THE SHINING and LOLITA - how they connect (film analysis by Rob Ager)

[@collativelearning]

BTW folks, an extra bit of info that's quite interesting. Murder by Decree, the James Mason film about Jack the Ripper, was being shot in the same studios as The Shining. When I asked in the Kubrick Archives to see the blueprints of the hotel sets (which further confirmed the spatial impossibility of the hotel layout) several of the set blueprints for the Jack the Ripper murder scene streets from Murder by Decree had been stored with The Shining hotel blueprints and had been kept in Kubrick's warehouse together ever since. (Note: please don't post replies to this pinned comment that aren't related to the comment. post them separately, thanks.)

[@mrliteral9347]

One wonders what other misfilings may yet be uncovered...

[@hoshiref]

Is there a video of you (Rob) , going through the Kubrick archives? If not... What about a 360/vr/4k gopro series of you going through it? That'd be sick maestro 🙏

[@collativelearning]

@@hoshiref They don't allow cameras in there unfortunately. Otherwise I'd have come out with video and photos of all the good stuff I'd looked into. Tried to get permission to get copies of some documents, but was denied and the curator said he wasn't allowed to tell me who denied permission.

[@hoshiref]

@@collativelearning WOOOOW you are the absolute real deal. I love that you never take no for an answer. You always go deeper and deeper in everything you do , escalating as far as possible to get the knowledge you seek... You are a huge inspiration, thank you maestro 🙏

[@MrJohnDocHolliday]

The Kabbalistic Sephiroth mindset in relation to Stanley Kubrick's film "The Shining" can be explored by examining the connections between the film's themes and the Sephiroth, as well as utilizing gematria and emanations. However, it's important to note that "The Shining" is not explicitly based on Kabbalah or the Sephiroth, and any interpretation linking the two is subjective and open to individual analysis. With that in mind, let's explore a potential interpretation: Keter (Crown): Keter represents the divine will and unity. In the context of "The Shining," one could interpret the Overlook Hotel as a symbol of divine will, as it exerts a powerful influence over the characters. The pursuit of perfection and immortality, which is prevalent in the film, could be associated with the Keter's idealized state. Chokhmah (Wisdom): Chokhmah symbolizes wisdom and creativity. In "The Shining," the character of Jack Torrance could be seen as embodying Chokhmah's energy. As Jack becomes increasingly obsessed with his writing and succumbs to madness, it can be seen as a reflection of the creative and destructive aspects of Chokhmah. Binah (Understanding): Binah represents understanding and intuition. In the film, Wendy, Jack's wife, displays a level of understanding and intuition as she begins to recognize the danger and instability surrounding the Overlook Hotel. Her attempts to protect her son, Danny, can be linked to Binah's nurturing and protective qualities. Chesed (Mercy): Chesed represents compassion and mercy. In "The Shining," Danny possesses the ability to shine, which allows him to perceive and communicate with supernatural forces. His attempts to reach out to the hotel's cook, Dick Hallorann, for help can be seen as an expression of Chesed's compassionate nature. Geburah (Strength): Geburah signifies strength, justice, and discipline. In the film, Jack's descent into madness and the subsequent violence can be associated with the destructive aspects of Geburah. His actions demonstrate the uncontrolled and extreme application of strength. Tiferet (Beauty): Tiferet represents beauty, harmony, and balance. The visually stunning cinematography and meticulous attention to detail in "The Shining" could be seen as an expression of Tiferet. Kubrick's pursuit of aesthetic perfection in his filmmaking aligns with Tiferet's qualities. Netzach (Eternity): Netzach symbolizes eternity and victory. In the film, the concept of eternity is explored through the cyclical nature of events in the Overlook Hotel. The recurring patterns and the idea of trapped spirits could be associated with Netzach's eternal nature. Hod (Glory): Hod represents glory, intellect, and analysis. The film's themes of isolation, psychological exploration, and the unraveling of the human mind align with Hod's qualities. Jack's descent into madness and the exploration of the subconscious could be seen as an intellectual journey. Yesod (Foundation): Yesod signifies the foundation and the realm of dreams and illusions. In "The Shining," the hotel itself can be seen as a representation of Yesod, as it blurs the line between reality and illusion. The shifting architecture and surreal sequences contribute to the dreamlike atmosphere of the film. Malkuth (Kingdom): Malkuth represents the physical world and material reality. In "The Shining," the physical space of the Overlook Hotel represents Malkuth, as it serves as the backdrop for the characters' experiences. The hotel's physicality and its impact on the characters Here's a breakdown of the Kabbalistic Sephiroth mindset in relation to the main characters of "The Shining": Jack Torrance: Keter (Crown): Jack's pursuit of perfection and immortality in his writing can be associated with the idealized state of Keter. Chokhmah (Wisdom): Jack's creativity and descent into madness embody the creative and destructive aspects of Chokhmah. Geburah (Strength): Jack's violent actions and the uncontrolled application of strength align with Geburah's qualities. Hod (Glory): Jack's exploration of the subconscious and psychological unraveling can be seen as an intellectual journey associated with Hod. Wendy Torrance: Binah (Understanding): Wendy's understanding of the danger and instability surrounding the Overlook Hotel aligns with Binah's qualities of understanding and intuition. Chesed (Mercy): Wendy's attempts to protect her son, Danny, and her compassionate nature can be associated with Chesed's qualities of compassion and mercy. Danny Torrance: Chesed (Mercy): Danny's shining ability and his attempts to seek help from Dick Hallorann reflect Chesed's compassionate and merciful nature. Yesod (Foundation): Danny's connection to the spirit world and his experiences in the hotel align with Yesod's qualities as the realm of dreams and illusions. Dick Hallorann: Chesed (Mercy): Dick's role as a helper and mentor to Danny, providing guidance and protection, reflects Chesed's compassionate nature. Tiferet (Beauty): Dick's wisdom and his role in illuminating the beauty and supernatural aspects of the shining ability align with Tiferet's qualities of harmony and balance.

