History YMMV / TheShining

* StrawmanHasAPoint: When Wendy tells Jack about what happened to Danny in room 237, his reaction is "Are you out of your fucking mind?" and we're supposed to think that he's acting like a complete {{Jerkass}}. However, before this, Jack was wrongly accused of hurting Danny and never even got to defend himself as Wendy yelled at him and ran away. And now that she's suddenly coming to him for help with a story that sounds pretty ridiculous, it's not that hard to see why Jack wasn't exactly cheery. Not that it justifies the other JerkAss things he's done though.

** It was ''impossible'' for the miniseries to try to stand behind the grounds of a highly respected classic like Kubrick's take on the book. While most agree that the miniseries follows very well with the original book, it's peppered with heavy SpecialEffectsFailure, and resulting {{Narm}}, from it being a 90s product with nowhere near the craftsmanship of Kubrick and some usage of {{Padding}}.
** Same goes for the film sequel ''Film/DoctorSleep'' although most find the sequel to be a good follow-up that is just overshadowed by Kubrick's adaptation.

** The hotel's interior decor and everyone's appearance (namely clothing and hairstyles) specifically dates the film to late 1979-early 1980, when it was shot.

** Kubrick's film was panned by contemporary critics on release to the point that it got Kubrick nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director. (the creator of the Razzies later defended himself saying his problem was the same Stephen King himself had, he wanted something more like the book) Nowadays, it is considered one of the masterworks of horror.

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/StephenKing certainly felt this way about both Creator/JackNicholson and Creator/ShelleyDuvall, although most audiences wouldn't necessarily agree. Nicholson was often typecast in insane and/or villainous roles at the time, which King felt would destroy the sympathy audiences would feel about him going insane and turning evil, as well as ruining the surprise. Sure enough, he's menacing from nearly the beginning and never shows the resistance against what the hotel is doing to him like the book character. This has partially contributed to the AdaptationalVillainy described above. Duvall was more for her appearance being homely compared to the version described in the book (to the point the miniseries went for the more conventionally attractive Creator/RebeccaDeMornay).

** Creator/ShelleyDuvall revealing that she'd long been suffering from severe mental illness in 2016 hits this one in-universe and out, as the psychological torment Kubrick put her through may have exacerbated it (though she personally denies such allegations or his involvement in her current state). This ''also'' makes the constant complaints critics had at Duvall's performance in the film, ''especially'' the Razzies for infamously "nominating" her for Worst Actress, feel crueler. The Razzies came to regard nominating her as an OldShame for that reason, and ultimately rescinded the nomination in 2022.

** Jack telling Wendy that "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to ''bash your brains in''". Jack Nicholson would play the Joker [[Film/Batman1989 some years later]], then some decades later the Joker would go in the opposite direction and say [[Film/SuicideSquad2016 "I'm not going to kill ya. I'm just gonna hurt you really really]] ''[[Film/SuicideSquad2016 bad"]]''.
** Stephen King initially hated the movie. Years later, he makes a cameo appearance in ''Film/ItChapterTwo'', another adaptation of his work... which also includes a ShoutOut to Kubrick's ''The Shining'' (a "Here's Johnny!" reference).
* HypeBacklash: After years of this being hyped as not just one of the scariest films ever made, but one of the best films period -- there's a number of detractors who view the film as overpraised and nonsensical. Then there are book fans who hate it for the liberties taken with the source material -- and some who even disagree with Stephen King's opinion (he thinks it's a poor adaptation but still a good film).
* IAmNotShazam: Thanks to the "Here's Johnny!" scene, the uninitiated would often believe Jack's name is "Johnny." Whenever the scene gets parodied, more often than not, the stand-in for Jack would refer to themselves in third person. Ironically enough, the book (where this scene isn't included) clarifies that Jack's full name is Jonathan, so if it is in the film too then he could be referring to himself that way.

** "Come play with us, Danny... forever... and ever... and ever..." Expect any set of twins, real or fictional, [[CreepyTwins creepy]] or not, to be hit with this at least once.

* NarmCharm: At the end of the movie, Jack trades his angry tirades and threats for childish taunts and pop culture references, quoting the Big Bad Wolf from ''Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs'' and Johnny Carson from ''The Tonight Show'' as he hacks at the door to reach Wendy. It should come across as silly, but it somehow works and shows just how terrifyingly ''batshit crazy'' he is.

** The guy in the dog costume and his lover. [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment Completely out of nowhere]], yet incredibly memorable due to sheer [=WTF=]-ness.
** Aside from a brief cameo at the start, the Grady sisters only appear in one scene but it's easily one of the most iconic and unnerving scenes in the whole film.
* OvershadowedByControversy: While the film is considered a horror classic and one of the greatest films of all time, it's difficult to discuss it without bringing up not only the immense CreatorBacklash by Creator/StephenKing as a result of the film's heavy deviations from the original book, but also and more significantly Kubrick's abusive treatment of the film's cast on-set, particularly his psychological tormenting of Creator/ShelleyDuvall that allegedly resulted in her lifelong struggles with mental illness and an early retirement. While [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/searching-for-shelley-duvall-the-reclusive-icon-on-fleeing-hollywood-and-the-scars-of-making-the-shining Duvall eventually did dispel the severity of Kubrick's actions and denied him being abusive]], the perception of his [[EnforcedMethodActing gruelling enforcement of method acting]] really isn't a great look, especially since Kubrick never expressed regret over his actions to the day he died.

* SignatureLine: "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE'S JOHNNY!"
** "Come and play with us, Danny. Forever and ever and ever" is similarly famous.
* SignatureScene: The film has several scenes that have become revered, iconic moments of cinematic history most of which were ''not'' from the original novel.
** [[AxeBeforeEntering Jack chopping down the door with an axe]] and then going "Heeeeere's Johnny!", very likely the most iconic of them all.

** Bear-Dog Guy.

* DelusionConclusion: It's not uncommon for some viewers (especially those who [[spoiler:put ''Film/DoctorSleep'' into FanonDiscontinuity]]) to interpret the haunting at the Overlook Hotel as a combination of Danny's imagination and Jack's escalating madness.
* SugarWiki/DevelopmentHeaven: The scene wherein we see Jack's manuscript, and all we see is "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." typed over and over again?" Each page was individually typed. And Creator/StanleyKubrick also shot the pages for four other languages, too.

** There are a few theorists who are genuinely convinced that Creator/StanleyKubrick was responsible for ''faking the moon landing'', and that ''The Shining'' is his attempt at coming to terms with his guilt and confessing his fakery to the world. According to this interpretation, Jack Torrance (an artist living in extreme isolation from his family while working on a project of great personal importance) is meant to be a AuthorAvatar for Kubrick, who was forced into extreme isolation while filming the fake moon landing for NASA. Also, the number "237" is a reference to the supposed 237,000 miles in the average distance between the Earth and the Moon[[note]]the average distance is actually roughly 238,900 miles[[/note]], Room 237 is a stand-in for the soundstage where the landing was filmed, and [[https://static01.nyt.com/images/2013/03/31/arts/31VITALI3_SPAN/31VITALI3-jumbo.jpg Danny's "Apollo 11" sweater]] is a clue to the film's true meaning.
* GeniusBonus: Early on, Danny is watching TV. The TV is showing the WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadRunner cartoon WesternAnimation/StopLookAndHasten, specifically, the scene where Coyote is chasing Road Runner over a maze of railroad tracks. While you can't see the image on the TV, you can hear the distinctive musical cue, which fans will no doubt be familiar with. It serves as subtle {{Foreshadowing}} for the chase in the finale.

* AwardSnub: You would think that an iconic Kubrick film would have qualified for several UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations in its day, but alas, you would be wrong. It was one of just two films Kubrick made after ''Film/PathsOfGlory'' to receive no Oscar nominations whatsoever[[note]]''Film/EyesWideShut'' is the other.[[/note]]. Indeed, the initial backlash was so strong that Kubrick ''was'' nominated for Worst Director at the inaugural [[UsefulNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Razzie Awards]] ceremony (as was Duvall for Worst Actress, though the nomination would be rescinded in 2022) and the film was mostly panned in its initial theatrical release. Series/SiskelAndEbert outright ''refused'' to review the film on their show ''Sneak Previews'', an act which would be unthinkable today (and contrasts starkly with the loving tribute to Kubrick that Ebert presented on his show not 20 years later upon his death, and his [[https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-shining-1980 glowing 2006 review]]).
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Music/WendyCarlos' iconic synth theme is most certainly this as is the film's use of "Midnight with the star and you" at the end.

** The movie did this for King's fans, some of whom feel Kubrick's reinterpretation is valid, even brilliant, despite the liberties he took with King's story; others feel that Kubrick sacrificed too much of King's CharacterDevelopment and backstory for a chilly, impersonal adaptation. See TheyChangedItNowItSucks below.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The "dog costume" scene in the movie. It actually supposed to be a reference to Overlook's original hotel manager Horace Derwent and his lover Roger, who have quite creepy scenes concerning their relationship in the book. But since Kubrick's version didn't even bother to explain who the characters were, it becomes a completely random moment. Which makes it Narm for some, an epic MindScrew for others. His appearance in the miniseries is also rather random, not helped by the fact that he says some rather {{narm}}-tastic lines.
* CommonKnowledge: Despite being commonly referred to as twins, even becoming the most famous example of CreepyTwins, Delbert Grady's daughters are not actually twins and are even mentioned early on as being two years apart in age. The confusion is not helped by the fact that the actresses who play them actually are twins in real life.

** There are countless interpretations of what the movie is about and what happens in it. Kubrick revealed his true intentions in [[http://www.visual-memory.co.uk/amk/doc/interview.ts.html an interview with Michel Ciment]], where he says that the ghosts were real, that Grady rescuing Jack from the storeroom was intended as [[TheReveal proof]] that the ghosts were real, that the indications that it's all in the characters' heads are a giant RedHerring and that Jack was a reincarnation of the man who was at the July 4th Ball. For the most part, this interview has been ignored by theorists, either because of this trope, because [[LyingCreator Kubrick was known to lie and misinform]] or out of genuine ignorance of its existence.
** What doesn't help is that Kubrick has also [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/06/01/the-shining/2f44872d-260b-4ec9-8384-74b7bae90303/ stated]], "It's just the story of one man's family quietly going insane together", which implies a more mundane explanation for the film's events, so make of that what you will.

** The wave of blood rushing out of the elevator.

** Kubrick's film was panned by contemporary critics on release to the point that it got Kubrick nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director. Nowadays, it is considered one of the masterworks of horror.

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/StephenKing certainly felt this way about both Creator/JackNicholson and Creator/ShelleyDuvall, although most audiences wouldn't necessarily agree. Nicholson was often typecast in insane and/or villainous roles at the time, which King felt would destroy the sympathy audiences would feel about him going insane and turning evil, as well as ruining the surprise. Sure enough, he's menacing from nearly the beginning and never shows the resistance against what the hotel is doing to him like the book character. This has partially contributed to the AdaptationalVillainy described above.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film shows Jack using a typewriter and workplaces (the hotel office and the Park Service station) being devoid of personal computers, coming out just a couple of years before [=PCs=] came into wider use.

* AwardSnub: You would think that an iconic Kubrick film would have qualified for several UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations in its day, but alas, you would be wrong. It was one of just two films Kubrick made after ''Film/PathsOfGlory'' to receive no Oscar nominations whatsoever[[note]]''Film/EyesWideShut'' is the other.[[/note]]. Indeed, the initial backlash was so strong that Kubrick ''was'' nominated for Worst Director at the inaugural [[UsefulNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Razzie Awards]] ceremony (as was Duvall for Worst Actress) and the film was mostly panned in its initial theatrical release. Series/SiskelAndEbert outright ''refused'' to review the film on their show ''Sneak Previews'', an act which would be unthinkable today (and contrasts starkly with the loving tribute to Kubrick that Ebert presented on his show not 20 years later upon his death, and his [[https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-shining-1980 glowing 2006 review]]).

** Creator/ShelleyDuvall revealing that she'd long been suffering from severe mental illness in 2016 hits this one in-universe and out, as the psychological torment Kubrick put her through may have exacerbated it (though she personally denies such allegations or his involvement in her current state). This ''also'' makes the constant complaints critics had at Duvall's performance in the film, ''especially'' the Razzies for infamously "nominating" her for Worst Actress, feel crueler.

** Creator/ShelleyDuvall's acting was heavily criticized when the film came out, and she also secured her own Razzie nomination for Worst Actress. With the benefit of hindsight and the now-common knowledge of Kubrick's (mis)treatment of her during production, modern audiences tend to view her performance more favorably, and these days it's common for people to say that Duvall's performance is one of the highlights of the film.

** Creator/ShelleyDuvall revealing that she'd long been suffering from severe mental illness in 2016 hits this one in-universe and out, as the psychological torment Kubrick put her through may have exacerbated it (though she personally denies such allegations or his involvement in her current state). This ''also'' makes the constant complaints critics had at Duvall's performance in the film, ''especially'' the Razzies for infamously "nominating" her for 'Worst Actress', feel crueler.

** Kubrick's version was panned by contemporary critics on release to the point that it got Kubrick nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director. Nowadays it is considered one of the masterworks of horror.
** Creator/ShelleyDuvall's acting was heavily criticized when the film came out, and she also secured a Razzie nomination, for Worst Actress. With the benefit of hindsight and the now-common knowledge of Kubrick's (mis)treatment of her during production, modern audiences tend to view her performance more favorably, and these days Duvall and her character frequently make "Best Of" horror movie lists.

* WhatAnIdiot: InUniverse. After Jack finds the scrapbook in the basement, he calls Ullman and threatens to write a tell-all about the hotel. Ullman is understandably chuffed, then Jack continues to rub it in. Why? Because Ullman discussed Jack's drinking problem and his getting fired from his previous job, and noted misgivings about hiring him. In other words, because Jack felt embarrassed. It's such a stupid move, afterwards Jack wonders if he's specifically trying to set himself up to fail.

* WeirdAlEffect: More people assume "Here's Johnny!" is from this film, rather than ''Series/TheTonightShowWithJohnnyCarson''. Funnily enough, Stanley Kubrick himself (who had been living in Great Britain since the early 60s, and generally didn't keep up with American talk shows) apparently didn't even realize where the line was from. If he had, he may not have allowed Jack Nicholson to ThrowItIn.

** Jack finds a beautiful, nude woman in room 237 who allegedly strangled Danny. Instead of informing the authorities,...''he just says nothing and makes out with her''; a complete stranger. Was he just being an asswipe as usual, cheating on his wife with his son's attacker or was he, perhaps, lured by her beauty being under a "spell" of some kind [[spoiler:before she turns into an old, cackling corpse]]? Or was he reliving the previous caretaker's memories (and the rotting corpse represented his guilt)?

* AwardSnub: You would think that an iconic Kubrick film would have qualified for several Academy Award nominations in its day, but alas, you would be wrong. It was one of just two films Kubrick made after ''Film/PathsOfGlory'' to receive no Oscar nominations whatsoever[[note]]''Film/EyesWideShut'' is the other.[[/note]]. Indeed, the initial backlash was so strong that Kubrick ''was'' nominated for Worst Director at the inaugural [[UsefulNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Razzie Awards]] ceremony (as was Duvall for Worst Actress) and the film was mostly panned in its initial theatrical release. Series/SiskelAndEbert outright ''refused'' to review the film on their show ''Sneak Previews'', an act which would be unthinkable today (and contrasts starkly with the loving tribute to Kubrick that Ebert presented on his show not 20 years later upon his death, and his [[https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-shining-1980 glowing 2006 review]]).

** Jack going crazy in general--particularly pronounced in the book where Danny has repeated dreams and visions of a monstrous creature trying to kill him and yelling at him to "take your medicine." Most readers know [[spoiler: the creature will end up being Jack long before they get to the climax of the book.]]

