Editing in the Shining
Shannon Cree
English 167
Professor Csicsery-Ronay
October 10, 2008
Editing in The Shining In his classic horror film, The Shining, Stanley Kubrick utilizes many different elements of editing to create unique and terrifying scenes. Kubrick relies on editing to assist in the overall terrifying and horrifying feel created in the movie. Editing in the movie creates many different effects, but the most notable effects created add to the continuity of the film as well as the sense of fear and terror. One scene in particular stands out as a masterfully edited moment in the movie. In this scene, Wendy and Danny Torrance leave the inside of the hotel to go outside and explore the giant hedge maze. Wendy and Danny both run around in excitement as they delve deeper and deeper into the massive maze. The scene then cuts to a shot of Jack throwing a ball around the lobby of the hotel in boredom. He walks up to a three-dimensional model of the maze that is on a table in the lobby. The camera then cuts to a close-up of the model of the maze, and the audience sees what appears to be miniature versions of Wendy and Danny exploring the many corridors of the hedge maze. The audience can hear Wendy and Danny talking, and this helps assist the allusion of Jack watching the two go through the maze. As the scene continues, it cuts to the real versions of Wendy and Danny in the actual hedge maze. This scene is an example of parallel editing. Through the use of parallel editing in the scene, the audience assumes that Wendy and Danny are going through the maze at the same time that Jack is observing the three-dimensional model of the maze. The use of this editing then leads the audience to believe that Jack is watching over the two go through the maze, along with the sounds of the two talking and laughing. Jack watching over the two go through the maze emphasizes his dominance over Wendy and Danny. In most of the scenes in the movie, Jack has the upper hand on Wendy and Danny,
English 167
Professor Csicsery-Ronay
October 10, 2008
Editing in The Shining In his classic horror film, The Shining, Stanley Kubrick utilizes many different elements of editing to create unique and terrifying scenes. Kubrick relies on editing to assist in the overall terrifying and horrifying feel created in the movie. Editing in the movie creates many different effects, but the most notable effects created add to the continuity of the film as well as the sense of fear and terror. One scene in particular stands out as a masterfully edited moment in the movie. In this scene, Wendy and Danny Torrance leave the inside of the hotel to go outside and explore the giant hedge maze. Wendy and Danny both run around in excitement as they delve deeper and deeper into the massive maze. The scene then cuts to a shot of Jack throwing a ball around the lobby of the hotel in boredom. He walks up to a three-dimensional model of the maze that is on a table in the lobby. The camera then cuts to a close-up of the model of the maze, and the audience sees what appears to be miniature versions of Wendy and Danny exploring the many corridors of the hedge maze. The audience can hear Wendy and Danny talking, and this helps assist the allusion of Jack watching the two go through the maze. As the scene continues, it cuts to the real versions of Wendy and Danny in the actual hedge maze. This scene is an example of parallel editing. Through the use of parallel editing in the scene, the audience assumes that Wendy and Danny are going through the maze at the same time that Jack is observing the three-dimensional model of the maze. The use of this editing then leads the audience to believe that Jack is watching over the two go through the maze, along with the sounds of the two talking and laughing. Jack watching over the two go through the maze emphasizes his dominance over Wendy and Danny. In most of the scenes in the movie, Jack has the upper hand on Wendy and Danny,