THE SHINING - strange illuminations - part one

[@collativelearning]

PART 2 is now up folks kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6LcpX5pn6uKmZI

[@poutinedream5066]

I really enjoyed this analysis, but of course I NEVER get tired of The Shining analysis videos 😏 (for my fine arts requirement at Xavier Univ in 2002? I took "The Horror Film." As political science major, apparently XU thought that one artsy farsty class would prevent me from becoming a clipboard carrying robot (it didn't. As a legislative aide, that's precisely what I became 🤣.) Anyway, disappointingly, the course never gave the Shining so much as a courtesy mention. I'd be willing to bet that wouldn't be the case if I took that class today.) I wish Kubrick was around to see that thanks to the internet- and yourself- that his amazing work and attention to detail in The Shining is finally getting the attention and appreciation it was denied for decades. Thank you for your work. I know it's easier to stage a scene of being kind to a homeless person while a piano plays in the background, or to film yourself eating an entire buffalo or something, and rack up millions of views and alot of money. Channels like yours are what I come to YT looking for. I'm normally not so sentimental, but thinking about how unappreciated much of Kubrick's work was- I know it's not much, but I just wanted to tell you I think the work you do is amazing and that your content stands alone in this "genre," for lack of a better term. My one course in cinema hardly makes me an expert 🤣, but I do know hard work and dedication to doing something right when I see it, and I just want to say thank you, because I'm guessing if you were paid by the hour, you'd probably be better off in a sweatshop in Bangladesh 😏. Seriously though- thank you for all you do. I'm sure it comes at a considerable sacrifice.

[@collativelearning]

@@poutinedream5066 Thanks, that's much appreciated. Fortunately, there isn't a great deal of sacrifice on my part. I put about the same amount of hours in as anyone with a day job does, and I get paid more than any day job ever paid me ... plus, I choose my work hours and really enjoy the work. And no boss to answer to !!! :)

[@nbkawtgnobody]

I saw sunlight on top of the maze in the supposed inside shot of the maze or at least a fake light in one of the shots following Danny and his mother.

[@donniev8181]

Kubrick pointing to the lighting differences in the moon landing films. We should be able to see a mile in any direction UN those moon films, yet we can only see maybe a 100 yards. Not to mention, it would be 10-20x brighter on the moon during the day due to lack of atmosphere.

[@cv507]

watt about numerollogis in shining. i mean ´you will ´learn büy the #$. : ? eg blogspöttce johnny 42.53 ^??^ 12x2 doors windows ^ ^ aka pöd bäy döörs -:-

[@lottevanderpaelt1684]

I'm far from sick of watching analyses of The Shining, the more the better!

[@thursoberwick1948]

I'm sick. It's not even his best film.

[@melsteffano6189]

@@thursoberwick1948 ....ok thanks! I'll alert the Kubrick family

[@collativelearning]

@@melsteffano6189 2001 is my fave of his, but ... so many masterpieces.

[@pinehawk9600]

@@thursoberwick1948 why are you here?

[@thursoberwick1948]

@@pinehawk9600Ask a philosopher! Or because I watch some of his other videos, and thus it comes up on my recommendations.

[@TheAngryHippie]

I've been watching Rob's analysis videos of The Shining since I was 14 back in 2008. As interesting now as it was then!

[@ohfuvk8968]

Was about to write a similar comment. Been watching his videos(a lot of the Shining ones) since 2013 and it amazes me that I’m still learning and seeing new things in 2022 from this channel.

[@GalaxyOfTerror1]

I started watching him in 2009 when I was 14 and he was doing video nasties analysis. It was so interesting and got me thinking critically about movies.

[@hammadhaider]

The genius of Rob and Kubrick are limitless

[@xocomaox]

2011 for me!

[@v10moped]

no one cares.

[@blondiesaband]

It is unbelievable how much there is still to say about this film 40 years later

[@rosscampbell1173]

As a carpenter, I’m struck by all the architectural details of the Overlook set. There’s so many time/ labor intensive details in the millwork alone that it’s hard to believe it’s not actually 80 years old.

[@Logan-cw9yr]

I always loved the transition of them entering the maze. As an outdoorsman, when the bright sunny day of the exterior shifts to a completely blank gray sky, my first thought was "oh shit now they don't know which direction they're facing". Really awesome detail. Once you're in the thick of the maze there is absolutely no orienting yourself.

