Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10585 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-02-10
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 273 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Stephen King's The Shining is a new adaptation from the author himself, made for American television, that bears very little resemblance to the 1980 Stanley Kubrick version. Which is not surprising since Kubrick practically threw out most of King's novel and presented his own version of the story. Here King redresses the balance in a mini-series that follows his original almost to the letter, and manages to be effectively creepy despite the budget and censorship limitations of the TV format.

Stephen Weber takes over the role of Jack Torrance, the caretaker who slowly descends into madness in the haunted Overlook Hotel. His performance is as far from Jack Nicholson as you could get, with his insanity building slowly and menacingly rather than being virtually mad from the get-go. Rebecca de Mornay is superb as Wendy Torrance, struggling to hold her fragile family together amid the spooky goings on. Young Courtlan Mead plays Danny, whose unique gifts give the story its title, as one of those infuriating TV brats who overacts left right and centre. Fortunately, there are enough creepy moments and a fair few frights to hold the whole thing together: the woman in the bathtub scene being a stand out shocker. Sure, there is nothing quite like Nicholson's "Here's Johnny!" moment, but this is the story King wanted to tell and it still shines brighter than most of the other recent screen adaptations of his work.

On the DVD: Stephen King's The Shining is a nicely packaged set, with the film spread over two discs complete with a commentary featuring Stephen King himself, instantly making this set a must-have for his fans. There are also several deleted scenes which add some interest to parts of the movie. The transfer is good, considering its TV origins, and the crisp sound captures every spooky moment on this well-thought-out and presented set. --Jonathan Weir

Special Features
Feature-length commentary by Stephen King, cast members Steven Weber and Cynthia Garris, Director Mick Garris & select crew.

11 Additional Scenes

2.0 Dolby Surround

1.85:1 widescreen

Languages: English, Italian

Hearing impaired: English, Italian

Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Arabic, Romanian

Synopsis
A made-for-TV mini-series based on the classic Stephen King horror novel, STEPHEN KING'S THE SHINING is a tense psychodrama about a man named Jack (Steven Weber) whom accepts a caretaker job at a winter resort, relocates his wife (Rebecca De Mornay) and child there, and subsequently goes completely insane. Jack, already in a slumbering state of depression, seems to be taken over by supernatural beings within the resort, leading him to threaten the lives of his family. More of a literal adaptation than the 1980 Stanley Kubrick film.

Customer Reviews

Great Acting!!
I've watched Steven Weber in the sitcom "Wings," and was so impressed by his acting that I decided to follow his work to this movie. Wow! He needs more credit for this movie because he was better than Jack. I'm a big fan of both, but I think he captured his role better. Everyone else was also amazing in the movie. The music was wonderful as well as the scenery. A hit! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

The Shining
This was a little long in places but this was necessary as the whole story was much closer to the original book, with the development of the story and the gradual build up to the end of the story. The actors all slightly underplayed their roles making the whole situation more believable. The parts when the topiary animals creep up on unsuspecting members of the family is especially creepy.
Personally I preferred it to the film version starring Jack Nicholson as that version seemed to just use the most dramtic parts of the book to make a horror film while missing out the background leading to situations.

Terrifyingly Good!
The original movie of 'The Shining' was my favourite movie for a long time, until I finally got round to reading the Stephen King book. Then I realised that the movie had very little in common with the novel. Apparently, Stephen King himself thought this too. This version, Stephen King's version, is basically a page to film adaption that leaves very little out. It is how the author wanted it and, in my opinion, is much better than Kubrick's adaption. Great performances from the lead actors, good special effects, and the fact that it has a long running time lets you slowly and gently slide into the terrifying story. I'd deffinately reccomend this to any Stephen King fans, and also to any horror fans.
It was, after all, penned by the master!