I want to point out something incredible. Bela Bartok, the composer for the piece "music for strings, percussion and celesta" which is used in the jack typing scene. The musical composition itself uses elements of note interval symmetry. note intervals are the space between musical notes, if you look at the melodic lines, many of the notes are symmetrical to one another via intervals. In fact it's been documented that symmetry is one of the composition tools that Bartok uses throughout many of his pieces. The fact that Kubrick included a piece that has elements of symmetry can't just be a coincidence! also it's been said that Kubrick has an affinity for classical music, so I wouldn't doubt that Kubrick would've also been aware that this composition contains symmetry.
Music is as much about the gaps as it is the notes in between the gaps. I believe this scene is precisely that. We see reality, punctuated by the art it inspires. The notes on the page are the horror story forming in Jack's mind.
Even if Kubrick didn't have some of the things you see consciously in mind, the fact that you see it is an example of how art is just as dependent on the observer as it is on the artist.
Most sensible comment I've read on this matter, well done M8. I think there is a tendency to over think this movie and maybe some events were serendipitous and coincidence.
My thoughts on Kubrick when it comes to "Continuity Errors" is that because he took so many takes, using all sorts of angles etc... In the editing room, he'd use some(Not saying all) on purpose if they fit the narrative. An example i use is when Danny first walks up to Room 237 and tries opening it but its locked... I think the door behind him that's open was from where they shot that low angle of Danny looking back at Room 237 from his Big Wheels. During editing, Kubrick absolutely noticed this considering he always kept every inch of the frame in focus, and he decided to roll with it because it worked within the narrative Some are obviously on purpose like the chair and desk disappearing/reappearing behind Jack when he's talking to Wendy in the Colorado Lounge. Every director has mistakes, I think he just found ways to use them far more than most filmmakers.
YES. And so a superlative artist has the ability to stimulate responses in others to a greater degree than their peers. Art happens in relationship, one to one.
I think I remember at one point Rob saying if he got up to 500 patrons he would release this for free. Last time I checked he was around 450 which means he did us a pretty solid favor here. It is very much appreciated.
Kubrick is my favorite director hands down. Your videos are by far the most in depth analysis of his work and reinforces my belief that he was the most brilliant film maker that has ever been, and your commentaries are the most brilliant analysis of his work. Thank you Sir. 👍
This series has made a recent rewatch of the film so special.. I can't believe your attention to detail, and how much you're able to draw to the surface for us simpler minded folk. Thank you so very much for your insights!
I really do think the split psyche of traumatized Danny is 100x scarier and more disturbing than murdered ghost girls. The monster as human and the horrors of the mind have always been the most horrific to me, and Kubrick explores both in all of his films.
Sometimes, to tell a horror story that goes beyond ghosts and god it seems the final taboo is the boo that scares the most. Shit man, i should be a writer.
That's Exactly what I was thinking too, when rob brought up when jack is hallucinating that nightmare sequence, had me thinking was it a psychological self reflection? of what he did to danny in the bed room scene?, or maybe danny constructed that too happen with his "shine" ability, in an angered vengeance. This movie raises so many questions a'pon question.
Absolutely. And its like we keep seeing physical manifestations of the subconscious. Wendy seeing the Man in the Bear costume(As Rob noted) might not only be related to Jacks abuse of Danny but also his abuse of Wendy. Maybe the Bear Costume in combination with Danny's Teddy Bear is the connection her subconscious needed to pull the blinds off her denial and guilt etc about Jack doing alot more than just separating Danny's shoulder.
I know people don’t like knowing this but intel agencies using black budgets have likely studied this deeply. It’s disturbing stuff but there’s an artist who suffered such abuse whose work is incredibly tragic.
You touched on so many quick shots/intentional continuity errors that have always confounded me in this video. Particularly the “hag in the bath” while the “hag chases Jack” in room 237. I love that you cover that particular quick cut in this video. I’ve always wondered what Kubrick was trying to convey in that brief scene within a scene and I think your interpretation is brilliant. Thanks Rob, loved this video and appreciate all your hard work.
Mirroring a person you talk to is also a psychological tool to connect with someone. I always thought this scene with Danny and halloran had something spiritual or ethereal almost. The whole atmosphere within this scene is dream like. Though a lot of the movie feels like that.
Yeah, it struck me that with the tone Halloran has, he’d spotted that Danny was dissociating and was possibly abused, and was very gently probing to see if his suspicion was correct (implying he and his grandmother were abused too, and could communicate that shared experience without needing to talk. Not psychic as such, just deeply empathic), but because the scene takes place from Danny’s perspective it’s parsed through his damaged psyche into something fantastical/magical, the real Halloran becoming a mirror. The continuity error of the freezers being a hint that Danny had spaced out and lost time, further reinforced with the high pitch whistling noise (I’m autistic, and that scene felt very much like sensory overload episodes I’ve had), all pointing to the subsequent events being from Danny’s unreliable perspective. I think that time loss happens again very subtly when we jump from the kitchen to the corridor with the twins, and also when Danny first passes room 237 (the opposite door being closed then open) and when he goes into 237 (all his toys and his position is reversed between shots)...I’m probably wrong, but time loss was mentioned when we first see him "shine", before going to the hotel. The only one I haven’t spotted a time loss on is when he first sees the twins in the game room
@@eZTarg8mk2 oh wow. That’s interesting! I have to watch that again with your interpretation. I often can’t tell why something feels a specific way in a movie but you might have found out a few very subtle but effective tools here that Kubrick applied. :)
I think Tony was projecting images into people's heads. He used the hag to show Jack the horror he felt when being abused. Tony eventually took over Danny when he was drooling . The roadrunner cartoon. Which always led the coyote into a trap like he did at the end . Tony drove Jack crazy so he could kill him at the end.
I kind of think that is what is going on with Alice in Eyes Wide Shut. She is mind melding with her husband and the different women in the story, that is how she knows what is going on but she is a step ahead of Bill.
21:30 'what's in those corners?" usually that will be the cameraman, the director, the crew. It's amazing you don't see them in the reflection in the serving dish cover. You can see an open doorway that seems to close as she rounds the corner. That's probably where the crew ran to hide from the reflection. If you've been on a film crew you think about these things. Kubrick's "The Shining" shows amazing attention to detail in not showing the real world in all those mirrors. It's a lot easier to see the camera reflection in Coscarelli's "Phantasm".
God damn, this is so interesting! Note about Jungian symbolism: one's shadow is said to be the same sex, though often of a different ethnicity (e.g., Danny and Halloran); a man's feminine side is the 'anima', and a woman's masculine side is the 'animus'. So, it's possible that Jack's feminine side (nurturing, etc) has atrophied to the point of decomposition (abusing his own child and wife). Kind of like the contrast between Dorian Gray and his portrait. Likewise, speaking symbolically, due to the abuse from his father, Danny's feminine side may have been 'slaughtered' like the twin girls. Also, doubling of characters or objects is taken to be a sign that something is entering consciousness (i.e., being 'shined' into awareness). Your analysis also made me think of the Sun as illumination, awareness, and the Moon as a reflection, a mirror of that awareness. Of course, mirrors have been seen as portals to other dimensions. To go off the deep end, most of the named characters have Irish surnames: Torrance ("little hills"), Halloran ("Foreigner"), Grady ("noble"), Durkin ("pessimist"). I know about Durkin because I have it in my family tree, and it is not a common name. I wonder if any of these names refer to "Manifest Destiny" or historical American violence, given the themes of history repeating itself. Thanks for another awesome video, Rob!
Jung just made up that stuff about the female side of the self, and the male. He could never prove it. Funny that Torrance doesn't have a very interesting meaning. Unless it is Tor, Tower. A lofty, rocky place where they did human sacrifice in times of old. (What did Ullman say? A place chosen for its sense of isolation?) However, as I am typing this, I start thinking of The Tower card in Tarot, and I looked it up on Wikipedia. Mentions people fleeing a burning building and the Devil beating his drum before the mouth of Hell. Hmmm.
@@watermelonlalalayou're missing the entire point of Jungian psychology if you think he just..made it up. He spent years researching this stuff. People across the globe reveal the subconscious through dreams and they dream using the same images and themes everywhere. This is where Jungs work is rooted. It's not made up, and it does not need to be "proved." The existence of archetypes within human consciousness is a fact that can be observed. What Jung did was describe these things, it's a model, and a highly useful one.
@@Xirrious The men with money bags started planting subliminal images in movies and advertising starting in the time of Freud and his nephew, the advertising guy. Jung's theories were a cover up for the real story - we were all being programmed by Hollywood, and later, TV. Our dreams come from the movies we watched. Kubrick even said, Disney movies were not good because they gave kids ....NIGHTMARES.
Some of this seems far fetched sometimes, but when my friend and I first watched this movie, we were terrified and holding each other nervously from the very first moment the film started. All of this stuff seeps into your subconconcious and makes you more scared than this not that violent or spooky movie should. Absolutely wild.
Cheers. Yeah sometimes I watch these vids back after making them and I'm like ... hmmm, really??? but then, as you say, the effect of all these things can be felt in the film by most who watch it. How can brightly lit, colourful halls be so creepy? That stuff doesn't happen by accident.
@@collativelearning It's actually the bolder theories I end up getting into and agreeing with the most! 'The girls and the elevator body are representations of Danny's split personality from trauma' Woah, of course! I get that! 'Halloran not being present with Danny in the power explanation scene' Holy cow, totally (though I wonder if it's a visual of Danny speaking with Halloran from a distance, rather than to himself) And then the small ones like "these lamps and windows and floors are so bright they're SHINING". ...I guess, lol. The brightness and reflectiveness everywhere is so intriguing, but not because of the play on words from the title imo! As you get into as well at length, of course. Kick ass video man. I've bought lots of your other ones! 👌
@@collativelearning Hey Rob... With this Mirror/Double theme, what's your take on the "Missing Woman from Aspen" we hear about on the news? Seems like such a minute detail for Kubrick to include. I feel like she could be the woman(Moreso Jacks "projection" of said woman) we see in Room 237 before the mirror shows Jack his true self and/or the true nature of The Overlook. Have you written or posted about her before? If so, where should i look?
Dude. Same. First time I watched it, I felt ill at ease during the interview in Ullman's office. Then, I found the video about the spatial impossibility of that office window, and it "clicked." Your subconscious absolutely picks up on things that you miss.
Once again, absolute top form here, Rob. I read Jung and Freud and any serious Kubrick fan can see their influence throughout his work, especially in 'The Shining.' But once again, new ideas are all over this video and your examples make it impossible to ignore. Wonderful vid Rob.
Yooooooo🤯 FINALLY! What you said at 14:19 how hallorann takes Wendy and Danny to a door that we see later is the bathroom, I peeped that like 3 months ago and never seen nobody talk or post about it. That was fire, I love ya videos keep them up fr💯
As I started to become more aware of certain symbolism in The SHiNiNG, I began to laughingly call it The Twinning. I have studied all of Kubrick’s films in detail over several decades. I appreciate your analysis.
I think the blue and red clothing thing is spot on. In the scene where Halloran and Danny discuss the Shining, Halloran is wearing a blue shirt that has a red stripe peeking out from under his blazer. The red stripe is in the EXACT spot where Jack struck him with the axe.
If we pick up on it, it's likely Jack picks up on it. He is an author after all. So the red stripe on Halloran's clothng is probably what inspired his death in Jack's book.
Mr Ager in the past 13 years I've really enjoyed your videos. Today is my 15th anniversary on RUclips. Thanks for making thoughtful, compelling content.
I just realized every day when I get ready, I open my medicine cabinet so I can see my "normal" reflection. The reversed one bothers me. I never even thought about that until now. Neat! Love your videos Rob. Thank you so much for all the work you put in. I'm gonna spend the next hour or 2 pining over this now!
Thanx, Rob! The way you deconstruct, analyze and explain the subtle nuances of movies is amazing! I'm always looking forward to the next video. (If I could afford it I'd buy all the DVDs)
What's up with the headboard behind Jack's head? That shape looks like a figure looming in shadows, to me. And the Summer of 42, was that Jack as a boy? Was his abuse manifested as the bathroom seduction with the woman who becomes the hag? Jack's abuse leads to Danny wearing the 42 jersey as the next child being abused.
I noticed the figure in the headboard as well. It appears in a reflection, fits in nicely with what Mr. Ager is here talking about, what with "figures" (or ghosts if you like) being reflected off of the dinner tray cover. I couldn't help but wonder if the figure in the doorway is actually "Tony". However, that "figure" in the headboard gives me the impression that it is something far more malevolent looming over Jack, whereas Tony contrasts this as being a more benevolent being, or figure or ghost. Whatever ones interpretation is. Rob pointing out these figures in reflections, to me at least, really tosses out that old theory about this movie not having any ghosts. The ghosts in this movie are very present, implied and even seen! When Rob pointed out the figure walking towards the window in the breakfast tray reflection I got the chills! 👻 And I believe he is spot on about there being something standing in the doorway of those darkend rooms. Yes, very well could be camera crews or Kubrick himself filming the scene, but that's almost beside the point. The net effect is that we have these reflections subtly inserted in portions of a scene where a viewer's attention is almost guaranteed NOT to be drawn to giving a truly "haunted house" feeling to them. Incredible analysis Mr. Ager. 👏
Some of your observations really hit me hard. I had to pause this video at several points because I was being overwhelmed. The parallels between jack and Danny walking backwards actually gave me chills.
Wow, just wow. I’ve watched this film hundreds of times, and still had so many questions. You’ve answered things I’ve been wondering for my whole life in a very concise way. Brilliant. The only question I have, if Danny is imagining his convo with holleran in the kitchen, what would explain his sudden need to leave Miami and head back to the overlook? If Danny wasn’t really shining to him, why would he make that effort to go back?
All the repeating chandeliers and lights at the ceiling, especially in the bar, make these rooms feel like they themselves are mirrored infinitely🤔 which subliminally implies that they, in reality, are far smaller than they seem, giving me a claustrophobic feeling, especially considering how the bar room looks far bigger than it architectually should be
shining analysis vids are like extensions of the overlook hotel. Maybe kubrick envisioned created mazes of endless discussion? they're like shining "plugins"
I haven’t yet finished the video but I’m loving this series so far! Absolutely amazing analysis videos. They keep me engaged and inspired. Thank you so much!
The party guest is holding a glass that is exactly the same as Jack has set down to on the urinal in the bathroom scene with grady, not sure you noticed that. Great video as always, thank you.
Actually a mirror isn't recording our movements in real time. Essentially we are looking into the past from the time it takes the light to hit hit the mirror and get back to our eye. Yes that's a millisecond but it still applies. It's definitely something Kubrick would've known. Great video I loved it
Interestingly, your brain's visual processing time is what really makes everything you see in reality a representation of the extremely recent past. At mirror distances the time of light travel wouldn't make nearly as much difference as the much much slower speeds of neuron fire.
Cheers. Yeah I considered going into that, but left it out because in human perception it's real time (and the video was getting long lol). The light travel interim is a lot faster than our own eye to brain signals. Good on you for the hardcore physical reality awareness though :)
Can’t help but notice at 17:12 Danny has the knives over him but also the exit sign, perhaps foreshadowing that he may escape, whereas halloran (who had no such exit sign on his side) may not.
Good catch. I was noticing that behind Halloran, above the freezer door is written C1. “See one”, as in There’s two people here; see them as one, or, see only one. Either way, supporting the idea that Halloran is a projection of Danny’s inner workings. The protective adult Danny needs.
I don't know how I deleted my comments. Jack is also Baal and the Minotaur. His fiery belly and moose's head, eating tge virgins of Athens and being defeated in a labyrinth. The reflections analysis and implications are undoubtedly what Kubrick had in mind. Amazing work Rob.
My thought about the set mirroring is that since architectural mirroring dates back thousands of years, I hope no one is thinking that mirrored doors, walls, pictures, pillars, etc., as seen in the sets, are something new or that they haven't seen before. It's everywhere especially in civic and commercial architecture. I think the glossy surfaces were a stylistic choice as they also help spread and reflect the light. Bright interior surfaces are a hallmark of some of Kubrik's films (not in Barry Lyndon for good reason). Great to see the possible reflected hidden figures pointed out and many other points.
I always took the room 237 scene to be Danny's vision communicated to Halloran. Looking at the editing of the sequence, it goes from Wendy telling Jack to check the room, to Halloran's watching the news and getting the vision. The first shot of the vision is the door of room 237 followed by Danny having a sort of seizure. I never took it to be Jack's direct experience.
According to Kubrick the Dutch masterpiece 'Spoorloos' (the vanishing) was the most terrifying movie he ever saw...even more frightening than his own movie 'The Shining'. Perhaps an interesting movie for one of your next 'great' movie analysis. I've enjoyed all of your 'The Shining' analysis.