[@thebigragu9952]

Always a good day when there’s a Rob Ager upload

[@theimaginariumnetwork5621]

Agreed!!!

[@charlesp.8555]

Yup!

[@ryangettig274]

Word On That:)

[@deeblade]

Definitely

[@scriptmonkey7812]

I needed this today. Always great analysis...

[@bloodyexec]

Everybody in my theater cracked up at the "light of my life" line when I saw the movie in it's original run, because the Debbie Boone smash hit syrupy ballad "You Light Up My Life" had been dominating radio airplay for three years! I wonder if Kubrick knew this when he cribbed the line from Lolita for The Shining. He apparently didn't know that Nicholson's "Heeeeere's Johnny!" adlib was from The Tonight Show, a catchphrase everybody in America would have known, but by then Kubrick had been living in England for several years and away from American television.

[@AMiserablePileofSecrets]

It should be noted, of course, that "Light of my Life"🎶 is THE most wholesome song in popular music. It's practically a church song disguised as a pop hit.

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

For shizzle! I saw TS in the drive-in with my dad (who was "Cool Dad" because he would take me to films his ex wife, who I called "mom" would not ) as a ten year old. And you are absolutely correct, there was a point in time, right before The Shinning, in which turning your radio on meant you would immediately hear either "Light up My Life" or " Make My Brown Eyes Blue" 🤣😂😂😂😂

[@elconquistador364]

It's no secret there are multiple layers to the film,thanks in no small part to Agers work. These analyses demonstrate why the film is so subliminally effective . I definitely believe there are no random synchronicities in Kubrick's work

[@hoshiref]

Wow this is one of the best comments I've ever read, thank you.

[@hoshiref]

​@@elconquistador364 specially after learning that there's a hidden chess game within the book that Kubrick decoded and wrote back to Nabokov .... Mindblowing to have read the challenge between the lines, therefore, one can only read Kubrick with this in mind.

[@dannyarcher7137]

I love your Kubrick content! Always happy when there is a new upload 👌

[@wanda5983]

In Lolita, there's also a shot where Humbert walks up the stairs, right before he kills Quilty. Just like Jack, who chased after Wendy.

[@AmusedChild]

This was fascinating and fun, because they are two of my favorite films. Plus, this helps me to see the evidence of Jack's abuse of Danny, which is much more subtle. Thank you!

[@nickd4310]

It's interesting that both Humbert and Jack are private high school English teachers who are writing novels, abuse their children and try to murder their wives, but can't do it.

[@collativelearning]

Yeah, the writer and school teacher parallels are significant.

[@babs420th9]

Lolita is entirely from Humbert's perspective and he never regards her as a child, let alone his own child.

[@nickd4310]

@@babs420th9 So?

[@babs420th9]

@@nickd4310 Humbert never sees Lolita as anything other than a sex object to conquer. Certainly not as his child. We know this because he's telling it straight to us. So the parallel isn't quite right, even though there are similarities, as you pointed out. I also disagree about Rob's interpretation of Shining being primarily about child SA, like Lolita. This because Jack Torrance is a short-tempered, physically violent and a not very polished man. Kubrick puts a lot of emphasis on Jack's physical strength while Humbert get by as a sleazy and pretentious "man of culture". The power dynamic is entirely different.

[@nickd4310]

@@babs420th9 I realize that Lolita is based on a book purported to be written by Humbert Humbert and thst he is an unreliable narrator. But Jack Torrence to a lesser extent narrates his story to Lloyd and we don't know how much of what Jack sees is in his head. If you believe the "there were no ghosts" explanation, then you are watching Jack's narrative. However, they are both aware of society's expectations for their behaviour toward their children. A court isn't going to forgive Humbert because in his mind Dolores was a consenting adult. Both men also btw plan to murder their wives, but are unsuccessful. I am not saying it is the same story, but that there are parallels. I agree it's far-fetched to read anything into Jack's treatment of Danny than the one incident as mentioned in the film. But I guess everyone fills in their own background story.

[@Beerning]

Rob Ager the Paul McCartney of KZbin film analysis videos. The best in the business

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

You mean he was replaced by a lookalike? 😄

[@raymondle9966]

Ager never ceases to amaze, 2023 and this is the first time anyone has ever pointed out that is Mason looking up at Jack in the wall of photos. Also, I think Chris Nolan named Matt Damon's character Mann in Interstellar, as an homage to Michael Mann, Nolan studied Heat in making Dark Knight

[@Weird-City]

I just spent way too long looking at old James and Pamela Mason pictures and I think Rob's definitely onto something there. I'm flabbergasted!

[@raymondle9966]

@@Weird-City cool alex de large profile pic. Back in the 80s, the vhs of clockwork orange had cover art of a woman with a giant milk bottle tied around her torso with a rope.

[@collativelearning]

@@Weird-City It is them isn't it. Lol

[@Thespeedrap]

Matt Damon was also in the Martian I find it funny that both*interstellar and Martian had Matt Damon trapped in space.

[@kremesauce]

I would recommend you buy the Taschen The Shining book. The information and first hand knowledge you will learn about The Shining is second to none. It also comes with an annotated screenplay. It will blow you away Rob.

[@Takumis86]

Eagle-eyed as always Mr Ager! I love the bit during the staircase scene where Jack sprouts demon horns made out of background sofas!

[@maratonlegendelenemirei3352]

Well spotted!

[@larsvontrio]

Interesting! Also heard Mason was invited onto set because Kubrick's mum wanted to meet him so much.

[@hithere4719]

Weird how that ties into this theme without much of a stretch…

[@ReeTM]

And you're right. At the time of release, for many of Kubrick's films, nobody was talking about the meta nuances of his work. All this analysis is in a post Kubrick world, with only hunches and clues to work on.

