scribbled with just one phrase: “All fun and no play makes Jack a dull boy, ” and after that sheunderstands that her husband is evidently insane. The sense of fear and desperation, which Kubrick intended to convey to the audience, is delivered masterfully, thus speaking in the film’s favor.

Then, compared to Jack Nicholson’s and Scatman Crothers’ performance, the other actors seem obviously unconvincing. While Jack Nicholson managed to create an image of a psychotic writer suffering from alcoholism, the other two members of the Torrance family, played by Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd, look stilted and simulated. In the case of Danny Lloyd, allowances can be made for him because of his age and lack of acting experience; however, Shelley Duvall in this particular movie is not at her best. In most action scenes, her play looks factitious, and sometimes inappropriate, which is irritating. This makes significant contrast to Nicholson’s character, who is persuasive, especially in the scene when he breaks the bathroom door with a fire ax. This is, perhaps, one of the best scenes in the film.

Finally, the technical aspect is also important for the film’s evaluation, and “The Shining” can be noted for a high level of cinematography. The film introduces a number of novelties that were never used before, or were used rarely. Almost all scenes with Danny were shot from the growth rate of a small boy. This technique helps the audience feel the world of a child in a more realistic manner, and view the ghosts and the surrounding scary environment through his eyes. Besides, during the filming, a Steadycam system was used. This technology allows to stabilize the picture in dynamic scenes. For instance, the scene when Danny rides his bicycle in the hotel’s corridors was shot with the help of this device.

To sum up, “The Shining” is an excellent horror movie, made by a well - known director, based on a famous writer’s novel. It portrays a dense atmosphere of despair and isolation, which is valuable for the film with such a plot. Technical novelties used during the filming also contribute to the positive assessment of the film. One of the most significant factors speaking in favor of “The Shining” is Jack Nicholson’s acting ability to portray the image of a psychotic writer, who is convincing and genuinely scary. However, in his background, other characters are lost due to simulated performance by Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd.