Making ‘The Shining’ (1980)

 MAKING ‘THE SHINING’

Jack Nicholson, Stanley Kubrick, Shelly Duvall, Danny lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Gert Kubrick, James Mason, Garrett Brown, Leon Vitali / Dir. Vivian Kubrick

 In our modern DVD age of fatuously unspecial ‘Special Features’ and back slapping ‘Featurettes’, it’s a joy to see the real thing in this twenty-seven year old gem, a wander around the edges of quality filmmaking. It’s all here: the laborious nature of the filmset, frayed tempers, hissy fits, in-jokes, crying luvvy-actors, and genuine insights into the creative process. Let Vivian Kubrick (Stanley’s daughter) show you that sly old hound Mr.Nicholson talking dirty between takes..listen in on spats between geeky Mr Kubrick and high diva Shelly Duvall..greet James Mason who’s just popped in for tea..gasp at the uncomfortable tears of Scatman Crothers (odder than anything you’ll see in The Overlook Hotel). This is the real shit as they say. “Aww..c’mon Shelly! We’re fuckin’ killin’ ourselves out here!” No padding, and definately no gag-reel! If I hear one more stage hand on a Bonus Disc tell me how great a father and insightful a mentor Steven Spielberg is I’ll..well, I just may boycott a major award ceremony.

 You’ll find it included on most of ‘The Shining’ editions, even the basic one disc jobs, but here’s a Youtube link to the whole Docu uploaded by some nice chap out there..

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