[@aliensoup2420]

Nobody had direct access to the images until the advent of home video in the 80’s. Then the internet facilitated widespread dispersion of these ideas by fanatical lunatics.

[@xmaseveeve5259]

Seriously. Absolutely brilliant. Well done. The hag is an old man. The photos connect to The Biltmore (haunted), in Los Angeles (which connects to Orson Welles's 'Black Dahlia' hoax). I stayed at The Biltmore and had dinner in the Ahwahnee, to research this.

[@BLPGoat1893]

Rob, I honestly have learned a lot of very subtle nuances from your videos. After learning the subject, I’ll use Alien for an example, I go back and now see what you mean. The male/female connection between the the ship layout/alien head and the face hugger and also other content/contexts you mention. Awesome stuff. Thank you Rob.

[@spiritualreliefchannel]

Roman Polanski's famous SA occurred in Jack Nicholson's hot tub.

[@camerongrogan1]

We don’t have Stanley around, but thank god we have you to help us see these things. He was a genius so far beyond anyone else and I’m glad he put it into film. These videos always blow my mind!

[@apow3rs]

Interesting I’d never realised Off to the Races by Lana Del Ray featured a quote from Lolita in the lyrics before

[@_scabs6669]

outstanding analysis again, great parallels between the bathroom/shower scenes. I never noticed that before. Mr Ager's attention to detail consistently blows me away. so hyped for the Lolita content, can't wait to see the full video. as a filmmaker myself starting out, this channel is truly a wealth of knowledge for me. I think there are two ways of going about making contraversial content. The only way I had ever thought about was the way Coppola did, like with Apocalypse Now, when he turned down military funding in order to keep the script true to his vision. The way Nabakov and Coppola and The Clash did it. To say "Screw the Man" and be as blatant as possible no matter what. But I have found out through watching Mr Ager's analyses that there is a second way - the Kubrick. To hide and encode your contraversial, anti-establishment messages subliminally, to be communicated to wide audiences under the level of awareness, and be discovered by passionate fans later. This way, you get "The Man" to pay for your "Screw the Man" message, and that's an even better stab in the final analysis, innit? ;) Thanks again Mr Ager for your inspiring work.

[@bugsy9007]

I believe you had mentioned in a previous video that in the opening credits sequence of The Shining Jack Torrance's yellow car passed a white station wagon that was similar to Humbert Humbert's white station wagon in Kubrick's Lolita.

[@collativelearning]

Wasn't my observation. Will have a look though.

[@ReeTM]

Great insight, thank you. The theme of Jack as the abusive dad obviously plays out at the start and he seems sorry for what he did and blames it on the booze, I think. The hotel spirits within turn what was a dad trying his best with his own problems, into the very worst version of himself, ready to abuse and murder his family.

[@davidoverton4030]

Rob makes brilliant connection analysis between Lolita & Shining. Very plausible.

[@danielgolden6690]

Something I saw after seeing a previous vid of yours discussing the links between the two characters, is that while Humbert Humbert and Jack Torrence are getting tours of their respective rooms, they both push down on the mattress in a similar way to test it

[@collativelearning]

Ha, just went and checked. Well spotted. I missed that one :)

[@danielgolden6690]

​@@collativelearning Awesome, thanks for your response! I watched the scene with Humbert almost immediately after watching your video discussing the two characters, so it stuck out. Thanks for all of your great videos!!

[@lucywillis4174]

Just been thinking... Isn't 'Wendy darling' also the name of the little girl from Peter Pan???

[@stephenwalker2924]

Most people think J.M.Barrie invented the name Wendy. He kinda didn't - but he did popularize its use as a girls' name. Believe it or not, Wendy was more well-known as a male name before Barrie wrote his play, Peter Pan.

[@moviearchaeologist9655]

Nice idea, but hardly any direct references to Peter Pan in this movie. Only some other Disney characters.

[@speedystriper]

Just when I thought there were no more secrets of this film to be unearthed, Ager delivers again. Fascinating parallels and no way are they coincidences in my opinion. I also noticed an interesting detail in the movie poster title letters: The 2 smaller case i letters seem to mirror the twins - THE SHiNiNG. Never noticed that before.

[@insanitypepper1740]

"Kubrick is a great friend, it's just that his friendship can be kind of.. scary" - James Mason probably

[@timcombs2730]

Many people have made parallels to the mental health difficulties that Sue Lyon had in her life and career post Kubrick to the mental health issues Shelly Duvall has. Also think it was remarkable James Mason was in Salem’s Lot which was the most recent Stephen King adaptation before The Shining.

[@collativelearning]

FACE THE MASTER !!!! YOUR FAITH AGAINST HIS FACE !!!!

[@mankyscotchgit4986]

To be fair, mental illness is nigh universal in Hollywood.

[@thepalaceworm]

Looks like our good friend Rob has found Stanley being Sly once again! Fantastic concept! Fantastic video! Thanks for all you do!

[@eddiegalon3714]

I think Jack's use of the expression, "light of my life" supports the idea put forth by one of the many Shining meaning vids, being that the whole story we watch is the actual story Jack came up with while there writing. His use of the line from Lolita is another clue(possibly. This is just an idea put forth) that Jack sometimes says things from Stanley's mind(the writer) from time to time and thinks and imagines all kinds of things a writer (Stanley or Steven King) may think about while writing a story, any story. Lolita was a novel Kubrick had to know inside and out. I think a underlying story may be that of the writing process, and how one's imagination has to wonder to be a creative writer. Jack as a writer comes up with the story we watch unfold, imagining himself as the protagonist or antagonist as any one that has ever written fiction understands. Even when writing a completely fictional story, the writer often imagines themselves as the main character. Stylistically Lolita uses stream of consciousness (Joyce and Faulkner popularized this in novels). Thinking about Lolita's narrative ideas is something Kubrick(Jack) would have thought about along with his other work from the past to inform his current writing. As a writer suffering from writers block coming to a big empty lodge, the writer's mind would have to engage in many "what if's". What we see is much of what Jack is coming up with while throwing the ball against the lobby wall for seeming hrs. He's just thinking up what we experience as the story. It like a subliminal story about the writing process. This theory does not rule out all the other meanings people have put forth. They all can be contained within the story Jack(Stanley) comes up with.