* HypeBacklash: After years of this being hyped as not just one of the scariest films ever made, but one of the best films period - there's a number of detractors who view the film as overpraised and nonsensical. Then there are book fans who hate it for the liberties taken with the source material - and some who even disagree with Stephen King's opinion (he thinks it's a poor adaptation but still a good film).

** Jack chopping down the door and then going "Heeeeere's Johnny!", very likely the most iconic of them all.

** Same goes for the film sequel ''Film/DoctorSleep'' although most find the sequel to be a good followup that is just overshadowed by Kubrick's adaptation.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film shows Jack using a typewriter and workplaces (the hotel office and the Park Service station) being devoid of personal computers, coming out just a couple of years before [=PCs=] came into wider use.

* AwardSnub: You would think that an iconic Kubrick film would have qualified for several Academy Award nominations in its day, but alas, you would be wrong. It was one of just two films Kubrick made after ''Film/PathsOfGlory'' to receive no Oscar nominations whatsoever[[note]]''Film/EyesWideShut'' is the other.[[/note]]. Indeed, the initial backlash was so strong that Kubrick ''was'' nominated for Worst Director at the inaugural [[UsefulNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Razzie Awards]] ceremony (as was Duvall for Worst Actress) and the film was mostly panned in its initial theatrical release. Series/SiskelAndEbert outright ''refused'' to review the film on their show ''Sneak Previews'', an act which would be unthinkable today (and contrasts starkly with the loving tribute to Kubrick that Ebert presented on his show not 20 years later upon his death).

** In addition to the "Here's Johnny!" line, Jack attacking his family with an axe has become iconic in its own right. It was a roque mallet in the book.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Wendy Carlos' iconic synth theme is most certainly this as is the film's use of "Midnight with the star and you" at the end.

* AwesomeMusic: Wendy Carlos' iconic synth theme is most certainly this as is the film's use of "Midnight with the star and you" at the end.

* CommonKnowledge: Despite being commonly referred to as twins, even becoming the most famous example of [[CreepyTwins]], Delbert Grady's daughters are not actually twins and are even mentioned early on as being two years apart in age. The confusion is not helped by the fact that the actresses who play them actually are twins in real life.

* WhatAnIdiot: InUniverse. After Jack finds the scrapbook in the basement, he calls Ullman and threatens to write a tell-all about the hotel. Ullman is understandably chuffed, then Jack continues to rub it in. Why? Because Ullman discussed Jack's drinking problem and his getting fired from his previous job, and noted misgivings about hiring him. In other words, because Jack felt embarrassed. It's such a stupid move, afterwards Jack wonders if he's specifically trying to set himself up to fail.
* TheWoobie: Roger (in the book at least; his appearances in the movie and the miniseries are just random events). It's hard to not feel sympathetic for a victim of domestic abuse and homophobia to the point of being broken down to thinking he is a pedophiliac dog.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Jack can be this for people who have suffered under an abusive parent or person and just cannot sympathize with such an individual. Interestingly, Kubrick himself seemed to have this position, which lead to his AdaptationalVillainy in the film.

* WeirdAlEffect: More people assume "Here's Johnny!" is from this film, rather than ''Series/TheTonightShow with Creator/JohnnyCarson''. Funnily enough, Stanley Kubrick himself (who had been living in Great Britain since the early 60s, and generally didn't keep up with American talk shows) apparently didn't even realize where the line was from. If he had, he may not have allowed Jack Nicholson to ThrowItIn.

* IAmNotShazam: Thanks to the "Here's Johnny!" scene, the uninitiated would often believe Jack's name is "Johnny." Whenever the scene gets parodied, more often than not, the stand-in for Jack would refer to themselves in third person.

* OneSceneWonder: The guy in the dog costume and his lover. [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment Completely out of nowhere]], yet incredibly memorable due to sheer [=WTF=]-ness.

* BrokenBase: The miniseries tends to attract rather... divided opinions, too.