Tiny But Important Details About The Shining You Might Have Missed

1. They lied to get blood into the trailer

Image source/ Roger EgbertFor the trailer of The Shining, the producers wanted to show some blood and gore. But it was said that it showed TOO much blood so had to be changed. But Kubrick managed to wheedle through the censors by telling them that the blood was not blood, it was just rusty water.

2. The Shining is based on the real experiences of Stephen King

Image source/ NPRStephen King used his own experiences to write his book. He also had an obsessive personality and had struggled with alcoholism. He also had experience of trying desperately to be a good husband and father and do right by his family whilst struggling with these internal demons.

3. Wendy Torrance is VERY different in the book

Image source/ nofspodcastIn the book, Wendy Torrance is unrecognisable to the Wendy Torrance in the film. In the book, Stephen King had described her as blonde, bubbly and a kind of cheerleader cliche in many ways. But, in the film Wendy was nothing like the book version all.

4. Stephen King did not like the film version

Image source/ flickfeastStephen King did not agree with how she had been portrayed int he film. In the film, she was very submissive, and she allows her husband to rule and acts as his subordinate. Whereas in the book, she was feisty in spirit and much braver than her film portrayal.

5. The maze was supposed to be different

Image source/ YouTubeIn the book, there was no maze. Instead, this scene was written as hedges shaped as animals which came alive. But due to a lack of CGI and special effects made it much easier to have the maze instead of having to make the hedge animals appear as life like.

6. The hotel asked filmmakers to change the room number

Image source/ comicbookThe hotel which was used for the filming of the movie made one request. This was to change the room number which in the film was 217. The hotel did not want future guests being scared of the room and so instead the film uses room 237 which did not exist in the real hotel.

7. The young boy Danny was never aware it was a horror movie

Image source/ hotcomThe child actor Danny, playing the role of Danny Lloyd, never actually realised he was taking part in a horror movie. Instead, he was told he was filming for a drama. This was done to protect his emotional state and wellbeing. And, in the traumatic scenes, a dummy was used so that the child was not disturbed.

8. Stephen King did not want Jack Nicholson to play Jack Torrance

Image source/ danofgeekStepehen King was disappointed when he realised Jack Nicholson was playing the role of Jack Torrance. This is because Nicholson was typecast as playing a villain. Stephen King did not want his image to immediately skew the portrayal of the character when he did not think he should appear in such a way.

9. He also did not like Kubrick's portrayal

Image source/ slateHe also did not like the way Kubrick had written his portrayal. Kubrick made him into a figure who was menacing from the very start. Whereas Stephen King saw him as a much deeper and complex father figure who was troubles but wanted to do right by his children. In the book he is much more humanised rather than the sinister representation in the film.

10. The hotel changed shape

Image source/ allthat'sinterestingThe Overlook has become one of the films iconic locations. The layout and spaces shown in the movie are actually physically impossible. The layout of the hotel gets more obscure throughout the film which helps add to the horror and the mystery of the hotel and the movie.

11. Jacks's raunchy magazine

Image source/ EsquireWhen Jack Torrance is Waiting for his boss, he is sitting int the office. As he looks through the books and magazines, he finds one which he picks up - Playgirl. Which is just like Playboy, but instead of women in the magazine it features nude men instead.

12. The film was initially seen as a failure

Image source/ The IndependentThe film was released in 1980. And, when it was first released it was actually considered as a joke and it was awarded the Golden Raspberry Award. It is strange to think that now, it is considered one of the movie greats and one of the most iconic horror movies.

13. Stanley Kubrick tried to break Shelley Duvall

Image source/ what cultureStanley Kubrick resorted to some questionable tactics when trying to get the best from his cast. He treated Duvall very badly - thinking that if he acted awfully to her and isolated her, he would drive her to breaking point, which could then be transferred to the screen for a more realistic portrayal. He even told the cast not to be sympathetic to her.