[@danbal4185]

It killed me that footage. Nicholson is so clearly still in character. Probably the visit was just after the 200th take of the "...leave the hotel..." scene!

[@cryptoesquire3168]

Also, did you ever read the article in Playgirl re: “Parents that sleep with their kids” that Jack is reading? That will blow you away with other subtexts.

[@suppe3267]

Where can one read it?

[@collativelearning]

Never acquired a copy.

[@gusforester4157]

Please share

[@cryptoesquire3168]

The 1st 2 paragraphs: “Loretta had always been her father’s “little baby,” a cute, freckled-face girl of nine who enjoyed-at least on the surface-a happy, unencumbered, childhood. “Her family life seemed normal enough. She lived in a comfortable 4-bedroom tract house outside Houston, TX, where her father was employed as a project engineer with NASA. A model employee, Dan liked his job and was liked in return. Pat, Loretta’s mother, was a quiet housewife who enjoyed occasional stints as a substitute teacher. There was also Susie, her baby sister….” Article by Jeremy J. Young “An investigative report on what happens when the ultimate taboo is broken.” So many references to nasa: Tang (both in the “eye scream” shot and later with Jack/Grady; Danny’s shirt; being in an incest article in a playgirl used in the firm…maybe as many references (or more) as Native Americans….

[@suppe3267]

@@cryptoesquire3168 Do you have a source for this, a scan of the article for instance? Where did you get this, and can you show proof of this article's content? If it's true, it's super interesting! But we need proof ;)

[@eddysandland58]

Kubrick still Amazes Thanks to people Like You Rob! Love your Shinning, Eyes Wide Shut, 2001 etc Content! Cheers 🍻

[@timleopardxolo]

I love 'Murder By Decree', it's a top film, stylish, intelligent, well written and full of class actors.

[@MindFlowersDotNet]

Scared the daylights out of me as a youth. Great film!

[@personanongrata987]

Is this the movie where James Mason accuses Christopher Plummer of popping his peas? --

[@ClaraDbvl]

I'll take your word for it and try to find it. Thanks.

[@christophergriffin4643]

Yep.

[@hazebanga]

bath room door open reference is wild!!!

[@cryptoesquire3168]

Something I noticed (and haven’t seen anywhere) is there are 2 hags (twins)…while one with longer hair is laughing/chasing Jack, the other shorter-hair twin starts to emerge from bath…most people see both hags as 1 person per the novel, but it looks like Kubrick changed to the twins as hags. Both girls in the doc have similar hair lengths to the hags.

[@collativelearning]

Yeah there's something going on with that. the hag who is rising slowly from the tub during the nightmare ... I consider her to represent Danny or Jack awakening from the suppressed horror.

[@stephenwalker2924]

So Jack meets THREE separate women in that bathroom. Or ONE woman from three different times in her life (and death)?

[@Mutiny960]

@@stephenwalker2924 Good connection. The Triple Goddess (The Maiden, The Mother and The Crone) are HISTORICAL in literature from even before the Greeks.

[@IgnacioAOlivar]

Predators around childrens it's a common theme in SK movies. Lolita, Shinning and Eyes Wide Shut are deeply connected.

[@ethanames557]

Another funny coincidence, is that James Mason, being in a movie about Jack the Ripper links back to the character in Doctor Strangelove - Jack D. Ripper (which was Kubrick’s next movie after Lolita) 😂

[@collativelearning]

Ha, good one.

[@J-and-B]

I get truly excited when I see Rob post. Love your videos Rob!

[@juanmanuelbaccino]

Hi. Very Intersting your channel. I'm watching most of the videos where you talk about mastepiece of terror The Shining and I think you didn't say that the name Lloyd is used for the multiple personality of Jack in the actor Joe Turkel and the real name of the child Dany Lloyd. Who actually abandoned his acting career.

[@instinctivelychelsea2905]

Those black and white photos are very important to decoding the movie. Same with thee numbers ad jumbles of 237.

[@sonnyandreotte5721]

the only more hidden sexual abuse is in the exorcist. which you have rightly stated.

[@jakejoseph5534]

I don’t know if you mentioned this in the full video, but the curtains in Humberts bedroom are the same design as the ones in the Torrences living quarters. Thats pretty definitive evidence as to their metaphorical connection.

[@collativelearning]

Didn't mention it, but I put that in my notes on Lolita.

[@jakejoseph5534]

Btw rob thanks so much for continuing these analyses vids, you completely changed the way a lot of us watch films. ​@@collativelearning

[@hoshiref]

Open source Kubrick

[@hoshiref]

Thank you for this very significant detail 🙏

[@Joe-qq8ox]

I will be ordering this entire video as soon as I get paid 🙏

[@bradreid4490]

I've just rewatched Lolita looking for parallels to The Shining and something crossed my mind that I'm not sure if it is just coincidence or on purpose but the hotel room Humbert and Lolita stay in after he picked her up from camp was 242 and the evil room in the Shining film was changed from 217 to 237, probably just coincidence but I'm just wondering if Kubrick changed it to 237 to be a close but not exact reference to that hotel room in Lolita as Humbert is hoping to finally get his stepdaughter into bed but backs off when he finds the police convention is there and Jack is hoping to have his way with the naked bathtub woman but physically backs away when she turns into the hag-corpse vision that's just a thought but it did strike me as a similarity which could have some truth behind it

[@AMiserablePileofSecrets]

Fantastic video, Mr Ager. I never noticed the echoes of Lolita in The Shining before. 🎬📽🎞

[@ccfliege]

Also interesting is that in that very "behind the scenes" scene with Nicholson meeting that actor is that directly afterwards Nicholson laments that "as a celebrety you meet more people in a month than other people in their lifetime" almost like he didn't really care about meeting that guy lol

[@collativelearning]

Haha yes he did.