[@johngriffiths118]

I assume the external shoots in the maze were filmed in the UK . It could just be British weather

[@watermelonlalala]

I noticed in Rosemary's Baby, 1968, she has a dream sequence which starts with her sitting on a boat with the sun shining on the water and switches to a gray sky and gray water as the dream gets more strange. Everyone would definitely notice the change and wonder why the director did that. Maybe just to make you wonder, "What's happening?"

[@maxkrumme]

@@johngriffiths118 Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England 🤗🌥

[@jacedaniel]

Meh. Maybe they were in the maze for 45 minutes before we see the second shot. Skies and shadows change.

[@walterevans2118]

Stanley Kubrick was the absolute MASTER of Photography & lighting .He was a photographer before he was a moviemaker. His lenses on Barry Lyndon were built by Nasa ...I never knew Kubrick did the lighting on the Spy Who Loved Me.

[@davidlean1060]

More than that, Kubrick had to figure out how to mount the lenses on his camera. They were not made for movie cameras, they were made for satellites etc, so not only was using the lenses innovative, he had to innovate further to use them on his film.

[@walterevans2118]

@@davidlean1060 yes

[@walterevans2118]

@@davidlean1060 Stanley was a Wonderful perfectionist. No wonder his photography in his movies was so unforgettable. Did you hear that story when he was working on one of his early films ....He set up a complex dolly shot. With a specific lens. Then he gave the task to an assistant. But the assistant started to change the setup to cut corners. He put the dolly track at a greater distance & tried to use a different lens simply because it would save time & make things easier for him...But with Stanley's specialist knowledge he knew it would make a CHANGE to the shot that would make it inferior to what he originally wanted. And Stanley said - 'Do the set up like it was with the lens I wanted or leave the set please.' ....Stanley wasn't going to have corner cutters messing up his brilliant shots.

[@davidlean1060]

@@walterevans2118 There's a youtube channel called stanleyandus and it features short annecdotes like that from crew, a few actors and so on. I think it was his editor who said to a newbie on set (who argued with Kubrick over how many frames of silence there were between the rings of a telephone in the scene they were screening, of all things!) that you should never argue with Kubrick, because he only argued when he knew he was right. No one could do what he did, but he seemed to know everyone else's job as well, or better, than they did!

[@fufu1128]

Yeah didn't know about the Bond set! If anyone could fake the moon landing, it was him!

[@granthondo]

Just when I think I understand the film you throw another curveball that completely shifts my perspective. Thank you for your dedication to this series.

[@plasticweapon]

BAAAAA

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Jack goes outside to chase Danny ... and flips on all the lights!

[@straightup7up]

Your theories about The Shining are unique and articulated very well which keeps things interesting.

[@HumanHamCube]

Underrated channel and true film theory. Many channels don't/can't break things down like this. Truly good work.

[@xocomaox]

Rob's process is very well executed, and you can really see the amount of experience he has in film analysis when watching his videos.

[@HumanHamCube]

@@xocomaox I have 30+ credits in film. Its my life. Robs content consistently re-inspires my eye. Robs intellectual, technical and emotional attention to details makes me look deeper in my work and revisit films in a new way

[@MrBoBoBo]

He acts like we don’t greatly enjoy his shining theories. We love ‘em!

[@watermelonlalala]

He acts like we wouldn't sit through anything, even if we think maybe those lights don't make much difference except in the composition of the shot as a piece of art.

[@iconoclast137]

i don't care if you are "right" or "wrong" about any of this, your analysis of the shining is always fascinating

[@hereitis2023]

That your material has always been original is beyond reproach, but the Kubrickian wormholes you choose to travel through that are so unique. Not only do you successfully arrive at the end with at least food for thought, you also take more than a few of us along for the ride. Well done.

[@TheSuperQuail]

Funny how Rob thinks people could get sick of his videos. They are quite possibly the most engaging film analyses available anywhere.

[@collativelearning]

It's great that a decent portion of you folks feel that way. I have my haters too :)

[@christophermirkovich7290]

@@collativelearning no you don't

[@WhiteChocolate74]

@@collativelearning who would hate these videos? 😑

[@catoblepag]

I suggest an alternate title for the video: "The Overlit Hotel" 😁 Very interesting analysis Rob, for some reason I've never noticed (not rationally) that the lighting of the twins gave them hollow eyes, like skulls.

[@KatsPurr]

We like to assume that Kubrick's motivation for switching lights around is to "mess with our minds", but perhaps the explanation is less dramatic and romantic. Kubrick obviously had a strong artistic eye and most likely he simply wanted a shot to look as good as it possibly could. If that sometimes required turning this light off, and that light on: so be it. As long as the shot was nailed.

