Tag: The Shining

Critics and scholars have been debating the meaning behind Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) for more than three decades. A recent documentary, Room 237, which is available for viewing in theaters and through Amazon, explores the possible meanings behind the film, prompting a response in the form of this visual essay “Free Will In Kubrick’s The Shining” provided through Vimeo . The essay is by Dr. Drew Morton, who is an Assistant Professor of Mass Communication at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. Dr. Morton argues that Kubrick made the film about the “predetermined damnation” of Jack Torrence, played by Jack Nicholson.

Using split screen video and some of the disturbing scenes from the film, Morton compares Kubrick’s film to Stephen King‘s novel, noting how King focused on a decent man haunted by the ghosts of the house while Kubrick changed it to focus on a flawed main character is haunted by his own ghosts. Kubrick focused on the psychological instead of the supernatural in King’s novel, and Morton explains how the film foreshadows Jack’s predetermined future. If you are interested in Kubrick’s work, the 18-minute video is worth your time.

Free Will in Kubrick’s THE SHINING from Drew Morton on Vimeo.

Morton makes some interesting arguments, and other films have addressed themes of free will and predetermination. For example, many film noir movies tackle such complicated themes about fate and will. Anyway, I would like to see Morton take a similar approach to interpreting Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut (1999).

What do you think about the free will theory of “The Shining”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)