Rival11

Just got done with the directors cut....I have no idea what was added other than a cool little scene where Jack Torrence is wiping off the alcohol he got on Danny from when.he swatted the glass away...they are in the red bathroom and Jack is talking to Danny and wiping is jacket off like Grady did in the original - he says that management says there's a problem, they talk a bit then it cuts to abra using the shining to call him outside.

Really have no clue what the hell else was added though and I was watching carefully.

Brack

I watched the theatrical cut a couple of nights ago and started watching the director’s cut yesterday but fell asleep early. The film has easily the most hypnotic music score I’ve heard in quiet sometime, especially the “thump thump” piece. Abra’s introduction in the theatrical is now her second scene in the director’s cut. It’s easy to forget what’s added to an already lengthly film. I plan to watch the rest of the DC today.

Hazel Motes

I missed the boat on the Best Buy Steelbook. When I checked the instore availability on the BB website, it said there were 0 available within the 250 mile radius of my local store, then just by some sort of fluke, I checked again a couple days ago and there was ONE available within a 250 mile radius and it happened to be MY local store. Then, to make the story even better, the director, Mike Flanagan, is my sisters boss, and she is getting the steelbook signed for me on Monday. Some good luck is finally coming my way.

Troy Stiffler

Just watched this.

It is hard to connect it to Stanley Kubrick’s filmmaking.

Other than that, this is a top tier King adaptation. Just a great scary fantasy adventure.

d2cheer

It has been a long time since I watched the Shinning...is it recommended that you see it before this?

dex14

I wouldn't say it is 100% necessary, but it would be a large benefit. The film does fill you in and work if you've never seen it.

E Unit

Especially with the last 30 minutes or so. It’s a great way to tie this movie with the original.

Troy Stiffler

Nah. Ghosts are there. It really doesn’t go into anything too deep.

This movie gives you the story. It’s not much like Kubrick’s slow, dense, psychological filmmaking.

GoldenJCJ

I watched this last night. I enjoyed it for the most part. It was great going back to the Overlook at the end. I guess a credit to the film is that I was engrossed enough in the movie that I forgot about the Hotel all together as the movie was playing out. I think a lesser movie would have just had me waiting for the Overlook finale without caring much about what was happening beforehand.

I think my biggest tissue with the movie, and this brought it from being a great film to just an above average one, is that there is very little tension between Rose and Abra. From their very first meeting we see that Abra has Rose’s number from the get-go and it stays that way throughout. I would have preferred it if Abra was still discovering her powers throughout the movie and started out fairly weak and unsure of her abilities. Abra getting the best of Rose from their very first meeting took any possible suspense away from their interactions.

McGregor was very good however and it felt like a satisfying follow-up to Kubrick’s film.

Josh-da-man

I think it's interesting how Kubrick, who is singular filmmaker (and one could easily argue is the greatest director of all time), has had two really good sequels made from two of his greatest films. Both Doctor Sleep and 2010 are strong (and logical) sequels to the original films, and excellent films in their own right.

It probably helps that they're both based on sequels to the original novels by the original authors, but both of these films could easily have gone completely south.

DJLinus

Having loved The Shining (the book and the movie), I figured this would just be another unnecessary sequel. I watched the movie last night and really enjoyed it. Though it's still not needed. At least we avoided a Caddyshack 2 scenario. I doubt I'll ever read Doctor Sleep, though.



Rival11

I can't help but feel they should redo the shining film based entirely on the book - I think it's time now and the book is so amazing you could literally make and engaging 4 hour movie out of it (well, I know I'm reaching there but it's that damn good).

Tom Banjo

I’m not sure if you’re aware but King did a 4 hour tv mini-series in the 90s that was more faithful to the book. It wasn’t very good, though.

Josh-da-man

The miniseries was fucking awful.

GoldenJCJ

There were a number of problems with the miniseries but it didn’t help that they chose the worst child actor in the history of child actors to play Danny.

Rival11

I am aware and it was hot trash.

Rival11

One of the creepiest parts in the book where the guy dressed like a dog, on all fours, running around the hotel floor and telling Danny he was going to eat him up was so f'n creepy in the book - Danny yelling and pleading "let me pass" was done so well - in that beyond horrible mini-series.....ugh, just ugh, it was so cringy.

Tom Banjo

I agree it wasn’t good, but to be fair it meets the criteria you set forth.

Finisher

Finally got around to this movie. Mike Flanagan does solid work but as much as I wanted to like this movie, there are too many obvious issues. Main two are: Abra is too cocky and OP. Movie needed her more vulnerable and the conflict should've been her racing to harness/develop her power before group finds her. And the other issue is Rebecca Ferguson is simply not a menacing villain. They just look like hippy carnie folk. I couldn't take her seriously. And I don't know if it's because I watched the director's cut but everything is drawn out needlessly.

It's funny that the only character I really character about was Jacob Tremblay, and he had two scenes.

And totally agree with the points quoted. Outcome of the baddies was pathetic.

Dr. DVD

Have you read the book? I'm not knocking you for not doing so, but a lot of the shortcomings you mention come directly from the source.

Is the version for sale digitally the DC(looking at iTunes), or is that only available in physical form? Thanks!

inri222

Just watched the 3 hour director’s cut and was very disappointed. I consider The Shining one of the greatest horror films of all time so I’m not surprised. The tone of this feels more like some supernatural superhero vampire road movie while Kubrick’s more like slow burn art house horror.

2/5

Rob V

Caught this on HBO and thought it was excellent as a slow burn type movie. The little girl was fantastic and I liked that she was uber-confident and almost always had the upper hand on the baddies; often we get time bomb scenarios (and we still kinda got that) but she played with Rose the Hat more than vice-versa - which was very refreshing.

Finisher

No, I have not. But this is why slavishly following source material usually yields underwhelming results. Like why would you not improve on obvious weaknesses? I'm sure Flanagan only got the project if he was faithful but let's be real here: not everything King writes is gold. It was always laughable that King shat on Kubrick's version for deviating at points. Yet compare Kubrick's version to King-faithful TV version of The Shining: one is a masterpiece and one is a piece of shit.

Josh-da-man

Yeah, the tv miniseries of The Shining is basically a Lifetime movie.

I never really got why King hated Kubrick's The Shining so much. I mean, aside Carrie, The Shining, The Dead Zone, Stand By Me, and Shawshank Redemption, the movies based on his books tend to be middling at best, and absolutely wretched at worst.

Troy Stiffler

The Shining miniseries fits nicely with the other King miniseries. I was glued. Those were a big deal I’m the 90s.

This movies is not Kubrick. It’s a more modern supernatural story that incorporates story and imagery from the first movie. It doesn’t look or feel like The Shining.