[@funkyflights]

Such a great movie, watched it so many times and it never gets boring… You can just see the care that went into the film ..

[@danderson9636]

Kubrick was and is the master of cinematic lighting. It's one of his greatest legacies

[@nolagospeltracts8264]

Best film analysis channel on You Tube. I've purchased this cat's materials before. Well worth it.

[@aakkoin]

It's hard to comprehend the massive genius of Kubrick.... How he could be a practical expert on technical aspects of film making, but also a genius in conceptual, abstract stuff.

[@ModMax69]

He mastered lighting for practical reasons is what is great about it. He probably treated it as a subtle nuisance that mastering would help him avoid bothering with.

[@taiya001]

One thing I want to add. The bench in the beginning of the maze is probably for photos. I could see weddings and other events using the maze as a prop. The bench just adds a little element to the scene or a place for photo takers to have their subjects take a seat.

[@bengszy8124]

The Shining always reminds me of paintings of René Magritte visually, the doors and gardens etc. especially the one called The Empire of Light which has a daylight sky against a night landscape.

[@robertmcghintheorca49]

Those paintings also famously inspired the scene in "The Exorcist" when Father Lankester Merrin arrives at the McNeil house.

[@kerrytakashi12]

The lighting of the film also keeps in mind the position of the audience in the theater. It's basically from a theater goer's perspective. So it adds a kind of VR effect, almost like those motion simulator rides that became popular a short while after the release of this film. The opening shot when viewed in the theater is akin to being dangled outside the helicopter.

[@jdsrcs8061]

The lighting effects are great in this movie. The one thing that I would point is the number of lamps. It was fairly common in the 60s and 70s to not have ceiling lights but instead switch leg wiring. Meaning that 1 or more wall plugs are wired to the wall switch. The result was rooms that were very dark, so adding 2 or more lamps were common just to have enough light to read. My parents house is like this. As well as our house and our entire neighborhood. When we remodeled, I added ceiling lights everywhere. When do we get part 2!?!?👍👍👍

[@mk-ultramags1107]

Films are being shot digitally so much nowadays that I feel like the talent of properly lighting sets has become somewhat of a lost art. Errors are fixed in post and it just rings out as lazy IMO. I think to someone like David Cronenberg... If you watch his work like Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers etc, those films are shot very traditionally. His films are loaded with great scares and effects but by doing it the way he does, it just feels more realistic. Kubrick did the same but was more cerebral with his lighting choices.

[@watermelonlalala]

Houses without ceiling lights? Every house I ever saw had a ceiling light in the middle of every room, usually with a square bowl type glass covering below the light bulbs. And a light switch right inside the door. Except for the bathrooms, which had the light over the sink.

[@mk-ultramags1107]

@@watermelonlalala Modern houses, absolutely. I live in an old single level ranch house, its almost entirely lit by lamps. The kitchen has the overhead though. Even my room has 2 lamps. I can say that i do think most houses i walk in nowadays have both though. Especially anything newer. My friend is a successful carpenter and has very big jobs. I actually asked him about this tonight and he was telling me about a recent job building an $8mil house and its all LED lights on the ceiling and walls and its obviously its very bright. But he said over his 20yrs of experience, anytime he's done a complete renovation of a house built in the 50s-70s(Where i live is loaded with California Style Ranches and Old Fashioned Ranches etc that were built for soldiers coming home from the Korean and Vietnam War, he said its not uncommon to see mostly lamps albeit every kitchen has the overhead and bathrooms usually have them too or have it from the mirrors. I'm not disagreeing with you but I do think there's some exceptions.

[@watermelonlalala]

@@mk-ultramags1107 OK. To tell you the truth, I am not much of one to notice decor or light fixtures.

[@ChatGPT1111]

I have a new house here in Florida and it has both ceiling lights/fans and wall switches wired to a couple outlets in each room.

[@Shockzone1495]

Been watching your channel for 12 years now. And your film theories will never get old in my opinion.

[@collativelearning]

12 years. That's dedication. thanks :)

[@SpotlessLeopard]

Stuart Ullman, who interviews Jack for the job near the start, has initials that are the 19th and 21st letters of the alphabet. 1921 is the year of the picture Jack is 'trapped' in at the end. Probably another non-coincidence.

[@collativelearning]

Ah, I don't go in for calculus interpretations of that kind generally. The girls on the gameshow Countdown can reach a target number with random numbers nearly every time.

