Many people have asked me about the significance of the number 42 on Dannys T-shirt in the tooth brushing / shining scene. Danny on the other hand after the physical trauma goes into a semi-conscious state, Tony taking hold of the reigns and keeps on repeating the word redrum in a very mechanical trance. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Notice how we are shown a symmetrical window centered shot, this is because the placement of the window is impossible. The one on the left would be overlapped by the stretched size of 237, seen in the bathroom scene and the one on the right shows a stairway going downstairs where Room 237 is. This is one of the film's unique scenes (along with the Grady twins) and it has received a number of interpretations. This is right before the fatherly love scene. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. This is also one of the only theories to be supported in part by Stephen Kings novel alongside the figurative representation of hell. Ultimately, it's all speculative, but Ager's cogent proof unravels the mystery of the bear man all the same. There are lots of parallels going on here. In Stephen Kings original novel, which the film was adapted from, the scene was given more context. In an interview (via EW), executive producer Jan Harlan and screenwriter Diane Johnson both expand on the final scenes of The Shining, including The Shining picture at the end. He goes upto the bar and meets Lloyd who fixes him another drink and says the expense is on the house, indicating the effort of the Overlook to carry Jack down the hill of madness. Meanwhile, Wendy runs through the hotel looking for her son. And another strange aspect is that there are lots of pornographic pictures of women on the billboard in the basement (see HD version of the film). Jack is a recovering alcoholic and relapses at the hotel. Stanley Kubrick's epic, bizarre, somewhat controversial adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining was released 40 years ago this week. At the time, the film made modest profits and was met with lukewarm reviews ("Even the film's most startling images seem overbearing and perhaps even irrelevant," shrugged . Parents just don't understand. This concept is further paralleled in our first view of Dannys bedroom in the Overlook. In the book, the man dressed in a suit is actually Horace Derwent, the mysterious owner of the Overlook Hotel, and the man in the costume (which is a dog in the book) is Roger, a one-time lover of his. In addition to the sexual innuendos of the doctors conversation, theres one further scene in the film that adds to the mystery in question, occurring when Hotel managers Stuart Ullman and Bill Watson approach Jack on the closing day of the Overlook. However, in Kubricks adaptation, this context was missing which left many viewers questioning what they were looking at and why at that moment. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Decoding this puzzling moment, superfans of The Shining have long pointed to the relevance of bears throughout the film, with several references being made throughout the movie that each build to one likely explanation. Even the Gold Room is spatially impossible due to its enormous size, a beautiful irony of the vastness of the effect of claustrophobia. Who is the man in the bear costume in "The Shining"? Its more than likely that Kubrick placed this article title in the scene to communicate that the psychiatrists dismissal of Dannys health problem is mistaken. We are given a tour of The Overlook, and in these long takes Kubrick covers every detail and clue that is crucial to the story, a prime example of his unparalleled intelligence, something that left me shell-shocked on a second watch. Specifically, the spaceship sweater with Apollo 11 written on it, which was the name of the rocket used in the moon landing. The dialogue of the scene is full of innuendos about abuse. He was a figure associated with a variety of grand adventures throughout his life, the grandest of which being his ordeal with King Minos minotaur in the labyrinth. Subscribe for more filmmaking videos like this. The bear symbolizes homosexuality and sexual abuse. Its now even more clear why Kubrick chose such a sombre piece of music for the fatherly love scene. Stanley Kubrick's iconic Stephen King adaptation is intentionally dense and even nonsensical at times. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Contents 1 Biography 2 Notes & Trivia 3 See also 4 External Links 5 Appearances 6 References Of course, the ghost of Grady freeing Jack from the freezer remains hard to explain away, although that doesn't stop some from trying. The aforementioned Room 237 doc covers this theory and the following video digs even deeper into this Native American genocide interpretation. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round. The Bear Man. Along with a painting on the wall of the Overlook that could be interpreted as the head of a bull atop the body of a man, though not in a literal sense. Jack gets annoyed by Wendy coming in while he was working and tries hard not to completely lose it. The Shining is Stephen King's third published novel and the one that established his name in the horror genre. I've never read the book. Jack embraced Danny on the bed in the fatherly love scene, from which Danny would have also been able to see his own predicament in a mirror. One strong and memorable element of The Shining that didnt directly factor into any of these theories was the soundtrack. Perhaps explaining The Shining in this manner falls more in line with the book rather than the film despite the conjecture to the contrary. Were in a golden age of TV writing and development. Danny escapes the maze and reunites with Wendy, and they escape in Hallorans snowcat. These observations could easily be interpreted as evidence that Wendy has also had an incestuous relationship with Danny, but my guess is the older woman relationship refers to the woman in room 237, who we know is simply a dream manifestation of Jack. Jack also mentions his wife being a horror movie addict and her character is typical of a scream queen/damsel in distress (something out of a conventional 40s horror flick). The fact that his films like 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining require detailed explanations says a lot about his craft. The Shiningmoon landing connection is