Stephen King’s Least Favorite Film Debuts on IMAX for the First Time

Stephen King’s relationship with the film adaptation of his iconic novel, The Shining, is well-documented and complicated. Despite being a cornerstone of horror cinema, this Stanley Kubrick-directed film is critiqued heavily by King himself. In an interesting development, The Shining is set to be showcased in IMAX theaters for the very first time, starting December 12.

The Shining’s IMAX Debut

A fresh trailer for this much-anticipated event was released on October 28. The film will screen in IMAX theaters as part of a limited engagement. Fans will soon have the opportunity to experience shocking scenes—like the iconic blood wave—from a massive screen.

Stephen King’s Discontent

Since its release in 1980, King has expressed his discontent with how Kubrick adapted his story. He has noted numerous flaws, including the choice of the film’s setting. King believed that Kubrick selected the wrong hotel to bring his vision to life.

• Critique of Casting: King believed that casting Jack Nicholson affected the movie’s twist involving Jack Torrance’s mental decline.
• Character Reduction: According to King, the character of Wendy Torrance was diminished to someone merely reacting in fear.
• Source of Evil: King believes the film shifted the source of evil from the Overlook Hotel to its characters, undermining the original story’s themes.

In some of his remarks, King implied that Kubrick’s own skepticism limited his ability to portray true horror. He felt that Kubrick focused too heavily on character flaws rather than the malevolent essence of the hotel.

King’s Evolving Perspective

Despite his long-standing criticisms, King’s stance has somewhat softened over the years. In the afterword of his sequel novel, Doctor Sleep, published in 2013, he reiterated his view that the original film diverged from his narrative. However, he noted the film adaptation of Doctor Sleep, directed by Mike Flanagan in 2019, successfully reconciled both his and Kubrick’s interpretations.

The author affirmed this sentiment by stating that many of his grievances with the Kubrick film were resolved in the sequel. While King may still harbor mixed feelings about The Shining, it’s unlikely he will attend the IMAX release this December. Nonetheless, the film’s renewed presence in theaters presents a fresh opportunity for both fans and critics alike to revisit this classic horror tale.