[@SpotlessLeopard]

@@collativelearning Agreed, but given Kubrick's attention to detail, you wouldn't put it past him. I bet there are exactly the same number of stones on top of his grave as hairs in his left eyebrow or something.

[@tonywords6713]

@@collativelearning how do you know it's calculus and not kabalistic gematria. Ironically many would dismiss your stuff under the same logic that it's just random stuff being over thought.

[@collativelearning]

@@tonywords6713 Because I seek evidence first and build my interpretations on that, instead of picking a theory out of a hat and then trying to force the evidence to fit. I've seen no evidence of kabalistic gematria so have no reason to assume it's there. Others have tried to dismiss my stuff as being random and over-thought, as you say, but they've failed because they lack plausible explanations for all the details I point out .. and several of my interpretations have been later strongly supported by further production info or statements by the film makers.

[@bloodrunsclear]

The lighting gives you the impression that there's nowhere to hide.

[@Buford_T_Justice1]

Rob, yours are the only The Shining analysis videos I care about. This is another great example of your skills. I’ve never heard anyone bring up the lighting in the movie. Bravo!

[@venomj8179]

I will never get tired of your analysis on the Shining Rob keep em videos coming.

[@NOCTURNUSFILM]

The whole maze analysis disappears into thin air as soon as you know how a camera works. Especially at different times of the day in different weather conditions.

[@Frank_nwobhm]

It's probably been noted either here or somewhere else that when Wendy ascends the staircase with the knife in her hand, the scenes lighting replicates the famous scene in Nosferatu in which the vampire's shadow is cast upon the wall as he ascends the staircase. Please excuse me if this is common knowledge and that the point has been made numerous times, but I just now noticed it for the first time. Mr. Kubrick had to be paying homage to the silent film classic. Your presentations are great for getting me to see things in a different light.

[@gregsmith7949]

As a huge Kubrick fan, no one can touch you when it comes to analyzing his films. I'm always learning new ways to interpret his art thanks to your commentary. 👍

[@ryanburns6284]

Just when you think interest in Kubrick was wavering Rob comes along , kicks in your front door and hands you this fucking gem 👍

[@TheSopheom]

Kubricks odyssey by Jay Weidner, now THATS a kick in the teeth!

[@RomanticAnalog]

Your Shining videos are always super interesting and this one is no exception!

[@ingvarhallstrom2306]

The mysterious maze shot looks like a usual cloudy day in England to me? I would guess it is an outside maze and clever Kubrick had it standing production ready and just waited out the time for the right lighting while shooting other stuff in the meantime. Classic chess move.

[@HC-cb4yp]

13:38 This is the first time I noticed those tubes in the far background that offer some good horror in the book but aren't mentioned in the movie at all. Amazing that Kubrick would have them there even though he never "goes" to them or uses them. That's impressive.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Love what you're doing man. Great stuff. Is it strange that The Shining is a comfort film for me?

[@alfonsobonzo3782]

I love when you can hear the wind howling in the hotel. Despite the premise of the film, I’d love to spend the night there listening to it! Edit: I didn’t realise whose comment I was commenting on, until I was editing a spelling mistake. Keep up the great work on your channel. 👍🏼

[@pauliedibbs9028]

I just can't help but feel that the bedroom in 237 has a connection to the 'bedroom' we see at the end of 2001. The pillows on the bed, and the colors of course, steer me towards that direction...

[@robinsquares]

This level of analysis could make The Room a masterpiece

[@brokenfoxx]

And there can never be enough analysis on this movie. It's odd; I enjoy analysis on the movie more than I've ever enjoyed the movie itself! So please, as long as you're willing, keep them coming! Especially because you actually clearly respect the work and talent Kubrick had and it makes all the difference. So thank you ✨

[@petemartell677]

I love the thrill of noticing something like this in a movie youve seen hundreds of times. Well done!

[@thebarky1988]

Rob, I would never get sick of your analysis videos of the Shining. I am always learning more. I think I am an observant person but I miss so much with your analysis.

[@juzujuzu4555]

There can never be enough Kubrick and The Shining videos. The best director/artist of all time, and the most perfect film of all time. I can never get enough of Kubrick and Lynch. Sadly we lost Kubrick too early. So I'll pray Lynch will still bless us with Twin Peaks season 4.

