When you mention The Shining , the world instantly pictures Jack Nicholson’s manic grin chopping through a bathroom door or the chilling twins in the hallway. Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece is a frozen masterpiece of psychological horror. But for fans of Stephen King’s novel, Kubrick’s film has always been a beautiful, cold betrayal.
However, where it wins is the ending. In Kubrick’s film, Jack freezes to death in a maze. In the 1997 version, Jack has a moment of clarity. He fights the hotel’s control long enough to tell his son, "I love you," before the boiler explodes. That single moment of redemption is the entire point of King’s book. For King, horror isn't about madness; it is about choosing love over addiction. If you watch "O Iluminado Versão 1997" expecting a masterpiece, you will be disappointed. It is a TV movie from the era of It and The Stand —full of earnest acting and wobbly special effects. But if you watch it as a companion piece to the novel, it is essential.
It is the warm, flawed, human version of The Shining . Kubrick gave us the labyrinth; King’s 1997 version gives us the heart. And for those who believe Jack Torrance was more than just a madman, that heart is worth finding.
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