20:00 the door on the left is narrow so it can be a single 'exclamation point'. Also, back at 3:50, note the diamonds on the bathroom walls in ACO. 'An open door' is a clue in Eyes Wide Shut and you can see these partly open doors in The Shining. Lamps, mirrors, keys, all used in EWS as well. 53:27 - Jack gestures with his left hand at the man in white tie seated with the women. 54:40 - Grady's bow tie points at the red. 55:40 - SD's cigarette points at the light reflection in the bathroom. 55:52 - her elbow points at the TV as she walks by, 55:53, her cigarette points at the small purple painting then her nose 'connects' to that painting as she walks by. These tricks are all in Eyes Wide Shut. 56:40 - the red dots reflected like the many lens flare 'rubies' in Eyes Wide Shut.
the hag is Jack's mother who abused him in the past, thats why he mirrors the hag's actions as he approaches his wife with the bat. Its about the cycle of abuse. You know shes his mother because she appears dead, like a zombie or a ghost, and Jacks mother still haunts his mind after her death. Since she abused him as a child, his sexual development is forever linked with that traumatic memory. Even when he finds someone desirable, as soon as he begins engaging in anything sexual, the idea of his mother always pops into his head to haunt him, even in his sexual fantasies. This results in Jacks warped sexuality and incestual abuse on his own family
I re-read the book not that long ago - wasn't it Wendy's mother and Jack's father who were the abusive parts of the family? I remember Jack's Mom being beaten by Jack's Dad, and she didn't even tell the doctor at the hospital (all this being from the King novel, of course, but you mentioning it would also be from the novel, I guess).
I wasn't fully convinced of the sexual abuse until I saw this video, and I have seen countless Shining analysis videos. Thank you so much for your work. I truly think you are correct about there being no ghosts.
35:05 I see a man standing in that room watchin Danny WOAH. I never noticed these reflection details or the shadows. Adding a whole other level to this movie.
28:25 For what it's worth, I like these analysis videos even if I don't agree with every interpretation you advance. Overall they are very interesting and I would like for you to make more.
When you watch The Shining it's undeniable that it is an incredibly layered and complex film full of metaphors and symbolism. That being said sometimes I think people go a little too far analyzing it some of this stuff might well be intentional some of it is most likely people finding connections between things simply because they are looking for them. Most of this comes about because of Kubrick being very intelligent and the claims that everything you see on screen in a Kubrick movie is intentional and apparently never makes mistakes or continuity errors which in itself seems a bit far fetched to me...
A little off topic, but it does have to do with reflections... We never get a family portrait of the Torrance family or a description from anyone about the appearance of Jack. So how are we sure this is what Jack looks like? Did Jack see the photo in the middle of the wall and want to become a reflection of the caretaker? Since it was the only b/w photo in the entire movie with writing on it, it must have grabbed his attention.
Hey Rob, thank you so much for posting this an hour long video dedicated to the shining. Really looking forward to seeing this one. Mr. Kubrick was certainly the man. Thanks again. 😊👍
When Jack opens his eyes while kissing the hag and sees their reflection, the hag's body completely covers Jack's so we just see his head on top of the hag body. It's like he's seeing himself as the hag in the mirror.
I wonder if there are instances in the film where we are seeing the "mirrored" reality instead of the actual. Through the looking glass, in other words. Are we, the audience, inside the mirror looking out, or outside looking in?
I'm not sure this answers your question, but Kubrick often showed us the scene through the mirror. He does it a lot in 2001, especially in the shots introducing Bowman. Sometiems the camera is pointing at the scene, in others, the camera is pointing at a mirror, filimg the scene from that perspective.
Maybe just reading too much in to it. But the fact that the kitchen and store room are clean, filled with steel or chrome objects, and feel almost futuristic compared to the rest of the overlook seems fitting with Danny and Halloran meeting and shining there (even if it is just a conversation with one's self). It seems to mirror the gold room with Jack.
15:13 I think I know why Kubrick took almost 150 takes for this shot: the two reflected lights on Halloran's head. There are distinctly two lights on his head, which parallel him and Danny. Perhaps the actor moved his head in ways that disrupted these shines, and Kubrick specifically wanted those two shines to be present.
Whatever it was set reports are that Kubrick wouldn't say what he needed to be different so it would likely be some variable along those lines. You could be right, though I have another theory. Kubrick may have been breaking down the will of the cast and crew, ensuring that they knew who was boss and that they will all do as many takes as is required until he gets exactly what he wants. Having done so many takes on this shot, a few dozen takes elsewhere would be more acceptable to them.
Possibly, but it could also be that he wanted to mentally break Crothers down to get a more authentic performance out of him, like he admitted to doing with Shelly duVall for the _All Work and No Play_ sequence and the scene of Jack getting thrown in the fridge and taunting Wendy.
@@collativelearning You're half right. SK would have his actors do multiple takes when he felt like he wasn't getting what he wanted from the thespians, but he also at times did only a few takes( as he did with Vincent D'onofrio's epic scene in the bathroom in FMJ). As for the crew? Sure, he was a task maker, but it wasn't his intention to " break down" the will of the crew cause he needed them. Otherwise, who else is going to build the sets, make the costumes, set the lights, load the camera, or bring the crumpets for the tea break ( which irritated Kubrick greatly). You can't make a big movie on your own unless you want to spend twenty years making it.
Tje fact Kubrick wanted everything high gloss and shiny? That's strange bc you risk showing the cameramans reflection. So why make it hard on yourself with all the reflective surfaces? Bc he wanted to make use of them. That's the point. Great job
Not to give the movie Room 237 any accolades, but one thing suggested in it I thought was interesting was Jack as Minotaur rather than a devil. It makes a lot of sense: a creature that stalks and kills in a maze, but is also a prisoner there.
I just realized that drink Grady spills on Jack remind me of body fluid. Most cocktails are transparent or dark. Did Kubrick merely choose that cream cocktail to read against Jack's dark clothing, or is something else going on? The whole thing of the spill, then cleaning it up in the bathroom seems uncomfortable and intimate. My initial instinct was to ignore this thought as my juvenile side popping up, but the more I think about it, and the resulting discomfort, the more I think there actually is some intended suggestion there.
Like where jack got the idea… mirrored with a past even of jack’s that might include another bathroom and another man at one point. Such an adulterous encounter might have spun out of control until well, we know the rest
Also, I think it’s funny and kind of sad how Wendy brings this elaborate tray setup, and then there’s very little to eat on it. She had to take a nonexistent elevator and walk very carefully, just to deliver some toast and oj etc. Just seems like their relationship: she is performing her wife role, while he plays the part of the provider. The pressure of playing that role is part of what leads him to violence.
Rob, I've watched your videos since 2011. I want to address "the haters" you mentioned in the comments. Kubrick did a lot of complex things. And sometimes you go out on a limb trying to explore them. Mostly I agree, sometimes I think "a cigar is just a cigar," but either way I enjoy hearing you defend your position. Right of wrong, you are interesting as hell and always have reasoning to back yourself up. Thanks for taking my favorite movie of all time and giving me HOURS worth of additional reasons to love it.
I always interpreted Jack's hallucinations and dreams as a negative side/version of the same Shinning ability that Danny and Mr. Hallorann possessed. Might explain the scenes where Jack's staring into space, and why everyone he sees is a reflection of himself. And while Hallorann tried to guide Danny, the Overlook Hotel tried the same with Jack. Possibility another contrasting duality between Hallorann and the Hotel? They seem to play into the themes of duality and mirrored illuminations discussed in this series. Any thoughts on this?
That was great. One thing I’ve just noticed with the bear scene is the shadows on the walls. It looks like being inside a baby’s cot. The shadows rap around the walls
Every time I see one of Rob's studies on a Kubrick film I like to imagine Stanley watching it. He's stroking his beard and smiling, and thinking, "Hey, Rob got it right again."
I would have loved to have sat down with Kubrick and had him go through these vids and tell me on the level everything I got right and wrong. I'm pretty sure it would be one hell of a learning experience.
Keep in mind, not all of these things necessarily came directly from Kubrick himself. A director works very closely with his production designer to come up with the lay out and adornment of his sets.
Maybe not “Rob got it right again,” but “Rob got people thinking and talking about my film again.” I’ve often said that David Lynch is like the Ancient Greek poets; when the Muse descends, not even they understand every facet of what they are doing or meaning when they create their art. Kubrick might be very much the same way. In the end, if art is supposed to provoke reactions that lead to thought and conversation, then Kubrick has done his job.
I relate to Danny so much it hurts. The first time I watched it as a kid, that shot of Jack Nicholson frozen in the ice makin a derp face... It was such a weird relief and triumph for me. Because in my own life, that's what i was wishing would be the outcome but it never was.
Wendy’s blue & cream robe 👘 in the dinner tray scene - she matches the blue walls with cream trim of the hallway. Same blue & cream the twins are wearing? Does the robe stand for the hotel wrapping itself around Wendy? The other robe she wears when Jack has the axe is different. In another sequence Wendy matches the green of the washing machines, the green of Halloran’s sheets,then the green of the room. I never noticed these color matching scenes. Oh! The shadows from the staircase creating “bars” on the walls during the fellatio scene - a literal crime being committed and so “behind bars.”
