Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror flick, The Shining, was the illustrious director's marketable answer to the "too long, too slow" Barry Lyndon -- a film that has caught the attention of moviegoers decades after the film's initial release, and even inspiring conspiracy theorists about the moon landing. Take a glimpse inside the twisted world of The Shining with a 35-minute behind-the-scenes documentary shot on-set by Kubrick's daughter.


Kubrick is one of the most studied filmmakers in history. His work is laden with symbolism and mystery, capturing the imaginations of so many. There are so many resources that cover the work of Kubrick -- books, academic articles, and documentaries. Cinephilia and Beyond has shared two of them about the famed director's horror film, which allows the viewer to see from the bold point of view of the director's daughter, Vivian Kubrick, who shot it while on set at just 17-years-old.

In it we see the cast and crew at work. It's strangely intimate -- as Scatman Crothers, the actor who played Dick (the chef,) said, it was like a big family. We see Jack Nicholson preparing for scenes in a way I can't really describe here -- you'll just have to see for yourself.

The Shining has been studied and taken apart by experts in many different fields -- of course you have your film critics and theorists, but you also have those from child psychology and literature trying to make sense of the many allusions, riddles, as well as Kubrick's unexplained choices.

However, those who worked on the set have been open about the experience, so to uncover at least some of the mystery, check out this nearly hour-long Elstree Screen Heritage/University of Hertfordshire documentary.

What do you think about The Shining? What helpful information did you glean from either of the documentaries?

[via Cinephilia and Beyond]