IndexIntroductionGenre CriticismThematic CriticismConclusionIntroductionJack Torrance has been labeled one of the most terrifying characters ever portrayed in film. What seems like a normal father with relatively small problems turns out to be a psychologically distraught villain who reveals himself more and more as the minutes pass. His spiral into madness in The Shining is notably one of the best performances of all time. His stay at the Overlook Hotel turns out to be more than a fluke, it was destiny. In this article I will discuss a prompt that includes thematic criticism and explore the images and themes depicted in The Shining directed by Stanley Kubrick. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayGenre CriticismThis film wasn't always the shining jewel that most people see it as today. It was quite atypical for its genre when it debuted in 1980. Halloween directed by John Carpenter and The Exorcist, directed by William Friedkin, promoted evil from a singular source, while Torrance's ghosts and psychosis seemed to come from different entities, or No? As the plot develops, the viewer is left guessing where the real threat will come from, not like a typical horror film of the time. Kubrick's supernatural horror is highlighted by the decomposition of the human psyche, offering viewers an exciting puzzle, rather than portraying a villain armed with a large steak knife. A common theme throughout the film poses the question of what is real and what is not? A great example of this is when Wendy brings Jack breakfast on a cart, you don't realize it's caught in the reflection in the bedroom mirror. In typical horror films of the time, audiences were told that fear came in the form of shadowy figures and gloomy corridors, however, Kubrick creates a constant uncertainty underlined with fear and anger that proves atypical for his genre. Thematic CriticismKubrick has a unique way of presenting strong thematic elements in his work that others don't. His images in The Shining are really very iconic, including the elevator scene where blood comes out in incredible quantities. This represents the total carnage of the Overlook Hotel. The hotel has been harboring restless spirits not only because of the ax murders, but also since it was built: "The site is supposed to be on an Indian burial ground, and I think they actually had to fend off some Indian attacks while they were building it” (Nelson). Kubrick also intended the geometric designs in the film to repeat the image of visual madness, such as Jack Torrance slowly descending into madness. You can see these images in the hotel decor: geometric carpets, tapestries of the Native Americans and a general layout labyrinthine, as is the hedge maze located outside. I believe this was done to emphasize the disorientation of the senses as if you were in Jack Torrance's shoes , in my opinion, in other horror films, however its theme of personal identity and isolation borders on American Psycho directed by Mary Harron. They obviously share an overall evil theme of axe-wielding homicidal maniac, but Harron's main character, Bateman, shares an isolating identity crisis just like Torrance. Bateman has an active social circle surrounding him but is obsessed with materialistic things which give him superficial relationships which in turn, ironically, make him extremely isolated. Torrance also begins to feel extremely isolated and his personal identity does..