Rob! I noticed an interesting detail!!! Ooo not sure if you discussed this. (Sidenote- you are amazing thank you for your work) When you mentioned jack seeing himself in the reflection as the abuser @45:00 hugging the hag. The spots on the hags body that are eaten away/damaged are the spots that Jack was touching. Like everything he touches turns bad or something.
That pun at 30:38 - please show yourself out, Rob. Preferably using a set of double doors. Great analysis as always! Your in-depth discussions about this film are always a treat to watch.
Also, in your analysis at 36:10 the shots of both Danny and Jack from behind seated, the shadowed rug on the stairs matches the dark ‘exit’ door Danny is cycling towards.
I know why Rob is obsessed with breaking down every aspect of the film. There is no other explanation than the fact he is Kubrick's long lost son. It makes too much sense.
Rob, you've often spoken of the Hag as representative of Jack's suppressed guilt. But we might take her presence to hint at Jack's own repressed experiences of abuse, reflected back at him in the mirror. Maybe that's why he's always been in the Overlook. This may dovetail with your observation about the movie, "Summer of '42," playing on the T.V. Jack is consumed by his own guilt and the spectre of the psychological damage he's suffered, and comes to embody the monster of abuse that stalks families across generations. This is one of your best videos, by the way. I really love your work, and appreciate all you do. You're a fantastic educator. Cheers
Really interesting work (as ever). The Summer of ‘42, 42 T-shirt parallel is a revelation. The factorisation of 42 is 2x3x7. 237. The lead up to the twins also echoes the maze. With the subdivided green parts of the walls foreshadowing the hedges. Their slaughter and his. The bathroom also being green, but surrounded by a gold line. Could be seeding the gold thread of Ariadne. Jack’s backing out is definitely another parallel to the finale. All the best x
55:15 Here we can see Jack and his dark shadow on the window. When Kubrick took and released any additional material, it's usually some sort of clue. Making the Shining documentary especially seems like scripted from start to finish. This also links Jack and Kubrick, the same happens in the shot in Ullman's office where Kubrick can be seen reflected from the windows behind Jack, pretty much exactly as they are in this photo.
45:26 you have a mirroring of the lift sequence / Danny’s open mouthed scream by Jack. The cycle of abuse? Maybe this isn’t Danny’s dream sequence it’s just Jack living the realisation of his own childhood abuse and the realisation that he has now become the abuser.
In my opinion more a fascinating insight in your associative and (let's face it) rather obsessive mind, then in how this movie was actually made. Kubrick's explanations about the meanings in the Shining are much simpler than your interpretations, but that's also the tricky thing about all this: because he's seen as a director who supposedly thought about every single detail in every single frame of every single shot of every single one of his movies, you can attach an endless amount of theories and meanings to it. This being said: it's still very interesting to see how far you went with this. I bet Kubrick would be more than amused if he could see all this. Keep up the good work!
16:56 Look to the upper left of the frame. The two character notation above the door. C1 See one... person? ...it's amazing how deep we can jump down such rabbit holes if so inclined.
So many great illuminations in this video! 👍 A couple things I thought of while watching: In the July 4th Ball pic with Mr. Torrance in the front, his arms are spread open with one arm raised similar to the examples in the vid. Also, not sure this was mentioned but the parallel of Jack waking up from his nightmare with drool dripping from his face, and then Danny also drooling while having the disturbing premonition. 🤤
Kubrick allows himself to be reflected clearly in the Ullman office shot. There's no way in hell that he didn't know he would be reflected. These reflections from the cover are almost certainly there on purpose. It might just be to mess with ours subconscious that certainly picks up those things especially in the big screen, but I would be inclined to think it's more than that. Also the black elevator reflected from the coffee machine has to be on purpose.
The Shining was made in a time when relatively few people had VCRs, let alone DVDs or BluRays that offered clean paused screens where such images could be easily parsed. How many people could pick up on such a detail after one or even two viewings without pausing the movie?
@@dash_r_media Kubrick knew perfectly well that tech will evolve. He also knew his work would be eternal, at least one of the most studied films ever, or the most studied. These things also work subliminally without our conscious mind realizing them at all. Kubrick studied these things for The Shining and used them a ton. That's why this film makes people so anxious when there's nothing really happening. Also one point, there are huge amount of copies made from the film itself, to all theaters around the world. There would have been and at least eventually will be a lot of people who could investigate the film itself.
Great video Rob, I’ve been following your shining series for more than 5 years on RUclips. This put a great bow on a lot of the conclusions you’ve come to. Cheers
Rob's videos are all better than the entirety of the Steven King novel. That book belongs in the trash. King got lazy halfway through and just made the whole thing about "the hotel" possessing the father instead of it being about the father's inner insanity.
Beyond amazing piece of work. At 42:57 narrator asks, Who is the abuser in The Shining setting? Well, Stanley Kubrick is the the answer that came to my mind...by the way, this work you do is priceless for those who want to dive the Kubrick abyss. Aprecciate your work very much. New subscriber.
@@collativelearning There is a mountain of evidence in Film and Television that support the gematria and freemason image of their pillars and black and white checkered board design that promote their hatred for Jesus Christ. As Above so Below. There's a Twilight Zone episode that had Burgess Meredith as the devil who creates new paper headlines of disasters and they come true selling more newspapers for that publisher, in a montage we see the clock at 9:11 and looking up at a 60's modern tower building suddenly just beneath the top it explodes falling downward in place. Check it out.
@@collativelearning Hi there are many videos on youtube that show the destruction of the twins was know way before it actually happened in old movies.
Jack’s shirt is from Stovington VT, the fictional town where he worked at Stovington Prep. “Stoving in” means crushing, as in what he plans to do to Wendy’s skull. The word Prepatory (which Autosuggest keeps trying to change to Predatory and prep story) also adds a chilling reflection on his mindset.
An hour long video by rob ager on the shining: A real treat 👍
and free- a true gift.
Well said
The best
Absolutely
No joke! Tonight just got better.
Keep watching Rob Ager. Forever. And ever. And ever.
I want to point out something incredible. Bela Bartok, the composer for the piece "music for strings, percussion and celesta" which is used in the jack typing scene. The musical composition itself uses elements of note interval symmetry. note intervals are the space between musical notes, if you look at the melodic lines, many of the notes are symmetrical to one another via intervals. In fact it's been documented that symmetry is one of the composition tools that Bartok uses throughout many of his pieces. The fact that Kubrick included a piece that has elements of symmetry can't just be a coincidence! also it's been said that Kubrick has an affinity for classical music, so I wouldn't doubt that Kubrick would've also been aware that this composition contains symmetry.
Music is as much about the gaps as it is the notes in between the gaps. I believe this scene is precisely that. We see reality, punctuated by the art it inspires. The notes on the page are the horror story forming in Jack's mind.
Even if Kubrick didn't have some of the things you see consciously in mind, the fact that you see it is an example of how art is just as dependent on the observer as it is on the artist.
Most sensible comment I've read on this matter, well done M8. I think there is a tendency to over think this movie and maybe some events were serendipitous and coincidence.
My thoughts on Kubrick when it comes to "Continuity Errors" is that because he took so many takes, using all sorts of angles etc... In the editing room, he'd use some(Not saying all) on purpose if they fit the narrative. An example i use is when Danny first walks up to Room 237 and tries opening it but its locked... I think the door behind him that's open was from where they shot that low angle of Danny looking back at Room 237 from his Big Wheels. During editing, Kubrick absolutely noticed this considering he always kept every inch of the frame in focus, and he decided to roll with it because it worked within the narrative Some are obviously on purpose like the chair and desk disappearing/reappearing behind Jack when he's talking to Wendy in the Colorado Lounge. Every director has mistakes, I think he just found ways to use them far more than most filmmakers.
YES. And so a superlative artist has the ability to stimulate responses in others to a greater degree than their peers. Art happens in relationship, one to one.
kubrick had put in double träce n Döörce. . . and i found his massaguess... he lets unö multippel däimce v v
The truth of a thing is the feel of it, not the think of it.
- Stanley Kubrick
I think I remember at one point Rob saying if he got up to 500 patrons he would release this for free. Last time I checked he was around 450 which means he did us a pretty solid favor here. It is very much appreciated.
i was re-watching part 2 just a few minutes ago to refresh and in preparation hoping for part 3 and here it is ! What a coincidence ! Thank You Rob
OooOoo.... 👻
I read "and here it is" as Rob was saying those words exactly! And then I thought what a coincidence as I read the next part! Crazy
Kubrick is my favorite director hands down. Your videos are by far the most in depth analysis of his work and reinforces my belief that he was the most brilliant film maker that has ever been, and your commentaries are the most brilliant analysis of his work. Thank you Sir. 👍
I was thinking the same thought regarding the headboard figure beside Jack's head. Thoughts? Fantastic work Rob and thanks for your insightful videos!