the one theory that extends film and into the life and work of Stanley Kubrick in general. While Danny's barbs do eventually seem to wake up part of Jack's consciousness from inside his Lloyd identity, whatever good he had left in him was clearly erased once Jack was fully taken over. We also see two doors on either side of Room 237 that lead nowhere. In this interview, Stephen King supports the notion that the Overlook Hotel could represent hell. Elsewhere in the documentary there is an emphasis on sexual behaviour from Jack. This idea even served as the basis for a mockumentary film from director Matt Johnson calledOperation Avalanche. The Shining. Stanley Kubrick's films are known for leaving behind hints and foreshadowing as well as clues that all signify some kind of deeper meaning, usually tethered to psychological conditions, phenomena, or theory. All of this corresponds to Wendy's horrified reaction to seeing The Shining bear man in the hallway, which Ager suggests may or may not imply that she has realized, at that moment, what's been happening to Danny in The Shining movie. the scene really doesnt make sense in the movie and i've never read the book so idk if its explained there? One of the most chilling details about both the novel and film versions of The Shining is that the Overlook Hotel is based on a real (possibly haunted) location that Stephen King once visited. Jack admits to having underestimated the task and promises to go to any length to finish it, and his door unseemingly gets unlocked. 'The Shining:' Who is the Man in the Bear Costume? We are tracking a yellow car driving through the mountains and at the same time observing the vastness and seclusion of the landscape. Some details supporting the latter is that Jack leers at other women several times in the film. Sound familiar? She was also a contributor for FanSided's BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Also notice his two hands placed on his crotch, almost like protecting it from something. Danny goes back to his room to get his firetruck and sees a grim looking Jack, his face shown through the mirror again. Related: IT Chapter Two's Shining Reference Hints At Stephen King's Shared Universe. It's no secret that Kubrick's take on The Shining deviated largely from Stephen King's novel in fact, Stephen King hates The Shining, somewhat notoriously but film scholar Rob Ager delved deep into what Kubrick may have been implying with The Shining bear man, that the novelization didn't clear up. Its actually quite simple. The Shining Is About Sexual Abuse. Yes! The film within a film parallel is also hinted at by the television content initially filling up our entire view of the scene before zooming out to reveal Danny and Wendy in the lobby. Because of that, The Shining book and movie are very different entities, and details that are explained or at least easier to interpret in the novel are either not included or left very ambiguous in the film. The open patch on the bear man's behind in the film simply adds to the sexual emphasis. To some, the scene may seem insignificant and almost forgettable especially in the midst of Jacks murderous rampage. Theres no doubt regarding his undisputed title of the greatest film maker in the history of cinema, and though people may point out Tarkovsky or Kurosawa or Bergman, none of them has influenced the art to such an extent. The most disturbing aspect of the movie and something that creeped me out after thinking about it (I am an avid horror movie fan but this aspect is just terrifying). Few films inspire as many diverse fan theories and interpretations as Stanley Kubricks The Shining. Further evidence includes the cases of Tang in the Overlooks pantry and the otherwise innocuous change from Room 217 in the novel to Room 237 in the film. I dont go for number interpretations generally, but here Ill make an exception. The Overlook or the hedge structure. Jack hadnt slida single drop of liquor for the past 5 months, a vow out of guilt. The Shining bear is no different, and, if Rob Ager's theory is correct, could explain a much darker nature to the relationship between Danny Torrance (Danny Lloyd) and his father, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson). Stanley Kubrick. Next: The Shining: The True Story & Real-Life Hotel Behind The Movie. There are actually several other references in the film to bears. Flanagan purposefully decided to leave the ghost out, despite Doctor Sleep containing many ghosts from The Shining. It is used throughout the movie to symbolize the incest and sexual abuse between Jack and Danny. Jack is left in the snow and freezes to death, and its implied that the Overlook Hotel continued with its cycle of murder by bringing in more reincarnations of past workers. From the sinister musical scoring to the casts class acts, the film has all the components for a great horror movie. Jack takes his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and their son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), with him, but little do they know, the Overlook has some dark secrets of its own. Either way, The Shining is not so much a ghost story in a literal sense, but a story about the ghosts (or demons, in some cases) of violence and abuse, and how these can come back to continue with the cycle. Danny writes REDRUM with a red crayon on the door of the bathroom while Wendys sleeping and starts repeating it to wake her up. What makes The Shining so special? As for all the weird stuff Wendy stumbles across while running through the hotel, like the guy in the bear suit blowing the party guest and the lift full of blood, it's like Halloran said earlier in the film: "A lot of things happened in this hotel over the years, and not all of them were good". Add to that the fact that he reads Playgirl magazine. There is also Jack and Danny's conversation in the apartment suite with Danny on Jack's lap. Some readers will probably disapprove or take offence at what Im about to say regardless of how I explain it, so Ill just say it outright. The infamous bear costume scene and the quick view of Jack reading a Playgirl magazine are pointed to as evidence that Dannys abuse goes beyond physical into sexual. Kubrick was never into the idea of making a typical horror film, and he certainly got what he wanted out of the film, even if Stephen King didn't like it. 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