[@robertcain5930]

Gotta say. U sure do reach for the stars 🌟. I watched 3 movies in a row now where there were 4 lamps in a room 😑. Maybe he was just symmetrical

[@BlancGivre]

I think that Kubrick waited for a cloudy day to shoot the scenes from inside the maze. He would, of course, have exposed to get the greenery inside the maze bright enough so that it didn't all come out as black, which would have overexposed the gray sky, turning it into white. He seemed to have chosen a sunny day for that scene when they walk outside the maze so to convey that there is something weird going on inside the maze, with its different lighting.

[@k.l.spencer5635]

I could watch these Shining analyses forever and ever and ever! Amazing stuff!

[@rareosts5752]

Don't ever again entertain the notion that maybe there's been too many Shining analysis videos. Your Kubrick videos, especially the ones about The Shining, are some of my favorite things on the whole internet. I've been watching for ten years now and it's as great as ever. Thanks, Rob!

[@b.w.22]

As regards to the different lights being on during Halloran’s murder, etc., I interpret that to be the hotel making of itself something different for each person, kind-of like how the maze and floor plan changes around. So the hotel puts Jack into shadow for Halloran but illuminates Jack’s path and acts as a subconscious guide. In this way, we can see that the hotel itself really is a living entity, changing what it presents to people in order to manipulate, confuse, frighten, or guide.

[@tmrezzek5728]

Never thought about it before, but in The Shining--with all the brightly-lit rooms and Steadicam tracking shots--the viewer doesn't have a choice; we're quietly being sucked into the horror that the characters experience and we *will* see what they see. That's why those zooms at the end (Halloran dead on the floor, etc.) are so jarring and effective--we've been lulled with the smooth ambiance of the film and suddenly the ambiance cracks a little bit. Great video!

[@TheJuRK]

As a lifelong Kubrick fan, I'm mildly surprised that his most studied film ended up being The Shining. In the 700+ page book, Studies in the Horror Film: The Shining, different cast & crew would point discrepancies out to Kubrick and he'd chuckle, "It's just a ghost story." But so much lends itself to careful thought and study, I'm still wondering...was it just a ghost story?

[@collativelearning]

Yeah, ironically, his answer is true.

[@haycockjeff]

Yes. Like the book. But the film is better. It’s a haunted hotel. The hotel is mentioned in Kings other book - Misery.

[@sabojezles]

Considering the fact that videos about this film concentrate only on ''symbolism and meaning and theories and conspiracies'' it's a breath of fresh air to see film essays like this. Thank you.

[@simonsrensen4515]

You were wrong about one thing. At @13:01 you said that we dont see any benches inside the maze, but at 18:07 we see theres like 6 benches

[@jacktorrance3522]

It was obviously Danny who turned on all the lights since anyone with kids can attest to the fact that they love playing with light switches. That's probably what caused Jack to lose it! ;) Just kidding, of course. Excellent analysis as always Rob - really love your content!

[@andrewtc95]

Love your Shining videos. Thank you for introducing this GenZ/Millennial to better films.

[@josullivan5604]

the “switched on/off lights” always interested me and my family. we grew up in a haunted house and the lights “playing games” with us was a common spectral event. creepy. the thing i like about this movie are these scenes with Wendy running through the basement from a feeling…not some “appearance.” Very accurate to our daily lives.

[@jonathancarlson6127]

I feel the lamp in the back when Hallorann is on the phone symbolizes Danny “shining” for help, though distant- it’s glaring, and unable to be ignored.

[@aliensounddigital8729]

The hotel carpet designs are so beautiful.

[@markhirstwood4190]

Great analysis, nobody's sick of the topic or you doing more than one episode on The Shining, Rob, please keep them coming, just tops. Lightswitches are clues in Eyes Wide Shut, including with Milich turning lights on at Rainbow Fashions and more. As Bill and Alice leave their bedroom, they are in front of a painting. On Alice's side of that painting is a portrayal of a dark path. As they walk toward us in the hallway, Alice's eyes get those shadows around them and the skull effec is cleart, very briefly, easy to miss. 9:09 - left, in the glass of the door, on an angle, a quick reflection of a white 'i'. Stair bannister shadows are seen behind Bill as he's hoping to meet Domino again but instead meets Sally. The lamps can form a sort of vertical cat eye pupil, more of a subliminal thing. 4 is a pattern in Eyes Wide Shut so in The Shining the 3 dresser drawer handles behind the bear costume man, then 4 lamps, not surprising in retrospect. 10:29 - some lens flare 'gem'? is on Jack's elbow then it moves right across the shot. Maze map sides look like subliminal 'eyes'. 25:42 - radiator heaters are also seen through various scenes in Eyes Wide Shut.th

[@michaelrapson]

I've watched this film several times and thought about it a lot. My tentative appraisal is that Kubrick was using the movie as a vehicle to deconstruct the American dream, piece by piece, icon by icon. An ambitious project, but not beyond a man like Kubrick to attempt. So many clues point to tearing down Americana, and undercutting the confidence of middle class family people (in particular) in the power of the dream... Maybe I will make a documentary about this one day if I ever get the chance.