Amazing!*🌟
Take a drink every time Rob says "Mirror"...
Jack Torrance made that mistake
"For ever, and ever, and ever." 🙂🙂
I did. It killed me. I'm dead now and writing this from the afterlife. I'll say hi to the twins for you.
I hope it’s light beer.
Also: The doors of the elevator in the river of blood open from left to right. When Ullman opens them, its the other way around - or mirrored. ;)
This series has made a recent rewatch of the film so special.. I can't believe your attention to detail, and how much you're able to draw to the surface for us simpler minded folk. Thank you so very much for your insights!
I don’t think you’re simple minded if you’re into Kubrick or The Shining🤟
I really do think the split psyche of traumatized Danny is 100x scarier and more disturbing than murdered ghost girls. The monster as human and the horrors of the mind have always been the most horrific to me, and Kubrick explores both in all of his films.
Tales from the Id
Sometimes, to tell a horror story that goes beyond ghosts and god it seems the final taboo is the boo that scares the most. Shit man, i should be a writer.
That's Exactly what I was thinking too, when rob brought up when jack is hallucinating that nightmare sequence, had me thinking was it a psychological self reflection? of what he did to danny in the bed room scene?, or maybe danny constructed that too happen with his "shine" ability, in an angered vengeance. This movie raises so many questions a'pon question.
Absolutely. And its like we keep seeing physical manifestations of the subconscious. Wendy seeing the Man in the Bear costume(As Rob noted) might not only be related to Jacks abuse of Danny but also his abuse of Wendy. Maybe the Bear Costume in combination with Danny's Teddy Bear is the connection her subconscious needed to pull the blinds off her denial and guilt etc about Jack doing alot more than just separating Danny's shoulder.
I know people don’t like knowing this but intel agencies using black budgets have likely studied this deeply. It’s disturbing stuff but there’s an artist who suffered such abuse whose work is incredibly tragic.
36:20 the “glittery music” to represent the sparkles is spot on
You touched on so many quick shots/intentional continuity errors that have always confounded me in this video. Particularly the “hag in the bath” while the “hag chases Jack” in room 237. I love that you cover that particular quick cut in this video. I’ve always wondered what Kubrick was trying to convey in that brief scene within a scene and I think your interpretation is brilliant.
Thanks Rob, loved this video and appreciate all your hard work.
I cant get enough of these analysis videos, there so detailed and introspective.
Mirroring a person you talk to is also a psychological tool to connect with someone. I always thought this scene with Danny and halloran had something spiritual or ethereal almost. The whole atmosphere within this scene is dream like. Though a lot of the movie feels like that.
It's also something people sometimes do subconsciously
@@ShaunHensley correct! I should have mentioned that. :)
Yeah, it struck me that with the tone Halloran has, he’d spotted that Danny was dissociating and was possibly abused, and was very gently probing to see if his suspicion was correct (implying he and his grandmother were abused too, and could communicate that shared experience without needing to talk. Not psychic as such, just deeply empathic), but because the scene takes place from Danny’s perspective it’s parsed through his damaged psyche into something fantastical/magical, the real Halloran becoming a mirror. The continuity error of the freezers being a hint that Danny had spaced out and lost time, further reinforced with the high pitch whistling noise (I’m autistic, and that scene felt very much like sensory overload episodes I’ve had), all pointing to the subsequent events being from Danny’s unreliable perspective. I think that time loss happens again very subtly when we jump from the kitchen to the corridor with the twins, and also when Danny first passes room 237 (the opposite door being closed then open) and when he goes into 237 (all his toys and his position is reversed between shots)...I’m probably wrong, but time loss was mentioned when we first see him "shine", before going to the hotel. The only one I haven’t spotted a time loss on is when he first sees the twins in the game room
@@eZTarg8mk2 oh wow. That’s interesting! I have to watch that again with your interpretation. I often can’t tell why something feels a specific way in a movie but you might have found out a few very subtle but effective tools here that Kubrick applied. :)
Mirror mirror on the wall
can you find
Twin Towers at all?
I think Tony was projecting images into people's heads. He used the hag to show Jack the horror he felt when being abused. Tony eventually took over Danny when he was drooling .
The roadrunner cartoon. Which always led the coyote into a trap like he did at the end . Tony drove Jack crazy so he could kill him at the end.
I kind of think that is what is going on with Alice in Eyes Wide Shut. She is mind melding with her husband and the different women in the story, that is how she knows what is going on but she is a step ahead of Bill.
21:30 'what's in those corners?" usually that will be the cameraman, the director, the crew. It's amazing you don't see them in the reflection in the serving dish cover. You can see an open doorway that seems to close as she rounds the corner. That's probably where the crew ran to hide from the reflection. If you've been on a film crew you think about these things. Kubrick's "The Shining" shows amazing attention to detail in not showing the real world in all those mirrors. It's a lot easier to see the camera reflection in Coscarelli's "Phantasm".
God damn, this is so interesting! Note about Jungian symbolism: one's shadow is said to be the same sex, though often of a different ethnicity (e.g., Danny and Halloran); a man's feminine side is the 'anima', and a woman's masculine side is the 'animus'. So, it's possible that Jack's feminine side (nurturing, etc) has atrophied to the point of decomposition (abusing his own child and wife). Kind of like the contrast between Dorian Gray and his portrait. Likewise, speaking symbolically, due to the abuse from his father, Danny's feminine side may have been 'slaughtered' like the twin girls. Also, doubling of characters or objects is taken to be a sign that something is entering consciousness (i.e., being 'shined' into awareness). Your analysis also made me think of the Sun as illumination, awareness, and the Moon as a reflection, a mirror of that awareness. Of course, mirrors have been seen as portals to other dimensions. To go off the deep end, most of the named characters have Irish surnames: Torrance ("little hills"), Halloran ("Foreigner"), Grady ("noble"), Durkin ("pessimist"). I know about Durkin because I have it in my family tree, and it is not a common name. I wonder if any of these names refer to "Manifest Destiny" or historical American violence, given the themes of history repeating itself. Thanks for another awesome video, Rob!
Great info
Good stuff. yourr points about the female side of the self being destroyed are strongly present in Full Metal Jacket.
Jung just made up that stuff about the female side of the self, and the male. He could never prove it. Funny that Torrance doesn't have a very interesting meaning. Unless it is Tor, Tower. A lofty, rocky place where they did human sacrifice in times of old. (What did Ullman say? A place chosen for its sense of isolation?) However, as I am typing this, I start thinking of The Tower card in Tarot, and I looked it up on Wikipedia. Mentions people fleeing a burning building and the Devil beating his drum before the mouth of Hell. Hmmm.
@@watermelonlalalayou're missing the entire point of Jungian psychology if you think he just..made it up. He spent years researching this stuff. People across the globe reveal the subconscious through dreams and they dream using the same images and themes everywhere. This is where Jungs work is rooted. It's not made up, and it does not need to be "proved." The existence of archetypes within human consciousness is a fact that can be observed. What Jung did was describe these things, it's a model, and a highly useful one.
@@Xirrious The men with money bags started planting subliminal images in movies and advertising starting in the time of Freud and his nephew, the advertising guy. Jung's theories were a cover up for the real story - we were all being programmed by Hollywood, and later, TV. Our dreams come from the movies we watched. Kubrick even said, Disney movies were not good because they gave kids ....NIGHTMARES.
Some of this seems far fetched sometimes, but when my friend and I first watched this movie, we were terrified and holding each other nervously from the very first moment the film started. All of this stuff seeps into your subconconcious and makes you more scared than this not that violent or spooky movie should. Absolutely wild.
Cheers. Yeah sometimes I watch these vids back after making them and I'm like ... hmmm, really??? but then, as you say, the effect of all these things can be felt in the film by most who watch it. How can brightly lit, colourful halls be so creepy? That stuff doesn't happen by accident.
@@collativelearning It's actually the bolder theories I end up getting into and agreeing with the most!
'The girls and the elevator body are representations of Danny's split personality from trauma' Woah, of course! I get that!
'Halloran not being present with Danny in the power explanation scene' Holy cow, totally (though I wonder if it's a visual of Danny speaking with Halloran from a distance, rather than to himself)
And then the small ones like "these lamps and windows and floors are so bright they're SHINING". ...I guess, lol.
The brightness and reflectiveness everywhere is so intriguing, but not because of the play on words from the title imo! As you get into as well at length, of course.
Kick ass video man. I've bought lots of your other ones! 👌
@@OfficialJab I like that Halloran idea there :)
@@collativelearning Hey Rob... With this Mirror/Double theme, what's your take on the "Missing Woman from Aspen" we hear about on the news? Seems like such a minute detail for Kubrick to include. I feel like she could be the woman(Moreso Jacks "projection" of said woman) we see in Room 237 before the mirror shows Jack his true self and/or the true nature of The Overlook. Have you written or posted about her before? If so, where should i look?
