Vol. 1 No. 2 (2023)
Articles

The Monster Within: The Film Adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining

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Adél Eszter Dechert
Pázmány Péter Catholic University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Folia Humanistica et Socialia 1(2) 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69705/FHS.2023.1.2.4

Published 31-12-2023 — Updated on 11-06-2024

Copyright (c) 2023 Dechert Adél Eszter

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Abstract

Several debates emerged from Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining, mostly because of the notable changes that the director made in the film. This essay aims to explore the possible reasons behind these changes by introducing the main differences, such as the tone, themes, and the endings. The analysis particularly focuses on the main character’s representations, not only because it is the most significant difference, but also because the character of Jack Torrance is the most memorable element of the story, especially in the case of Kubrick’s film. My essay aims to demonstrate that Kubrick’s divergent approach is what led to the story’s new elements, layers and interpretation.

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References

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