[@mattyjohnsson257]

Very interesting as always. However, the overcast during the Maze sequence isn't such as mystery to me though. Probably just shot on a slightly overcast day as opposed to the running sequence before.

[@BadOmen2]

Your videos are always so insightful and concise. One of the few channels that I have consistently come back to and watched for over a decade. I knew since the first time I watched Kubrick films that there was far more depth than your average film. I had to look into it more and stumbled upon your channel. I had no idea how deep the rabbit hole went. Well done Rob.

[@ErickOlesen]

"BEAR with me." Nice touch.

[@VulgarDisplayofBacon]

Can never get enough Rob Ager Shining videos! great work as always Rob

[@ryancalhoun2910]

My favorite Kubrick film ever. For as many great films as he made, this and Eyes Wide Shut stand out

[@ThisIsWideAngle]

Photographer here: Inside the mace the only light souce comes from above while the light around is blocked, or swallowed by the planted walls. So its kinda dark in there. Also an overcast sky doesnt give much light, but can be still pretty bright itself. So to expose someone correctly in there, it's impossible to do so without overexposing the sky anyways. Even without the maze it's not easy to photograph someone with a propper brightness without blowing out the sky with an even light overcast.

[@daweller]

14:24 the narrator is talking about the change in lighting within the maze... what if Kubrik meant to imply that Jack's big head was blocking out the sun? ie. when he is looking at the model of the maze, that moment is manifested into the reality of Wendy and son running arround in the 'real-life' maze on the outside... so when they experience the change in lighting, it is actually ( supernaturally) Jack's noggin blocking out the sun...

[@yaboydolphin]

pass the joint

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Jack's noggin has a bleeding injury ... and so does the Great Party 'ghost'

[@epicsseven7686]

I'm not really surprised at Kubrick's lighting skills. He was a photography major like myself, where understanding exposure and how to light is vital in photography. Taking studio and location lighting is a part of the major

[@theshape3988]

I'm loving this guys videos. He catches things most people "overlook" see what I did there? Lol all jokes aside this guy makes great content that's interesting and thought provoking

[@billvolpicellifilms4433]

BRILLIANT...like the lighting in The Shining

[@Somethirdthing]

what a cool exploration, as a layman, ive always enjoyed kubriks lighting affect, but never heard it articulated. Well done Rob!

[@peppermint23]

Rob, I absolutely live and breathe for your Kubrick videos.

[@danielj3594]

How on earth do you notice these details. This is genius.

[@collativelearning]

My secret ;)

[@vladislavno]

He has no life

[@danielj3594]

@@vladislavno 😄

[@Musicalto]

@@vladislavno I’d say a life analyzing art is a much more fulfilling life than one putting others down for their hobbies

[@vladislavno]

@@Musicalto difference is my hobby takes 15 minutes a week. His takes 15 hours.

[@aloc23]

i never get tired listening to you talking about shining

[@andrewbrendan1579]

I agree with the "traditional" lighting aspect of part of "The Shining". When this is mentioned between 9:00 and 10:00 I'm reminded of Count Orlock climbing the stairs in "Nosferatu" as we see Wending ascending the staircase in the Overlook. I must be really dense because there is so much in ths movie that I completely did NOT notice until being directed to these outstanding anaylyses! Thank you for these Collative Learning videos which have made this movie so much more for me. Even though it's the residence of evil, I'm a big fan of the Overlook Hotel simply as a building. I would love to spend the winter there. Another movie location of which I'm a big fan is the apartment of Rosemary and Guy in "Rosemary's Baby", both verisons of the apartment: before and after Rosemay redecorates. Not a residence but the dining room of the S.S. Poseidon in the 1972 version of "The Poseidon Adventure" is one of the most beautiful rooms I've ever seen. Please bring on the second part. I'm eager for more!

[@watermelonlalala]

Funny you bring up Orlock and Overlook, because I have thought for awhile that Overlook might be a reference to Morlock in the original Time Machine, where these monstrous humans live underground and prey on the normal humans who live above them. The Morlock Hotel. And Morlock is thought to be a reference to Moloch, the Canaanite god of child sacrifice.

