Murder, ghosts, and all around creepiness. The Shinning is a horror movie based on the book by Stephen King. It's about a family moving to a secluded hotel for the winter and the father played by Jack Nicholson goes crazy. He was hired by the hotel to be the off season caretaker and he brings his wife and young son along. This movie always scared the shit out of me. Scary movies that could really happen are the scariest...people can go crazy and kill their families but I don't know if your daughter can get stuck in a tv (at least I hope not).
I just watched the Shinning for the first time in many years. It hit me completely different than it had in the past. First of all being paid to go to a secluded hotel for 5 months and hanging out as your job equals best job ever. You do a couple chores and then you can watch tv, nap, go through an uber huge hedge maze, drink a cup of tea and look out at the beauty, read quietly...the options are endless. On top of being paid, they get free room and board. They literally have an entire commercial kitchen full of food at their disposal and not ramen, but steaks and legs of lamb. Yes please!
Now if you have seen the Shinning you know that things get real crazy at this hotel and Jack Nicholson starts seeing and talking to imaginary people. I use to feel that this was creepy and disconcerting but upon further thought I find it handy. You can be at the hotel entirely alone without a soul to bother you (except your damn family) or you can imagine you are chatting it up with folks from the 20s in gorgeous outfits. Plus your imaginary friends give you all the free booze you want. Again a plus in my book.
One drawback that some may note is that Jack Nicholson tries to murder his family. He chases them around with an ax and after a while he falls asleep. If you count the time he is awake chasing you as cardio then you are getting in shape with great motivation. Then when he is in a psychotic doze you can enjoy a book or the game room. He sleeps (ie is passed out or knocked unconscious) a lot of the time so you will have plenty of down time. Another aspect that might bother most are the ghosts that appear randomly. If you think about it the little girls just want someone to play with and the decaying woman in the bathtub just wants someone to love. They aren't that scary in that regard again company when you want it.
All in all I feel like I wasn't as scared this viewing as much as I had been previously. I was envious. I want to be in an empty hotel with free room and board for 5 months. There is definitely a trade off with the ghosts and attempted murder but I really feel like they could have stuck it out for the winter. I mean every family wants to kill each other every now and then especially if they are locked up together for 5 months. My thoughts now are that Jack Nicholson was just being a parent of a 5 year old and dealing with an annoying wife. Trust me children can drive anyone to murder. Count me in for a trip to the Overlook Hotel!!!