Dude. Same. First time I watched it, I felt ill at ease during the interview in Ullman's office. Then, I found the video about the spatial impossibility of that office window, and it "clicked." Your subconscious absolutely picks up on things that you miss.
Once again, absolute top form here, Rob. I read Jung and Freud and any serious Kubrick fan can see their influence throughout his work, especially in 'The Shining.' But once again, new ideas are all over this video and your examples make it impossible to ignore. Wonderful vid Rob.
Yooooooo🤯 FINALLY! What you said at 14:19 how hallorann takes Wendy and Danny to a door that we see later is the bathroom, I peeped that like 3 months ago and never seen nobody talk or post about it. That was fire, I love ya videos keep them up fr💯
Well spotted. High five.
As I started to become more aware of certain symbolism in The SHiNiNG, I began to laughingly call it The Twinning. I have studied all of Kubrick’s films in detail over several decades. I appreciate your analysis.
I think the blue and red clothing thing is spot on. In the scene where Halloran and Danny discuss the Shining, Halloran is wearing a blue shirt that has a red stripe peeking out from under his blazer. The red stripe is in the EXACT spot where Jack struck him with the axe.
If we pick up on it, it's likely Jack picks up on it. He is an author after all. So the red stripe on Halloran's clothng is probably what inspired his death in Jack's book.
Mr Ager in the past 13 years I've really enjoyed your videos. Today is my 15th anniversary on RUclips. Thanks for making thoughtful, compelling content.
I just realized every day when I get ready, I open my medicine cabinet so I can see my "normal" reflection. The reversed one bothers me.
I never even thought about that until now. Neat! Love your videos Rob. Thank you so much for all the work you put in. I'm gonna spend the next hour or 2 pining over this now!
Hopefully 'Jack Goodman' never shows up in the mirror reflection, to scare you..
Thanx, Rob! The way you deconstruct, analyze and explain the subtle nuances of movies is amazing! I'm always looking forward to the next video. (If I could afford it I'd buy all the DVDs)
What's up with the headboard behind Jack's head? That shape looks like a figure looming in shadows, to me.
And the Summer of 42, was that Jack as a boy? Was his abuse manifested as the bathroom seduction with the woman who becomes the hag? Jack's abuse leads to Danny wearing the 42 jersey as the next child being abused.
I noticed the figure in the headboard as well. It appears in a reflection, fits in nicely with what Mr. Ager is here talking about, what with "figures" (or ghosts if you like) being reflected off of the dinner tray cover. I couldn't help but wonder if the figure in the doorway is actually "Tony". However, that "figure" in the headboard gives me the impression that it is something far more malevolent looming over Jack, whereas Tony contrasts this as being a more benevolent being, or figure or ghost. Whatever ones interpretation is. Rob pointing out these figures in reflections, to me at least, really tosses out that old theory about this movie not having any ghosts. The ghosts in this movie are very present, implied and even seen! When Rob pointed out the figure walking towards the window in the breakfast tray reflection I got the chills! 👻 And I believe he is spot on about there being something standing in the doorway of those darkend rooms. Yes, very well could be camera crews or Kubrick himself filming the scene, but that's almost beside the point. The net effect is that we have these reflections subtly inserted in portions of a scene where a viewer's attention is almost guaranteed NOT to be drawn to giving a truly "haunted house" feeling to them. Incredible analysis Mr. Ager. 👏
Some of your observations really hit me hard. I had to pause this video at several points because I was being overwhelmed. The parallels between jack and Danny walking backwards actually gave me chills.
Wow, just wow. I’ve watched this film hundreds of times, and still had so many questions. You’ve answered things I’ve been wondering for my whole life in a very concise way. Brilliant.
The only question I have, if Danny is imagining his convo with holleran in the kitchen, what would explain his sudden need to leave Miami and head back to the overlook? If Danny wasn’t really shining to him, why would he make that effort to go back?
I thought that this possible theory is that Halloran only exists in Danny’s imagination.
This is up there with being one of the best Ager "Shining" videos and that's saying something already. Thanks Rob for making this available.
All the repeating chandeliers and lights at the ceiling, especially in the bar, make these rooms feel like they themselves are mirrored infinitely🤔 which subliminally implies that they, in reality, are far smaller than they seem, giving me a claustrophobic feeling, especially considering how the bar room looks far bigger than it architectually should be
Thank you for uploading this to RUclips Rob!
shining analysis vids are like extensions of the overlook hotel. Maybe kubrick envisioned created mazes of endless discussion? they're like shining "plugins"
This is brilliant. SK is my favourite director.
His understanding of both photography and humanity's heart of darkness is genius.
Amazing video as always Rob, there really is no channel quite like yours. Please never stop!
I haven’t yet finished the video but I’m loving this series so far! Absolutely amazing analysis videos. They keep me engaged and inspired. Thank you so much!
Me: Well, well, well... look who decided to regal us all with part 3 in his infinite benevolence 🤣🤣🤣
I had a film analytics class in college and you pointed out so much my old prof did years ago. What a great video! Huge fan of you
The party guest is holding a glass that is exactly the same as Jack has set down to on the urinal in the bathroom scene with grady, not sure you noticed that. Great video as always, thank you.
Great catch!
That underlines Ager's theory that the party guest with the head wound is Grady and Jack rolled into one...!
☆
Wow, maybe because it's from the same bar in the same hotel. DUH!
I just got done watching the 2nd part, and now that I see this part's out by sheer chance I guess your content will make my night.
Actually a mirror isn't recording our movements in real time. Essentially we are looking into the past from the time it takes the light to hit hit the mirror and get back to our eye. Yes that's a millisecond but it still applies. It's definitely something Kubrick would've known. Great video I loved it
That's such a great, creepy insight, and ties in well to the black and white photos!
Interestingly, your brain's visual processing time is what really makes everything you see in reality a representation of the extremely recent past. At mirror distances the time of light travel wouldn't make nearly as much difference as the much much slower speeds of neuron fire.
Cheers. Yeah I considered going into that, but left it out because in human perception it's real time (and the video was getting long lol). The light travel interim is a lot faster than our own eye to brain signals. Good on you for the hardcore physical reality awareness though :)
This video trip is WAY BEYOND AMAZING!!!!!! ( Plus I also like listening to your calming relaxing voice with that accent!!!)👍🏾👌🏾🥃🔪👭🩸🩸🚪🪓🪞🪞🪟🌨️
Can’t help but notice at 17:12 Danny has the knives over him but also the exit sign, perhaps foreshadowing that he may escape, whereas halloran (who had no such exit sign on his side) may not.
Good catch. I was noticing that behind Halloran, above the freezer door is written C1. “See one”, as in There’s two people here; see them as one, or, see only one. Either way, supporting the idea that Halloran is a projection of Danny’s inner workings. The protective adult Danny needs.
I don't know how I deleted my comments. Jack is also Baal and the Minotaur. His fiery belly and moose's head, eating tge virgins of Athens and being defeated in a labyrinth. The reflections analysis and implications are undoubtedly what Kubrick had in mind. Amazing work Rob.
My thought about the set mirroring is that since architectural mirroring dates back thousands of years, I hope no one is thinking that mirrored doors, walls, pictures, pillars, etc., as seen in the sets, are something new or that they haven't seen before. It's everywhere especially in civic and commercial architecture. I think the glossy surfaces were a stylistic choice as they also help spread and reflect the light. Bright interior surfaces are a hallmark of some of Kubrik's films (not in Barry Lyndon for good reason). Great to see the possible reflected hidden figures pointed out and many other points.
Wow the reflection catch is on point. That dinner tray thingy is intriguing
I always took the room 237 scene to be Danny's vision communicated to Halloran. Looking at the editing of the sequence, it goes from Wendy telling Jack to check the room, to Halloran's watching the news and getting the vision. The first shot of the vision is the door of room 237 followed by Danny having a sort of seizure. I never took it to be Jack's direct experience.
According to Kubrick the Dutch masterpiece 'Spoorloos' (the vanishing) was the most terrifying movie he ever saw...even more frightening than his own movie 'The Shining'. Perhaps an interesting movie for one of your next 'great' movie analysis. I've enjoyed all of your 'The Shining' analysis.