14. The cartoon foreshadows the maze

Image source/ looperThe cartoon that was watched by Danny, of course, also wasn't random. In fact, you probably heard the familiar Looney Tunes beeping noises if you were paying attention. The maze of railroad tracks in the cartoon foreshadows the chase that Danny is involved with which also happens in a maze.

15. The hidden meaning of The Overlook

Image source/ BFIWhile it appears to be named after its amazing view which overlooks the mountain, there could well be another reason for this name. It could refer to the characters overlooking things. And the evil eye in folklore is also called the overlooker, and it has an ability to curse people.

16. The real inspiration behind The Grady twins

Image source/ archiviokiWhen you think of the movie, the image conjured up in most people's eyes even if they have never seen is, it the two little dark haired girls holding hands in matching blue dresses. And while it was down to Stanley Kubrick's genius, he actually used a photograph which was taken by Diana Arbus to base the idea on.

17. The Grady twins were not twins

You may remember that Mr. Ullman recounts the tale of their murder in The Shining, and when he does so he mentions how the girls were eight and ten years old. So, in fact they are not twins at all. In real life the actresses playing them were really twins.

18. There were multiple Grady's

Image source/ YouTubeThere are lot of strange and inexplicable twists and turns in The Shining, which is one of the reasons it has become one of the best horror films of all time. Because it leaves the watcher with questions - ifs and buts. For example, Delbert and Jack Grady were both Grady's and they both worked in the hotel...

19. Perhaps the Grady girls had a good reason to burn down the hotel

Image source/ fanpop The Grady murders are talked about as though their father had to kill the girls because they wanted to burn down the hotel. There is another explanation to why they may have wanted too. Perhaps it was the hotel itself which was acting as a conscious being and influencing the murders.

20. This subplot links with Stephen King's novel

Image source/ ranker.comThis idea of the hotel as its own conscious being was developed by Stephen King. And so perhaps the girls knew they had to burn it down, and perhaps the hotel influenced their father to kill him. Some fans have developed this alternate explanation...

21. There is a scene based on a silent movie

Image source/ looperRemember the silent scene in the movie where Jack Torrance is repeatedly hammering the door? This scene actually came from a film released in 1921 by Victor Sjöström. The scene is literally taken exactly as the original and recreated and it gives the scene and the film an extra intensity.

22. Shelley Duvall was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award

Image source/ YahooIf you aren't aware of what a Golden Raspberry award is, you may initially thing it's a good thing, but it is actually an award for the worst - the wors films, the worst acting etc. Considering everything that Duvall put into this role, it seems very harsh.

23. The Toy Story 3 director runs a website about The Shining

Image source/ YouTubeThe director of Toy Story 3 runs the most popular fan site about The Shining. Which seems like a huge contrast from The Shining to Toy Story 3. Toy Story also had a lot of easter eggs and references to The Shining, for example, 237 and the carpet inspired by The Shining.

24. One of the most famous lines was improvised

Image source/ dreadcentralIf you've watched The Shining, then you'll without a doubt know and remember this line....'here's Johnny' by Jack Nicholson. It has become one of the most famous lines from a film ever, and the whole thing was completely improvised by Jack Nicholson.

25. One scene was shot 148 times!

Image source/ thescreenprismKubrick was very particular and rigorous in every detail and in every scene. So much so, that in the scene where Danny Lloyd is talking to Dick Halloran, it took over 248 times for Kubrick to be happy with it. Which is definitely a record for a single scene.

26. The knives over Danny foreshadow

Image source/ RedditIn this scene, where Holloran is talking to Danny Lloyd, it shows the pair of them sit down at the kitchen table with one another. He is discussing whether Danny feels scared of The Overlook hotel. In the background the knives on the wall in terms of perspective look as though they are right above the head of the little boy.

