Making 'The Shining'
- Episode aired Oct 4, 1980
- 35m
A look behind the scenes during the making of The Shining (1980).A look behind the scenes during the making of The Shining (1980).A look behind the scenes during the making of The Shining (1980).
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDuring the behind the scenes "Making of" documentary, it becomes clear that, the hotel interior set design not only uses the available official Sound Stage floor spaces, but also flow out to include the (dressed/disguised) "backstage" Elstree Studio buildings areas, such as studio corridors, dressing rooms, offices, etc. By coincidence, it appears that most of the Elstree Studios' Sound Stages and related studio buildings used for "The Shining" were later demolished in the notorious Brent Walker period, for what would become the site of the Tesco Supermarket, making this behind the scenes film, and "The Shining" itself, unintentional records of the Elstree Studios site prior to the demolition.
- Quotes
Stanley's Mom: And why is the script in multi-coloured pages? Anything?
Stanley Kubrick: Each time we make a new version, at first you get very methodical - each time you make a new version, you put a different colour in. After a while, you're lucky if people get copies of the changes.
Jack Nicholson: It's so that you start with white, then you go to blue, then pink, then green, then yellow.
Stanley's Mom: But I just wondered...
Stanley Kubrick: But what happens is...
Jack Nicholson: It's so that when everybody's got their script out, you can look right over and know if they've got the latest version. But of course...
Stanley Kubrick: ...that never happens.
Jack Nicholson: They never have the latest version.
Stanley's Mom: So, a blue or a yellow... isn't significant?
Stanley Kubrick: No.
Stanley's Mom: It's just colours.
Jack Nicholson: I quit using my script. I just take the ones they type up each day.
Stanley's Mom: Aren't you exaggerating a little bit?
Jack Nicholson, Stanley Kubrick: Nope.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Here's Looking at You, Warner Bros. (1991)
Most precious of all, obviously, are the glimpses of Kubrick behind the scenes. On the ground with a camera underneath Jack getting the perfect posture and feeling for the famous scene where he's locked in the kitchen and banging on the door. His directorial rage at Shelley Duvall when she missed her queue and spoiled the perfect set-up of the snow-machine and other elements Kubrick had arranged for the shot. First thing in the morning, looking slovenly (like all great artists - caring nothing for how he looked and everything for how his film would look), greeting Jack and staring right into the camera looking less-than-impressed.
As impossible as it is to choose one Kubrick production over another, The Shining is particularly great. And this little documentary, the only special feature you'll ever find on a Kubrick DVD, becomes all the more valuable for the scarcity of behind-the-scenes glimpses of Kubrick at work. Enjoy!
- Ben_Cheshire
- Feb 18, 2004