That was a one off for George Sluizer-the Vanishing Hollywood re-make was pitiful.And Dark Blood-actually I quite like Dark Blood:)
I still prefer my "Ghost analysis" over the denial dysfunctional family repressed abuser one!*🌟
20:00 the door on the left is narrow so it can be a single 'exclamation point'. Also, back at 3:50, note the diamonds on the bathroom walls in ACO. 'An open door' is a clue in Eyes Wide Shut and you can see these partly open doors in The Shining. Lamps, mirrors, keys, all used in EWS as well. 53:27 - Jack gestures with his left hand at the man in white tie seated with the women. 54:40 - Grady's bow tie points at the red. 55:40 - SD's cigarette points at the light reflection in the bathroom. 55:52 - her elbow points at the TV as she walks by, 55:53, her cigarette points at the small purple painting then her nose 'connects' to that painting as she walks by. These tricks are all in Eyes Wide Shut. 56:40 - the red dots reflected like the many lens flare 'rubies' in Eyes Wide Shut.
Great episode Rob, you,re certainly helping us, to fully understand this film, and to appreciate Kubrick's genius that much more...
the hag is Jack's mother who abused him in the past, thats why he mirrors the hag's actions as he approaches his wife with the bat. Its about the cycle of abuse. You know shes his mother because she appears dead, like a zombie or a ghost, and Jacks mother still haunts his mind after her death. Since she abused him as a child, his sexual development is forever linked with that traumatic memory. Even when he finds someone desirable, as soon as he begins engaging in anything sexual, the idea of his mother always pops into his head to haunt him, even in his sexual fantasies. This results in Jacks warped sexuality and incestual abuse on his own family
I re-read the book not that long ago - wasn't it Wendy's mother and Jack's father who were the abusive parts of the family? I remember Jack's Mom being beaten by Jack's Dad, and she didn't even tell the doctor at the hospital (all this being from the King novel, of course, but you mentioning it would also be from the novel, I guess).
You might be onto something but it lacks the symbolic presentation in the film.
I wasn't fully convinced of the sexual abuse until I saw this video, and I have seen countless Shining analysis videos. Thank you so much for your work. I truly think you are correct about there being no ghosts.
35:05 I see a man standing in that room watchin Danny
WOAH. I never noticed these reflection details or the shadows. Adding a whole other level to this movie.
Nothing is accidental in a Kubrick film.
Love your work.
JT
28:25 For what it's worth, I like these analysis videos even if I don't agree with every interpretation you advance. Overall they are very interesting and I would like for you to make more.
It's so refreshing to hear a free thinker making his own observations. Thank you, Rob.
When you watch The Shining it's undeniable that it is an incredibly layered and complex film full of metaphors and symbolism. That being said sometimes I think people go a little too far analyzing it some of this stuff might well be intentional some of it is most likely people finding connections between things simply because they are looking for them. Most of this comes about because of Kubrick being very intelligent and the claims that everything you see on screen in a Kubrick movie is intentional and apparently never makes mistakes or continuity errors which in itself seems a bit far fetched to me...
Fascinating. Also, I’ll never tire of hearing ‘Haych-D’. Probably my favorite pronunciation difference between where I’m from and Royal Britannia 😃
A little off topic, but it does have to do with reflections...
We never get a family portrait of the Torrance family or a description from anyone about the appearance of Jack. So how are we sure this is what Jack looks like? Did Jack see the photo in the middle of the wall and want to become a reflection of the caretaker? Since it was the only b/w photo in the entire movie with writing on it, it must have grabbed his attention.
Hey Rob, thank you so much for posting this an hour long video dedicated to the shining. Really looking forward to seeing this one. Mr. Kubrick was certainly the man. Thanks again. 😊👍
When Jack opens his eyes while kissing the hag and sees their reflection, the hag's body completely covers Jack's so we just see his head on top of the hag body. It's like he's seeing himself as the hag in the mirror.
Great work, Rob.
I always felt that Grady (at 53:49) did the drink accident on purpose, to get Jack into the bathroom for the 'heart to heart' ;)
I wonder if there are instances in the film where we are seeing the "mirrored" reality instead of the actual. Through the looking glass, in other words. Are we, the audience, inside the mirror looking out, or outside looking in?
I'm not sure this answers your question, but Kubrick often showed us the scene through the mirror. He does it a lot in 2001, especially in the shots introducing Bowman. Sometiems the camera is pointing at the scene, in others, the camera is pointing at a mirror, filimg the scene from that perspective.
Maybe just reading too much in to it. But the fact that the kitchen and store room are clean, filled with steel or chrome objects, and feel almost futuristic compared to the rest of the overlook seems fitting with Danny and Halloran meeting and shining there (even if it is just a conversation with one's self). It seems to mirror the gold room with Jack.
15:13 I think I know why Kubrick took almost 150 takes for this shot: the two reflected lights on Halloran's head.
There are distinctly two lights on his head, which parallel him and Danny. Perhaps the actor moved his head in ways that disrupted these shines, and Kubrick specifically wanted those two shines to be present.
Whatever it was set reports are that Kubrick wouldn't say what he needed to be different so it would likely be some variable along those lines. You could be right, though I have another theory. Kubrick may have been breaking down the will of the cast and crew, ensuring that they knew who was boss and that they will all do as many takes as is required until he gets exactly what he wants. Having done so many takes on this shot, a few dozen takes elsewhere would be more acceptable to them.
@@collativelearning Clint Eastwood would have been happy with one take. Finish the film on time and under budget is the way Eastwood worked.
@@maratonlegendelenemirei3352 Clint Eastwood and Kubrick are totally different film makers.
Possibly, but it could also be that he wanted to mentally break Crothers down to get a more authentic performance out of him, like he admitted to doing with Shelly duVall for the _All Work and No Play_ sequence and the scene of Jack getting thrown in the fridge and taunting Wendy.
@@collativelearning You're half right. SK would have his actors do multiple takes when he felt like he wasn't getting what he wanted from the thespians, but he also at times did only a few takes( as he did with Vincent D'onofrio's epic scene in the bathroom in FMJ). As for the crew? Sure, he was a task maker, but it wasn't his intention to " break down" the will of the crew cause he needed them. Otherwise, who else is going to build the sets, make the costumes, set the lights, load the camera, or bring the crumpets for the tea break ( which irritated Kubrick greatly). You can't make a big movie on your own unless you want to spend twenty years making it.
Your analysis on horror is on another level.
Tje fact Kubrick wanted everything high gloss and shiny? That's strange bc you risk showing the cameramans reflection. So why make it hard on yourself with all the reflective surfaces? Bc he wanted to make use of them. That's the point. Great job
Yes, it's well known in film making that you have to be very careful with mirrors and shiny surfaces on set.
Not to give the movie Room 237 any accolades, but one thing suggested in it I thought was interesting was Jack as Minotaur rather than a devil. It makes a lot of sense: a creature that stalks and kills in a maze, but is also a prisoner there.
I just realized that drink Grady spills on Jack remind me of body fluid. Most cocktails are transparent or dark. Did Kubrick merely choose that cream cocktail to read against Jack's dark clothing, or is something else going on? The whole thing of the spill, then cleaning it up in the bathroom seems uncomfortable and intimate. My initial instinct was to ignore this thought as my juvenile side popping up, but the more I think about it, and the resulting discomfort, the more I think there actually is some intended suggestion there.
Like where jack got the idea… mirrored with a past even of jack’s that might include another bathroom and another man at one point. Such an adulterous encounter might have spun out of control until well, we know the rest
That's really interesting. Cheers.
@Newsbender II You know, I think I had a bottle of that ...ages ago when I was working on having a killer wet bar. Sounds spot on.
Spunk?
@Newsbender II And in English usage, it is a word often used with 'Devil's'.
Damn, these 'Shining' videos by Rob are always so interesting !
I feel like the shots of Wendy pushing the food cart kind of are reflective of Danny on his bike.
Also, I think it’s funny and kind of sad how Wendy brings this elaborate tray setup, and then there’s very little to eat on it. She had to take a nonexistent elevator and walk very carefully, just to deliver some toast and oj etc. Just seems like their relationship: she is performing her wife role, while he plays the part of the provider. The pressure of playing that role is part of what leads him to violence.
Rob, I've watched your videos since 2011. I want to address "the haters" you mentioned in the comments. Kubrick did a lot of complex things. And sometimes you go out on a limb trying to explore them. Mostly I agree, sometimes I think "a cigar is just a cigar," but either way I enjoy hearing you defend your position. Right of wrong, you are interesting as hell and always have reasoning to back yourself up. Thanks for taking my favorite movie of all time and giving me HOURS worth of additional reasons to love it.
I always interpreted Jack's hallucinations and dreams as a negative side/version of the same Shinning ability that Danny and Mr. Hallorann possessed.
Might explain the scenes where Jack's staring into space, and why everyone he sees is a reflection of himself. And while Hallorann tried to guide Danny, the Overlook Hotel tried the same with Jack. Possibility another contrasting duality between Hallorann and the Hotel?