[@andrewbrendan1579]

@@watermelonlalala I think you may be on to something here!

[@tjtennisicmroll2k]

you said "we don't see benches inside the maze anywhere else" at 13:07, I believe the middle of the maze has quite a few benches inside it.

[@nadjajohansson8569]

I always thought that the lamps were symbolic of sudden realizations, like the lamps behind Wendy as she sees the river of blood or the man in the bear costume. Much like in old cartoons, when a lightbuld goes on above a character's head. She now "sees", i.e realizes what Danny's been seeing all along.

[@watermelonlalala]

I spent so much time looking at the objects and colors around the characters' heads in The Shining - but I never noticed the lamps.

[@eddyjuillerat835]

-- At 13:13, the maze map in the shadows. It's possible that he simply needed to block part of sun's light with a semi-opaque screen, to avoid overexposed white papers on the board. Or simply to manage how much it's lit. You says than Kubrick was a master of light, so it includes managing how much light fall on every details. -- Next inside the maze, they probably filmed all the shots in exterior under an overcast sky. It gives this kind of very soft no-shadows light and helpd to bring light to corners that would ne very dark under sunny sky. Filming an interior set then an exterior set seems a high waste of time, efforts and money. (Don't forget that he was using a steadicam, an early model, probably a prototype, maybe not so easy to master. Myself I did film short films witn a steadicam: the learning process was 4 month of praticing alomst every day 1 hour or 2. Just to build a strong back to held the 20 kg camera set.) Kubrick surely chose to film this scene under that condition, for 2 reasons: 1) No maze near the hotel, so another location without mountains and 2) It serves what he needs, no shadows. It seems to me that he used well the production limitations he was facing. WHen the overcast sky opens up a little, they filmed inside the center of the maze, making some relief emotion after being stuck inside the grey sky search for the center. -- 19:10 Lights on and off: I think it'ssimple: in every shot, he has something to show, something to make us feel, so he light every shots by turning on or off ceiling lights as he wish, and letting go away the logic and continuity. Continuity is not the most important thing when we told a story. According to the editor Walter Murch, the 3 more important elements in editing are: 1) Emotion 2) Rythm 3) Story. Kubrick probably prioritize emotions first, so in set, when lighting the hallway with the ceiling lights, he chose what's on, what's off just to have the proper light on the scene, on the characters. He creates a working mood inside every shot. I don't think he was making intentionally mistakes to confuse us. It seems too much effort. You know that film a features film is a huge energy investment. We don't make something unless we have to.

[@scottlee28]

I thought I knew everything there was to about this movie, but Rob has once again opened my eyes to see more. This movie is absolutely fascinating and Rob's analyses of this film are terrific. Thanks Rob!

[@siskothekid4620]

Thank you Rob! Never get tired of your analyses on this film.

[@SamsarasArt]

I look forward to part 2. Your analysis makes an already incredible horror film even more unsettling.

[@mattrishton]

the maze was shot on different days with different weather. for the interior he chose an overcast day to avoid jarring exposure differences and also like you say to create a uniform soft light that removes any clues of directionality provided by the position of the sun.

[@patricktilton5377]

When Jack gets out his wallet to pay for a drink from Lloyd, he finds it's empty, and then says that he's momentarily "light" -- i.e. there's no heavy cash weighing down his wallet -- but "light" could be a metaphor, if it's synonymous with "shining" . . . as in, Jack, seeing and interacting with Lloyd, is doing so because he, too, can "shine" just like Danny and Hallorann. Just a thought . . .

[@collativelearning]

Good one :)

[@couchpotato3197]

@@collativelearning Dont cameras use light to capture pictures with flashes? It could add some light symbolism to the ending photos like that wallet metaphor too. That and they get developed away from light too and light factors into the quality of a picture like film

[@ModMax69]

@@couchpotato3197 I like where youre going with that

[@Dutchytreat]

Also, when he meets Lloyd again, he has 2 twenties and 2 tens. The money is mirrored as well. Going with the mirror themes

[@theresechristiansen9769]

@@Dutchytreat perfect. I darn well never thought of that....

[@danvorosmarty9854]

Great video but I noticed an inconsistency (I think). At around 13 minutes in Rob says there's no benches seen elsewhere in the maze. However, around 18 minutes, there's a shot clearly showing several benches inside the maze (the center of the maze in fact).