[@user-nz8vf1wl3z]

Now that I think about it.. the blue dress wore by the two girls, in my opinion, looks very familiar to the dress worn by Sue Lyon in what I believe was her audition to the movie Lolita. I know the dress looks similar because her daughter auctioned the dress off not long after Sue Lyons death.

[@Sn0wShepherd]

I knew that the sexual content was there when I watched the movie because I had been through it and I was going through it at the time that movie came out. I recognized all of the looming monsters the cameras are the looming monsters always looking down on the poor little boy you never see from the position of the little boy looking up at the monster until Dr sleep. But when I was a tiny little girl I was surrounded by pedophiles and they hurt me horribly and I'm still I'm probably going to die with the problems they gave me

[@kerrytakashi12]

Did you catch the other connotation that was directed at a Kubrick rival Altman? Sellars mimicked Kubrick’s voice when he played Clare Quilty. It was an inside joke. Referenced again in the behind the scenes clip. Kubrick is the stand in for Quilty next to Mason and Nicholson. Note that Kubrick is standing next to Duvall. She is dressed very childlike in the film and this clip. SHE was Lolita in this setup. Altman completed the subtext when he said later that Duvall was a different actress after her work with Kubrick. He took her innocence. Also note no one really thinks of Duvall as an Altman protege, they always think of her as a Kubrick actress. All this reminds me of the first scene when Quilty and Humbert meet.

[@collativelearning]

I saw that movie she made with altman ... forgot the title, but it was pretty deep psychologically.

[@moviearchaeologist9655]

@@collativelearning Oh, was it 3 Women? Interesting movie

[@augustgreig9420]

It would have been funny if, in the picture at the end, you could clearly see Peter Sellers. What would be even funnier would have been if you could see multiple Peter Sellers playing different characters from Lolita.

[@jaiiskii2262]

we missed you thanks for this video Mr. Rob Ager!

[@nicolashrv]

Murder by Decree was remade as FROM HELL with Johnny Depp (people who saw the later, will not find Murder as shocking as if you watch it directly......so if you have not seen From Hell, I suggest you first watch Murder by Decree)

[@I_Am_The_Paulrus]

Not exactly the case. From Hell was an adaptation of the Alan Moore/Eddie Campbell comic, which itself was inspired by Stephen Knight's non-fiction 'Jack the Ripper: the Final Solution'. The latter came out in 1976 and it likely influenced the script for Murder By Decree

[@Ameara-LaVey]

WOW, SIMPLY FANTASTIC ANALYSIS, THE JAMES MASON PICTURE IN SHINING IS MINDBLOWING, THANK U!

[@johnbuchert4123]

This is an interesting take on the shining. The playgirl magazine Jack was reading in the lobby of the overlook while waiting to be interviewed, had an article about insest in it.

[@davidlean1060]

It still fascinates me that of all his movies, Kubrick made an accompanying 'making of' documentary for The Shining which, in its own subliminal way, brings our attention to some of the more cryptic themes and elements in the film Itself. The making of is like a companion piece made to help you decyper the movie itself. But why The Shining specifically I wonder?!

[@aWomanFreed]

Cuz his daughter made it she was only 17 at the time. Guess her dad wanted to include her.

[@davidlean1060]

@@aWomanFreed He had her do it so he'd have full control of his 'guide book'. If he was so keen on his daughter taking part in his film making, where's her making of Full Metal Jacket, or Eyes Wide Shut?! Nah, the boring, 'it's a coincidence' answer doesn't cut it here, but maybe you're new to Rob's work.

[@aWomanFreed]

@@davidlean1060 oh please. She was a kid trying to learn about what her dad did. He didn’t need to make documentaries for any of his films, and his daughter im sure had her own life to live. But hey if u want to be some fanboy of “Robs work” and don’t think for yourself at all, have at it.

[@bend0matic]

The theme of abuse is also present in 2001, Barry Lyndon and definitely EWS.

[@Bone237]

I was watching the full vid on your site and I'm at the part where you mentioned barry lyndon and the caning that was done in british schools. That reminded me of the 1968 Malcolm McDowell movie If... and I'm curious about whether you've seen that one and what you think of it. I love that movie and it'd be great to see you talk about it.

[@collativelearning]

Saw it once and recall it being wild.

[@coinraker6497]

Luckily we didn't have to see James Mason get out of the tub and slowly walk towards us. 🤣

[@collativelearning]

I'm not sure the hag was any less repulsive ;)

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

That part of the movie gives me the creeps.

[@TheDREADlight]

Always amazing Rob Ager.

[@keithwalmsley1830]

Great video as always, I think you're spot-on with the abuse themes and do you think it's ironic, coincidence or what that perhaps Kubrick's greatest collaboration with Arthur C Clarke on a certain Sci-Fi film is now somewhat tainted for me by your previous revelations regarding A C Clarke who used to be one of my all-time heroes?

[@jakedee507]

I think Juli Kearns' link between Mason's set visit and the Holocaust themes is more convincing than the child abuse angle, which I frankly never subscribed to. Good work as always though.

[@ethanames557]

I also think, that there is a crossover between Humbert Humbert and Jack Torrance both going into a bathroom with one perception only to have that perception changed. For Jack it’s seeing the beautiful woman at first before revealing the old hag (which also correlated to Danny’s perception of him, and how that changed when he went to get his fire engine) And for Humbert Humbert it’s going into the bathroom to kill Charlotte, only to later be in a bath himself which again symbolises a change in perception from beauty to a sexually abusive monster.