27. Scatman Crothers broke down on set

Image source/ looperScatman Crothers broke down on set whilst shooting one scene, because he had to shoot the exact same scene 60 times for Kubrick to approve it. The scene in question was the slow shot zoom in of Scatman Crother's character Dick Halloran. It made him break down and cry through frustration.

28. Kubrick based the elevators on a hotel he had stayed in

Image source/ IGNKubrick had stayed in the Ahwanee resort in Yosemite where he had spotted these particular elevators which had stood out in his mind. So, he replicated the exact image for The Shining - with some added gore. In the film, they spill blood into the lobby of the hotel.

29. It's fake snow

Image source/ PinterestThe snow we see in the scene is not actually made of real snow. Which makes sense considering the complete sudden downpour of snow from nowhere. They did not have a fake snow machine, instead, they had to use a mixture of salt and styrofoam to create the effect.

30. Jack Torrance's satanic pose

Image source/ YouTubeThe end shot with Jack Torrance stood surrounded by women is an iconic shot with hidden meaning and significance. Torrance is stood in the Baphomet pose, which is associated with satanic rituals. This is to show how far Torrance had deteriorated into evil.

31. Director Kubrick Hired A Literature Professor To Help With The Screenplay

Image Source / Scraps from the loftLiterature professor Diane Johnson, who had been teaching a course on the book version of the Shining at the time, was hired by Kubrick to help with the screenplay. Together, that had several drafts that they continually worked on, even after filming had begun.

32. Kubrick Didn't Do Any Research On ESP

Image Source / Yahoo Movies UKA central theme in the book and movie - and the inspiration for its name - is the telepathic powers that young Danny has, labelled as 'shining'. But director Kubrick decided not to do any research into ESP (Extrasensory perception) to learn more about telepathy and clairvoyance.

33. Kubrick Had Translations Re-Translated To Make Sure Nothing Was Miscommunicated

Image Source / The GuardianDirector Kubrick wanted to make sure that nothing was missed or misunderstood during the translation process of the movies, so he had all the foreign translations of the film translated back into English before they officially went out at theaters so that he could make sure it was all correct!

34. The Timberline Lodge In Oregon Was A Stand In For The Overlook

Image Source / TripAdvisorKubrick decided to go with the Timberline Lodge, which is located on Oregon's Mount Hood, to be the hotel stand in. The Timberline is now actually a National Historic Landmark and is on the official register of historic places in the US.

35. A Replica Of Timberline Lodge Was Then Built At Elstree Studios In England

Image Source / London RemembersA crew then worked very hard to replicate Timberline Lodge by building it at filming studios in England, and built the incredible sets, including the ballroom, the master staircase, the iconic lounge where Jack uses his typewriter and the hotel rooms, to name a few.

36. Polystyrene And Salt Were Used For The Blizzard

Image Source / Idyllopus PressYep, that horribly annoying polystyrene that just gets absolutely everywhere and makes your teeth ache when someone rubs it together actually came in handy to replicate snow when used with salt for the blizzard scenes at the hotel. It had to be bought in 50-kilo bags from a dairy supplier!

37. The Maze Was Actually Built Indoors

Image Source / ZimbioThe iconic, massive and eerie maze was actually built indoors, for the bits where the actors would need to use it for filming. This was just in case it rained, so that the fake snow made from the polystyrene and salt would be protected against the elements.

38. Some People Considered Kubrick's Film To Be Him Dealing With The Subject Of Genocide

Image Source / TCMHistorians and filmmakers have not only considered this movie to be Kubrick's way of exploring or dealing with genocide, but in particular the Holocaust and mass slaughter of American Indians. The subject of the hotel being built on top of an Indian burial ground was never in the book, and therefore Kubrick's own addition.

39. ... Which Is Referenced By The Elevator Shaft

Image Source / Slash FilmWhen, in the movie, Ullman is showing Jack around, he mentions the fact the hotel was built on an Indian burial ground. With this in mind, the hotel workers would have had to go deep into the burial ground and disturb it to build that huge elevator shaft - referenced by the amount of blood we can see flooding out of the doors.

