By Jack Shanley

Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece, The Shining, has long been a benchmark for psychological horror, with its suffocating visuals evoking a sense of unrelenting dread. Now, over four decades after its initial release, the film makes its debut on IMAX screens, resulting in a spectacle that is both deeply unsettling and gloriously intense.

The IMAX format is not just a matter of bigger screens; it’s an amplification of the film’s already potent atmosphere. From the iconic opening shot, where a yellow Volkswagen winds its way up a deserted mountain road, the scope is immediately immersive, drawing the viewer in. The vast expanse of the Colorado landscape, typically a symbol of freedom, instead conveys a sense of absolute isolation, inescapable and overwhelming.

The true power of the IMAX presentation lies within the Overlook Hotel. Kubrick and cinematographer John Alcott’s pioneering use of the Steadicam created those signature, smooth tracking shots that now, on the massive IMAX scale, feel almost like a physical presence, haunting the viewer as they glide through the endless, geometric corridors. The checkerboard carpet, where Danny rides his tricycle, transforms into a dizzying, three-dimensional maze.

Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Jack Torrance’s descent into madness is magnified to devastating effect. His frantic, desperate face, often centered in the frame due to Kubrick’s meticulous symmetry, takes on a monstrous, intimate quality. Every twitch of his eyebrow and every terrifying grin fills the viewer’s peripheral vision, making his breakdown feel far more visceral and unnerving. Meanwhile, Shelley Duvall’s performance as the increasingly hysterical Wendy, though initially controversial, is now heartbreakingly realized as a portrait of sheer terror.

The IMAX sound system pairs perfectly with the film’s discordant score and oppressive sound design, transforming the Overlook into a sensory prison. The eerie silence, the ominous low-end rumble, and the legendary elevator blood-flood scene, which rushes toward the audience, all combine to create a moment of overwhelming cinematic shock.

Although The Shining was not originally shot with IMAX in mind, the newly remastered digital presentation remains true to Kubrick’s meticulous craft. The fact that scaling up the film only serves to amplify its terror is a testament to its timeless, layered artistry, making this an essential experience for both cinephiles and horror fans. As the Overlook Hotel comes alive on the IMAX screen, viewers won’t just watch the film – they will feel trapped inside.

I’d recommend checking out ‘The Shining’ in IMAX and see what you think of it; I shall give it a score of Five Stars. You can go check it out at Cineworld. Director Stanley Kubrick – Rating: 16 – Genre: Horror/Mystery – Run Time: 2h 23m Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.