[@EmpireMP]

Intersting comparison. I often go out of my way to have subtle quotes from my films appear in subsequent films. I often have the words To Become One in nearly every film, named after my second film To Become One. It's sometimes sub-conscious, I think Kubrick was a fan of his other films and it brings him joy to reference this whenever he can. (am not comparing myself to him in any way) Thank-you for posting all this content by the way...

[@treasey8655]

Rob Ager Top 10 most pleasing video essay voices

[@seanblake2]

Very unrelated I know, but have you played the video game 'Journey' by any chance Rob?

[@collativelearning]

I haven't

[@lucienberton4538]

Dear Mr. Ager, I don't know if you've ever noticed the "Stanley Kubrick Walk" which he gives to many of his characters in his films. That slow reluctant walk, one foot at a time. Do you think there is any subtext in that? L.

[@collativelearning]

Interesting. I'd never considered it, but examples do spring to mind.

[@lucienberton4538]

Thank you for your kind reply. Love your work. Best regards; L.

[@gopherbone697]

Love u Rob thanks for doing what you do, anything you post is always an instant click for me.

[@casebarreoltt5990]

I've noticed some Moloch references in Kubrick films. The "Moloko bar" in Clockwork Orange, and "Millich" in EWS. Are there any others in his other movies? PS I've read that Kubrick gives nods to "Metropolis", which overtly features a Moloch theme.

[@Thespeedrap]

Lolita and the Shining are the most darkest of Kubrick films sure A Clockwork orange and 2001 are dark also but you can tell Kubrick told the same story of childhood abuse.

[@jakfan09]

James Mason was also in Frankenstein: The True story one of my favorite movies from the 70's. I think that film would be right up your alley.

[@aliensoup2420]

He was also in Salem’s Lot…so what?

[@jakfan09]

@@aliensoup2420 Just wanted to mention a movie I love. That’s it.

[@mikem591]

James Mason also showed up on the set of the Shining. Wondered why he was there. Makes more sense now, realizing there is a Shining Loilita connection.

[@gilliatt82]

In Eyes Wide Shut, I'll always remember the painting above Helena's bed in that scene when Bill enters her bedroom at night. Helena is sleeping. Apparently it was Kubrick's wife painting.

[@davidlean1060]

Every painting in a Kubrick film is by his wife. There's a geat one in Lyndon. Bary is apologising to his wife for somehting or other and the painting above depicts a man on his knees, clearly begging the woman in the paininting for forgiveness.

[@gilliatt82]

@@davidlean1060 That painting has a particular meaning if we can see the three letters in it. Kubrick used it as a way to convey his hidden message. Kubrick knew too much about the terrible reality of the world. It was too taboo for the profanes, so he concealed it into his art. 'Sex magick' of the elite was his masterpiece revealing in his last movie.

[@HeyMykee]

In the full version you spoke about Claire Quilty and the woman he's seen with, and the conversation they have with a desk manager (or whatever he was) about 'what they do with all his excess energy'. He said they do a lot of judo, and implies that she frequently attacks him. That reminded me of Sellers' other movie The Pink Panther, where his houseboy (was his name Kato?) kept attacking him with martial arts to keep him prepared for sudden unexpected attacks. I checked, and that movie came out the following year, but would have already been written and in pre-production I'm sure. I wonder if that was a deliberate connection? Probably not, but it's fun to conjecture on these things. Actually I don't remember if that was in the first Pink Panther movie or not, but I think it was. I always liked the way they were dressed, I guess they were meant to be beats or beatnicks or something, all in black and with very trendy rangefinder cameras hanging from their necks (if I remember right?). She was like a 60s version of a goth girl, or sort of a Morticia Addams type.

[@Frogman1212]

Kato was the name of the green hornet's sidekick

[@HeyMykee]

@@Frogman1212 I just checked-it happened in the second movie, which came out in 1964, and his houseboy's name is Cato. He might have used the name to imply that Clousseau thought of himself as something like the Green Hornet, with an Asian sidekick. Not that that has anything to do with Lolita of course! But fun to think about.

[@thecoldglassofwatershow]

@@HeyMykee wasn’t OJ’s house boy named Kato too 😂

[@mikekokomomike]

The woman with Claire Quilty at the hotel lobby, her name was Vivian Darkbloom. Vivian Darkbloom is an anagram of the name Vladimir Nabokov, the man who wrote Lolita. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Sorrry I replied a year after your post, just watched this video

[@Scotsmanthebedbug]

Don’t forget at the beginning of Lolita, Peter Sellers said “No, I’m Spartacus”

[@nev.catalyst7478]

Regarding the Grady twins. I don't think Kubrick got the visual look from the Mason girls. I've always read that the movie was filmed chronologically, so if true, that little behind the scenes clip would have been late in production, I'm basing this on what Jack happens to be wearing. Also Leon Vitaly said that the idea came from the famous Diane Arbus twins photo

[@collativelearning]

The film may have been filmed in mostly in chronological order (haven't come across verification), but I've read cast and crew reports that go against it. One example, the river of blood was shot multiple times over a long period in between other shoot days. there was also a set fire that destroyed the Colorado Lounge set. Kubrick had it rebuilt for more shots, but I seriously doubt he put the entire production on hold during the wait.

[@geezmate47]

What about the scene where Humbert, Charlotte and Lolita are at the drive-in cinema, they’re watching a film with some sort of deformed/decaying creature - the close up of which is cut to back and forth from a close up of humbert as he makes his first physical contact of the film with Lolita. The parallels between this and The Shining bathroom hag mirror scene are clear to me

[@williamfrederickiii1683]

what is up with the weird ceiling light fixture in the 237 bathroom? It seems to have two mismatched globes with an irregularly shaped base

[@RAtheRuggedManTV]

I would love to hear your analysis on some Joseph Losey films: The Prowler and The Servent and then some of his others.