[@Wyrmwould]

You mentioned the bench that vanishes when Wendy and Danny enter the maze. I noticed that the completely white sky only appears when there are no benches. When they enter the maze, blue sky is visible and there is a bench. When they reach the center of the maze, you can see blue in the sky and there are several benches. I think Kubrick didn't include benches in the indoor version of the maze. The benches only exist in the outdoor version. If that is true, why would he do that? Just to create more disorientation for the viewer? (Note: Just in case there is any confusion, when I refer to the "indoor version" I am not referring to the little model in the Overlook that Jack hovers over).

[@esaeelljae]

aside: didn't he state that no other benches are seen inside after the one just inside the entrance?

[@m.n.s.s2825]

Cause the maze was a hallucination and never existed..you can see it obviously when the hotel was shown from Heli view or far distanced. There was no maze Infront of the hotel

[@DusanPavlicek78]

17:10 I'd say the shots inside the maze were done on a different day with an overcast sky. I think that's the simplest explanation ;)

[@kyleshockley1573]

Great stuff. Between Kubrick, Roger Deakins and Janusz Kaminski, there's alot to unpack in just their approach to lighting, directional use and color temperature. I'm sure there's a whole gang of other DP's and directors who have their own ways they use lighting as a story teller.

[@kabbalah37]

Rob, I absolutely love your Shining analyses videos. Plus, I love how you signed off, STAY FREE

[@oniriscope]

Oh my… This level of ingenuity is unparalleled… I’m definitely sharing your work! If those are the simpler tricks…I can’t wait for the other parts! Bravo!

[@KidFresh71]

Brilliant oration. Illuminating analysis. Lit channel! You're shining light in new places. Bright as always.

[@nevermore7373]

Now this is an analysis, the average reviewer wouldn't even think to such depths. Love these videos. Y'know, Kubrick didn't make many films, but what he left behind was quite a lot, and those are usually the best artists. Twenty three years after he's passed and people are still discovering something new in his films, amazing.

[@marknesium]

@15:35 I've never noticed the red triangle in the maze before. What does that mean?

[@michaellicko2746]

I think there is definitely some visual foreshadowing happening in the scene where Halloran is making the phone call. I think it’s clear that Halloran was in the room with the lamp on, so this shows him going from the light to the dark, a place of safety to a place of danger.

[@SerMattzio]

Always love a Collative Learning Kubrick Analysis

[@zeezeerhydon7083]

Something that just occured to me after your description of the changing lights during holeran's death is how much the hall way looks almost like a temple. The pillars are stained red and there is this dark and gringy feeling that comes from that part of the movie. It's like holeran is being sacrificed and jack has been possessed or controlled in some way.

[@alteredstates927]

I always loved the movie but I appreciated it a lot more after reading the book. There are just parts that make a lot more sense when you add context from the book and I think Kubrick intentionally left made them vague because in the movie you don't know if the place is really haunted or if everyone's just going nuts. One example would be Danny falling into that clock, talking to Tony, finding out about the ghosts plans and calling Halloran. In the movie he just talks with his finger and says "Danny's not here Mrs. Torrence." And we don't know what he's up to or seeing. Also the book jack has about the overlook is not explained in the movie but in the book he finds a bunch of historical accounts of bad things that happened in the hotel and even plans to write about it. A lot of the characters he meets at the party (where Grady shows up) are people from the overlooks shady past.

[@mitchycool92]

Brilliant video! I’m an aspiring filmmaker myself and your videos have been so very helpful!

[@FootballForty1]

Will never get tired of Rob Ager Shining videos

[@truefilm6991]

Excellent as always. Well I accepted the over lit hotel since most movies of the 1970s were ridiculously over lit. Film needed a lot of light back then. Around 1980 some movies were lit to resemble paintings, especially those of the Dutch school. Kubrick did that already with Barry Lyndon. So yes, this was a decision of the master. I appreciate that you don't just interpret what you see, but how it may have been done. About the white sky: if you set your aperture to the darker objects, the sky blows easily, even with negative film, which has a latitude of about 13 stops.

[@moodyharvest]

I've seen hundreds of 70s movies and not got that impression. The film stocks got faster in the late 60s onward so filmmakers could use lighter equipment and less heavy lighting.

[@peregrinec5477]

Dude. I LOVE your stuff. I'm a total film geek, too. And, I have spent a ton of time studying certain films. Among them, this one and, The Exorcist. I thought I had exhausted everything with this one in particular. But, you always come up with something fascinating. Keep it coming!

[@christschin3708]

Never get sick to death of anything regarding The Shining.