Favorite scenes from The Shining *spoilers*

[Renzo]

Having just completed this amazing book, I would like to do something similiar to what I started over in the Salem's Lot subforum. What scenes from The Shining stick with you and which are your favorite? Here are mine:

1. The Front Porch - I believe this is chapter 13 in the novel. Very short, very vivid descritpion of the Torrance family on the front porch of the Overlook just after they arrived and are getting settled in. This scene strikes my mind as an old black and white portrait showing a family hopeful for the future but sad deep down. And then, as they re-enter the Overlook, it seemingly gobbles them up.

2. Room 217 - Scariest part of the book for me, especially Jack's visit. First and foremost, I will never forget the description SK lies down from when Danny first enters the room and a doppelganger of himself beckons him into the bathroom through the mirror. That kid has guts! I would have peaced out at that point! Now, Jack's visit was much more subliminal and "what you don't see" kinda horror, which I prefer. The smell of soap, the dampness of the rug by the tug, and, finally, the footsteps outside the room when he leaves. Bravo, SK, for painting this portrait so vividly in my mind!

3. Jack and the Snowmobile - The Overlook can even influence outside its walls? Yep. Jack's mind has an epic battle versus the hotel in the shed when Wendy tells him to get the snowmobile running. The way his mind actually rationalizes something that is so far from the truth is quite telling and happens in everyday life. And then, after his deed is done and he has thrown the battery out into the snowy dunes, he can see the Overlook sneering down at him for the first time, as if the windows are eyes. Good scene.

4. The Elevator Party - The Torrance family is sleeping well into the night, when suddenly the elevator jumps into motion and wakes them up. Jack, slowly being turned against his family, swears it is a short-circuit. Danny and Wendy follow Jack to investigate. Yep, just a short-circuit, Jack ensures. Until Wendy investigates herself. The streamer, the mask, it all paints an eerie picture. And the music they hear within their minds adds to it...

5.Dogman?? - This scene jumped out at me. I have seen the movie three or four times and this character was never even mentioned! How sad. Perhaps the most random and laughable scene (and I mean that in a good way) is when Danny encounters the Dogman in the halls of the Overlook. Now, the Dogman is essentially crazy and I wish SK went into more detail about his past (perhaps I missed it, SK books need re-reads!) but the blood on his mask and the crazy theatrics were great! I had the re-read the initial encounter twice just to make sure this wasn't a mirage.

6. Jack Loses the Fight - Ah, Jack Torrance. Such a great, complex character compared to the 2D, flat movie character. This is a good man, who wants to provide for his family. He struggles and struggles but cannot overcome the power of the Overlook. The "Bad Thing" overpowers his true character, which is a shame. The best scene with Jack Torrance, in the opinion, is when he finally corners Danny and has the roque mallet poised to finish the job. This is when Jack's true self pushes through the pain and power of the Overlook. I cannot say it better than SK, so I will quote him:

"But suddenly his daddy was there, looking at him in mortal agony, and a sorrow so great that Danny's heart flamed within his chest. The mouth drew down in a quivering bow. "Doc," Jack Torrance said. " Run away. Quick, And remember how much I love you."

A scene that will live on in my mind for years. Great writing!

[DancingCorpse]

I highly agree with your choices and reasons, very interesting opinions. I will come back to this thread when i have mused over a couple of different ones than those listed :biggrin2:

[sam peebles]

I haven't read this in a couple of years, but there's one scene where Danny is playing outside, by the playground, and he manages to wiggle into this concrete pipe that's buried under the snow. Some snow falls into the opening Danny created, and so he's in complete darkness, and he starts hearing this sound at the other end of the pipe. He imagines some child that got stuck in the same situation he's in, and died years ago, and now has finally found another playmate. That's from memory, so I could be wrong, but I think that's the gist of it. That part freaked me out.

The dogman's not mentioned in the Kubrick movie, but I think Wendy glimpses him briefly performing something...sexual on somebody in one of the Hotel's rooms.

[LadyDelphia]

By far, the scariest (and my favorite) scenes are when the topiary animals first move when Jack is in the playground area. It's so chilling and one of the first of my signs that he is cracking. The second still frightens me to think of. When Danny goes out to the playground after it has snowed by himself, and goes down in the cement thing in the snow, and he hears the crackling. He darts out of there and doesn't want to look back for fear of what was down in there. That part was the single most horrifying for me because of the fact that what was down there is left to the imagination. Truly frightening.

[Lina]

I also totally agree with the list. They are the greatest moments!
For me the most favorite episode is for sure Room 217. It's so scary! I remember being terrified by this scene when I read it for the first time, I was about 12 at the time!
And I would add only one more scene from the book to the list of my favorite ones. It's a chapter called Wendy, where Jack hurts his wife and Danny is so scared. This is a very scary scene, too. Scary, because it's so true-to-life. And I just imagine what a little child should feel at the moment and I remember starting to cry, after having read this episode.