[@babettesfeast6347]

Rob have you seen the new Tashkent book on The Shining? It contains the scrapbook you accessed in the archives and a massive book about the making of the film with hundreds of never before seen photos. Sadly it’s £1500 in price but I’m sure Taschens would give you a copy to review

[@collativelearning]

Does it have the entire scrapbook? That book was massive on its own.

[@babettesfeast6347]

@@collativelearning I think it does kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaCUnGyDgs-eaKs Incidentally you get a mention in the BFI book The Shining by Kevin Donnelly

[@roberthudson6284]

"Open your mouth Spartacus!" Wait a second! Bring him back. Play back the whole message. That's no way to say goodbye.

[@That.old.mountain]

Extraordinary work

[@incandifferent]

I just had a thought. I dont know if this is stretching it a little but both the bathtubs have 2 faucets. Mixing hot and cold. He and she sitting in that bathtub. And while im at it. About the week days cuts. I think they mean that when it says Tuesday for instance (I dont remember if tuesday is there but you know what I mean) ; thoses scenes are a regular thing in thier lives. Thats why I think when he gets out of the pantry thats locked on outside, its she who lets him out, forgiving him, many times, every time. Tuesday is regular day for them. Jack is like that all the time.

[@ryangettig274]

Mr. Ager-James Mason's character in The Last Of Sheila-1973-script by Stephen Sondheim&Anthony Perkins,directed by Herbert Ross,you might want to have a look at that,your viewers reading this should have a look at your retrospective on Heaven Help Us!:)

[@collativelearning]

thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Love James Mason.

[@large_crab]

Rob, I sent you an email pointing out a few appearance similarities between A Death In Venice and The Shining. Delbert Grady appears to be wearing the exact same jacket as some background hotel workers in the film.

[@collativelearning]

I haven't seen a death in venice. Big backlog of emails at the mo I'm afraid.

[@large_crab]

@@collativelearning I would recommend giving it a watch, I truly believe that Kubrick was trying to draw us to this movie in subtle ways to connect to the child abuse theme in The Shining.

[@editingsecrets]

Rob, will you do a video about the idea of V'ger's question to Assimiliate All Knowledge & Destroy The Original (from Star Trek: The Motion Picture) turning into the evil of the Borg? Didn't that start with a novel by Shatner? Do you think it's valid in-universe? I also just noticed the comparison with V'ger and Terminator 2: "Typically, the subject being copied is terminated." Is there enough to unpack about the origin and meaning of the Borg for your analysis?

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

5:35 & 5:36 ... I never noticed that he makes the masonic devil horn and phallic hand gesture before...

[@DawnHub666]

Where can I see the rest of your Lolita research ?

[@collativelearning]

As mentioned at the end of the video, you can access the 2hr ish version of this vid via my Patreon or buy it as a digital download on my site. Links in video description :)

[@lew0]

Cool Channel forgot u existed, definitely sparked my obsession with Kubrick. Very informative!

[@johnwatts8346]

i dont see how anyone can deny the shining is about R, as the saying goes: 'once you see it, you cant unsee it', redrum = not just murder but R and murder (with the booze pun too). and of course he had to code it- imagine the studio asking- 'whats yuor next flick stan?', 'well im gonna do one about an abusive alcy who commits dv and p file in cest', 'awesome, sounds like a hit, heres 20 million dollars, go make it'...

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

Hold on. Wouldn't Kubrick have at least had the dress design options for the twins already on paper, if not already shot segments featuring them at the time of Mason's visit? 🤔I think we're going to need some hard chronological data on that, Rob. But kudos in advance should you be able to provide it👍 PS, a swinging baseball bat, even though swung with half hearted girly energy, is probably what Jack perceived as an "interruption" 😉

[@Weird-City]

Well the first time he says "I'm not gonna hurt ya" is in response to Shelly saying "don't hurt me!" and she immediately screams "stay away from me!" - so it could also be a call back from that as his very next line is "Wendy, darling...light of my life...".

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

@@Weird-City Not to mention that!

[@collativelearning]

Not necessarily. If the whole film was shot completely in order then you'd have a point, but movies usually aren't - they're shot in accordance with availability of resources, personal and locations usually. You have to admit, those girls are one hell of a fluke similarity. As is the presence of Mason on set and in an end photo looking up toward the pic of Jack, plus the Lolita novel and film overlaps. I disagree on the bat swing as "you didn't let me finish my sentence". She's swinging it for a couple of minutes.

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

@@collativelearning Well, even if the film is shot in any order I may have a point, and I also brought up the likelihood of pre existing dress designs which someone as meticulous as Kubrick could have had. I do think you absolutely have a point with certain undercurrents of the film. And in this video, your observation of the bathroom shots from both L and TS are certainly dead on, as is your sharp observation of Mason looking from his black and white photo up to Jacks. But your twins/ Mason girls thing is a bit shaky. Didn't you say you have actually visited the Kubrick Archives? And I assume you have a brand new copy of the very expensive, very comprehensive Taschen collection and other resources? I think you probably could demonstrate the reality of the Mason girls/twins theory with a little digging into materials you may already posses. Thank you for being the greatest film analyst of the internet age if not ever🤘

[@iknowyouarh]

​@@collativelearning Jack is telling a joke. "Bash your brains in" is the punchline.

[@MistyDusker]

Seems like a no-brainer but is Lolita a must watch? I haven't heard much about the film when put up against Kubrick's other works.

[@palacehaunter5442]

Lolita is a masterpiece!!

[@collativelearning]

It's incredible. Some people say Kubrick's films are cold and emotionaless. I say to them .... try watching Lolita. It's deeply emotional.

[@R0adsterr0land]

Rob, seeing how labyrinthine Kubrick's directing was in general but with this film in particular do believe that anyone else on set was privy to his true vision other than himself?