They seem to play into the themes of duality and mirrored illuminations discussed in this series. Any thoughts on this?
That was great.
One thing I’ve just noticed with the bear scene is the shadows on the walls. It looks like being inside a baby’s cot.
The shadows rap around the walls
I don’t even care if these are real or not- it’s just so interesting to listen to! Thanks for your work!
Every time I see one of Rob's studies on a Kubrick film I like to imagine Stanley watching it. He's stroking his beard and smiling, and thinking, "Hey, Rob got it right again."
I wonder if Kubrick is in heaven watching with us.
I would have loved to have sat down with Kubrick and had him go through these vids and tell me on the level everything I got right and wrong. I'm pretty sure it would be one hell of a learning experience.
I often wish Kubrick could tell us his real intended meaning from either Heaven or beyond the grave!*
Keep in mind, not all of these things necessarily came directly from Kubrick himself. A director works very closely with his production designer to come up with the lay out and adornment of his sets.
Maybe not “Rob got it right again,” but “Rob got people thinking and talking about my film again.” I’ve often said that David Lynch is like the Ancient Greek poets; when the Muse descends, not even they understand every facet of what they are doing or meaning when they create their art. Kubrick might be very much the same way.
In the end, if art is supposed to provoke reactions that lead to thought and conversation, then Kubrick has done his job.
I relate to Danny so much it hurts. The first time I watched it as a kid, that shot of Jack Nicholson frozen in the ice makin a derp face... It was such a weird relief and triumph for me. Because in my own life, that's what i was wishing would be the outcome but it never was.
Wendy’s blue & cream robe 👘 in the dinner tray scene - she matches the blue walls with cream trim of the hallway. Same blue & cream the twins are wearing? Does the robe stand for the hotel wrapping itself around Wendy? The other robe she wears when Jack has the axe is different. In another sequence Wendy matches the green of the washing machines, the green of Halloran’s sheets,then the green of the room. I never noticed these color matching scenes. Oh! The shadows from the staircase creating “bars” on the walls during the fellatio scene - a literal crime being committed and so “behind bars.”
I enjoy all of Rob Ager's videos of the Shining. ❤️
Rob! I noticed an interesting detail!!! Ooo not sure if you discussed this. (Sidenote- you are amazing thank you for your work)
When you mentioned jack seeing himself in the reflection as the abuser @45:00 hugging the hag. The spots on the hags body that are eaten away/damaged are the spots that Jack was touching. Like everything he touches turns bad or something.
That pun at 30:38 - please show yourself out, Rob. Preferably using a set of double doors.
Great analysis as always! Your in-depth discussions about this film are always a treat to watch.
I'll never not love the scene of Jack walking into the Golden Ballroom and throwing a little fit each time he passes the mirrors
Also, in your analysis at 36:10 the shots of both Danny and Jack from behind seated, the shadowed rug on the stairs matches the dark ‘exit’ door Danny is cycling towards.
I know why Rob is obsessed with breaking down every aspect of the film. There is no other explanation than the fact he is Kubrick's long lost son. It makes too much sense.
Rob, you've often spoken of the Hag as representative of Jack's suppressed guilt. But we might take her presence to hint at Jack's own repressed experiences of abuse, reflected back at him in the mirror. Maybe that's why he's always been in the Overlook. This may dovetail with your observation about the movie, "Summer of '42," playing on the T.V. Jack is consumed by his own guilt and the spectre of the psychological damage he's suffered, and comes to embody the monster of abuse that stalks families across generations.
This is one of your best videos, by the way. I really love your work, and appreciate all you do. You're a fantastic educator. Cheers
*The "seduction scene" from **_Summer of '42_** was [literally] mirrored in **_The Last Picture Show"_** as well, as is much of the movie.*
Really interesting work (as ever). The Summer of ‘42, 42 T-shirt parallel is a revelation. The factorisation of 42 is 2x3x7. 237.
The lead up to the twins also echoes the maze. With the subdivided green parts of the walls foreshadowing the hedges.
Their slaughter and his.
The bathroom also being green, but surrounded by a gold line. Could be seeding the gold thread of Ariadne. Jack’s backing out is definitely another parallel to the finale.
All the best x
18:50 Sign says "Camera Walk" just as the steady cam guy is walking after Danny to film the scene. SO META.
i just rewatched the shining a few days ago, so pumped to see a new rob ager video on it while it's so fresh in my memory!
55:15 Here we can see Jack and his dark shadow on the window. When Kubrick took and released any additional material, it's usually some sort of clue. Making the Shining documentary especially seems like scripted from start to finish. This also links Jack and Kubrick, the same happens in the shot in Ullman's office where Kubrick can be seen reflected from the windows behind Jack, pretty much exactly as they are in this photo.
I don't remember seeing any RUclips videos about lighting The Shining specifically but if there are ,yours are probably the best.
45:26 you have a mirroring of the lift sequence / Danny’s open mouthed scream by Jack. The cycle of abuse? Maybe this isn’t Danny’s dream sequence it’s just Jack living the realisation of his own childhood abuse and the realisation that he has now become the abuser.
Yeah I'm inclined to agree :)
In my opinion more a fascinating insight in your associative and (let's face it) rather obsessive mind, then in how this movie was actually made. Kubrick's explanations about the meanings in the Shining are much simpler than your interpretations, but that's also the tricky thing about all this: because he's seen as a director who supposedly thought about every single detail in every single frame of every single shot of every single one of his movies, you can attach an endless amount of theories and meanings to it. This being said: it's still very interesting to see how far you went with this. I bet Kubrick would be more than amused if he could see all this. Keep up the good work!
16:56
Look to the upper left of the frame. The two character notation above the door.
C1
See one... person?
...it's amazing how deep we can jump down such rabbit holes if so inclined.
So many great illuminations in this video! 👍 A couple things I thought of while watching: In the July 4th Ball pic with Mr. Torrance in the front, his arms are spread open with one arm raised similar to the examples in the vid. Also, not sure this was mentioned but the parallel of Jack waking up from his nightmare with drool dripping from his face, and then Danny also drooling while having the disturbing premonition. 🤤
Yes the mutual drool - important.
Kubrick allows himself to be reflected clearly in the Ullman office shot. There's no way in hell that he didn't know he would be reflected. These reflections from the cover are almost certainly there on purpose. It might just be to mess with ours subconscious that certainly picks up those things especially in the big screen, but I would be inclined to think it's more than that.
Also the black elevator reflected from the coffee machine has to be on purpose.
The Shining was made in a time when relatively few people had VCRs, let alone DVDs or BluRays that offered clean paused screens where such images could be easily parsed. How many people could pick up on such a detail after one or even two viewings without pausing the movie?
@@dash_r_media Kubrick knew perfectly well that tech will evolve. He also knew his work would be eternal, at least one of the most studied films ever, or the most studied.
These things also work subliminally without our conscious mind realizing them at all. Kubrick studied these things for The Shining and used them a ton. That's why this film makes people so anxious when there's nothing really happening.
Also one point, there are huge amount of copies made from the film itself, to all theaters around the world. There would have been and at least eventually will be a lot of people who could investigate the film itself.
Great video Rob, I’ve been following your shining series for more than 5 years on RUclips. This put a great bow on a lot of the conclusions you’ve come to. Cheers
Rob's videos are all better than the entirety of the Steven King novel. That book belongs in the trash. King got lazy halfway through and just made the whole thing about "the hotel" possessing the father instead of it being about the father's inner insanity.
Beyond amazing piece of work. At 42:57 narrator asks, Who is the abuser in The Shining setting? Well, Stanley Kubrick is the the answer that came to my mind...by the way, this work you do is priceless for those who want to dive the Kubrick abyss. Aprecciate your work very much. New subscriber.
@ 38:57 is that clock at 6:11 (mirrors: 9-11) and the clock in machine with the two identical card holders looks like the World Trade Center.
No, there's no way anyone predicted that back in 1979. I've heard theories the twins are the towers but consider it pure projection.
@@collativelearning There is a mountain of evidence in Film and Television that support the gematria and freemason image of their pillars and black and white checkered board design that promote their hatred for Jesus Christ. As Above so Below. There's a Twilight Zone episode that had Burgess Meredith as the devil who creates new paper headlines of disasters and they come true selling more newspapers for that publisher, in a montage we see the clock at 9:11 and looking up at a 60's modern tower building suddenly just beneath the top it explodes falling downward in place. Check it out.
@@collativelearning Hi there are many videos on youtube that show the destruction of the twins was know way before it actually happened in old movies.
Jack’s shirt is from Stovington VT, the fictional town where he worked at Stovington Prep. “Stoving in” means crushing, as in what he plans to do to Wendy’s skull. The word Prepatory (which Autosuggest keeps trying to change to Predatory and prep story) also adds a chilling reflection on his mindset.