40. Speaking Of: The Gutters Of The Nearby Village Were Red Because Of The Fake Blood Used

Image Source / WikipediaBecause of how much fake blood was used in the movie (again, remember that elevator shaft?) it's no surprise that disposing of it all would have been a heck of a job. It was so much fake blood that the gutters of the nearby village of Borehamwood in England were actually running red.

41. They Wanted The Hotel To Look Real, And Not Like A 'Spooky' Hotel

Image Source / PinterestIt's a testament to the movie that all the creepiness of the hotel was very much about the characters and what was seen, rather than the cliché spookily-decorated rooms or very low lighting. Because the Overlook was very bright and airy, so you can't say it was made to look dismal or scary - which somehow makes it more creepy for all its goings on!

42. There Was A Film Called 'Room 237' That Had A Lot Of Weird Theories

Image Source / WikipediaThe film 'Room 237' took a closer look at The Shining, and it was awash with strange theories. One of them was that room 217 actually didn't exist at the Timberline at all, and that 237 was chosen because Kubrick apparently helped fake the Apollo 11 moon landing and took the number from the distance between the earth and the moon: 237,000 miles.

43. Leon Vitali - Kubrick's Right-Hand Man - Shut Down These Weird Theories

Image Source / www.huckmag.comVitali was an actor and assistant to Kubrick, who actually called these crazy theories "pure gibberish" and particularly the moon landing bit! He said that he knows most of these theories to be simply not true, and he even laughed out loud at the idea of some of them.

44. The Maze Was Created From Pine Boughs Stapled To Plywood

Image Source / Colorado Public RadioThe infamous maze from the hotel was actually created - and invented by Kubrick, of course - by using pine boughs stapled to plywood. It also had to be built twice, once for those interior shots in England with the salt and polystyrene, but also built in the US for exterior shots!

45. The Steadicam Was Key For The Movie

Image Source / WNYCOne thing we know from this movie is those amazing tracking shots around the long, long corridors and the long, long maze. All of these was accomplished easily thanks to the Steadicam, whose inventor Garrett Brown was hired by Kubrick to use on the movie.

46. Stanley Kubrick's Daughter Made Her Own Documentary About The Making Of The Movie

Image Source / The TelegraphVivian Kubrick, Stanley's daughter, wanted to make a documentary about the making of The Shining while on set with her dad. He gave it his blessing, and she made a 35-minute documentary called 'Making The Shining' which included interviews with the cast and behind the scenes footage.

47. Around 4,000 Kids Were Auditioned For The Role Of Danny

Image Source / Dread CentralKubrick's assistant, Vitali, had to go to the USA to find the perfect Danny Torrance, and he and his wife ended up interviewing around 4,000 children over a time frame of six months! It was in Chicago that they found Danny Lloyd, then 4 years old, who would go on to play Danny Torrance.

48. Lloyd Was Chosen Because Of His Ability To Concentrate

Image Source / TEKLA PRODUCTIONSOne thing you definitely need from child actors when you're trying to make a movie is for them to not get distracted - and apparently Danny Lloyd had that down to a T! One of the reasons he was chosen for the role was his ability to concentrate.

49. Danny Lloyd Actually Came Up With 'Tony' Himself

Image Source / Flickering MythThe creepy little thing that Danny does in the movie with his finger when he pops it up to talk to his imaginary friend, Tony - who talks back when Danny moves his finger - was actually the idea of actor Lloyd, who did it this way in his audition for the movie.

50. And Danny Lloyd's Dad Actually Put His Name Forward As A Joke

Image Source / The Hollywood ReporterThere was an open casting call for a child that could play Danny Torrance, and Lloyd's dad heard about it on the radio before putting his son forward as a "gag". But the joke obviously turned into something a little more serious when Lloyd was cast - and ended up getting the happy news during his 5th birthday party!