[@collativelearning]

The only one I would assume to be "in on it", so to speak, would be Jan Harlan, exec producer and brother in law of Kubrick.

[@shawn576]

It might be a reach to say the similar scene construction is supposed to draw a link between two movies or between the themes in those two movies. Things like slowly opening a door from the perspective of the character is a great way to reveal a room. It's similar to how a movie will show a characters face, then show something, then go back to the characters face to indicate the character is looking at that specific thing. Lots of unrelated movies will have a lot of similarities, especially if done by the same director, because some ways of constructing a scene simply work better than others.

[@collativelearning]

The example you give is a much more common film occurrence. I can't think of any other movie, Kubrick or not, that has a pov hand slowly pushing open a bathroom door like that. There may be one or two shots like that somewhere but it's no where near as common as you say. On it's own it wouldn't amount to much, but with all the other Lolita and Mason clues, it fits right in there :)

[@trenmage]

i just found ur channels and love what u do rob. i would love to see u make videos on lynch - mullholand drive and blue velvet!!

[@collativelearning]

Cheers. There are studies of a few Lynch films available on my site - Elephant Man, Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive.

[@happinesstan]

Jack says "I'm not gonna hurt ya" after completing the sentence before. He then finishes the sentence "I''m not gonna hurt ya". I don't really think it needs to be as you say, for it to still be a reference to Lolita.

[@_scabs6669]

I would love to see Mr Ager cover Kubrick's Spartacus, and I would love to hear your thoughts on my analysis here. I think Kubrick was already encoding deeper themes at that time before Lolita. Specifically, I have noticed some parallels between Spartacus and Space Odyssey. First of all, the colors white and red are very significant in both films. The outfits the Roman congress wears are painted white and red. So is the color scheme of the inter-moon satellite at the beginning of 2001. Almost as though 2001 presented Kubrick with creating the white and red set design he wanted in Spartacus on the scale he always dreamed. I also think Spartacus was a prelude to the "Human Zoo" themes in 2001, which Kubrick himself stated. The themes in each may not be fully realized until being compared together. A theme in Spartacus is comparing humans to animals. Spartacus says at the beginning, "I am not an animal!" and the theme is insisted upon throughout. The slaves and warriors being wild animals and the rich men being domesticated, tame animals. Similarly, 2001 starts with the "dawn of man," or the beginning of human consciousness, in apes. Thus Kubrick is comparing the human beings in the rest of the film to apes in cages. The tight hallways of the space ships are much more claustrophobic juxtaposed with the wide open spaces the apes inhabited -- where we still belong. Again, Hal-9000 is always watching the human specimens through the cameras embedded in the walls (like an observor of zoo animals). Similarly, in Spartacus there are barred hatches in the slave's cells where their masters can watch them fornicate -- "like animals" breeding, as Spartacus says. Finally, I think the human zoo element is a metaphor for the suburbs. There is evidence for this in the propaganda film of 2001 which Mr Ager commented on in another video. His theory was that each magazine cover symbolizes a hidden theme in the Odyssey. Well, one of the magazines has something about suburbs on the cover, if I remember correctly. I think the idea is that suburban houses and modern office jobs are like cages in zoos, just as the human animals in 2001 are locked up and sedated, in space as in today's society. Similarly, the theme of slavery is ever present in Spartacus, and this could be a metaphor for modern life as well. The only difference between modern slavery and that of the ancient's, is the work our masters have us do now is sitting down at desks in cubicle cages, which keeps our bodies soft. Whereas the hard labor of the slaves of old hardened their bodies and prepared them to revolt, as we saw in Spartacus. Our masters of society today have just gotten smarter. What do you think of my comparison, Mr Ager? I would definitely enjoy to hear you tackle Spartacus and more of Kubrick's older films in future installments.

[@moviearchaeologist9655]

Spartacus was an okay movie, technically well made (that certainly contributed to Kubrick's managerial skills for making 2001) and it has some good moments, but some boring scenes here and there. It has almost certainly been referenced in Kubrick's later films, especially in Clockwork Orange which had Alex dressed as a Roman and I think there was a Roman battle scene as well there. Full Metal Jacket's training scenes reflected those of Spartacus. The co-writer for Eyes Wide Shut did say about Kubrick wanting him to research on Roman orgies. AI Artificial Intelligence has a coliseum of sorts at one point. And the opening scene of Lolita openly pokes fun of the Spartacus movie.

[@_scabs6669]

@@moviearchaeologist9655 more interesting connections.

[@_scabs6669]

@@moviearchaeologist9655 it's a great film. And no, for me, my attention never lags. I dig the way the epic structure allows for romance alongside political intrigue alongside battles.

[@collativelearning]

I think I've only watched Spartacus twice. It was ok, but I much more enjoyed The Vikings (also Kirk Douglas) and would be more likely to do an analysis on that one instead, even though it's not Kubrick. I know Kubrick didn't value the film as part of his filmography and said it was a learning exercize being in charge of such a big budget studio project. At the same time there are likely some references to it in other films. In fact I know there are some.

[@_scabs6669]

@@collativelearning can you send me a link to that interview? However for me, what creators say about their work I consider as extratextual. Kubrick is extra slippery. Then again, in that case the other films in his canon would be extra textual too. A film should be understood on its own terms first. Maybe I'll post my own analysis 🤘

[@seththewelsh1055]

Love your insights into films!

[@dasritejogger1647]

Hello rob, i wonder if the yellow colour of the shinning's poster has to anything with the book 'the king in yellow' by RW chambers?

[@collativelearning]

I'd go with the gold standard theme personally, but is hard to tell.

[@kelpszoidzlzelps2566]

When Lolita was being filmed, Pamela Mason had filmed, "Sex Kittens go to College." It even influenced 2001 A Space Odyssey and the Dr. Strangelove pie fight.

[@geminiifilms6768]

You're the man, Rob, great video as always 👍