activities
4- >
In defense of
h“The Shining”
3* -
By T. A. RHODES
When 1 wrote last Spring that
“The Black Stallion” may equal
or surpass any movies released
during the summer, I was hop
ing that I’d be wrong. Alas, I
was right. Only two and one-
half films came even close to
the excellence of “The Black
Stallion.” '
One was the re-release
of “Close Encounters.” The half
was the first hour of Alan
Parker’s musical “Fame.” The
second as the much underrated
thriller “The Shining.”
No need to justify“Close En
counters,” and only the first
hour of “Fame” was truly
noteworthy. The second half
fell apart due to melodrama.
There is a need, however, to
justify Stanley Kubrick’s adap
tion of Steven King’s bestseller
of the same title. It is unlike any
thriller of its kind. It is a
milestone to the horror film as
Kubrick’s own “2001: A Space
Odessy” was to the science
fiction genre.
After “2001,” it was impossi
ble to accept an outer-space
film without realistic special ef
fects. It marked the end (with a
few exceptions) \ of—“The
Aliens
Are
Taking
Over!”—gloom doom cold war
sci-fi. Unfortunately, special
effects have taken over the sci-
fi industry while intelligence
and feeling have taken a back
seat.
I am hoping that “The Shin
ing” will do for horror film what
“2001” did for the sci-fi. That
is, change thé emphasis. What
“The Shining” did so well was
slow down and spend time
developing the characters. The
focus on character rather than
cheap thrills is a definite
milestone. The change is Jack
Nicholson’s character was far
more entertaining than, say,
Betsy Palmer getting her head
lopped off in “Friday the 13th,”
if*
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J* *
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44 4
4:4 4
If nothing else, that is what
has been missing from the
thriller. Characterization essen
tial to the story’s climax, an em
phasis on character, and
humor.
“The Shining,” like all
milestone films, was under
rated at release and I am hop
ing its importance will be realiz
ed because the horror film is in
danger
of
becoming
dangerously trite and a change
of emphasis would be
refreshing.
Nicholson refined his
character so well that it was im
possible to watch “Friday the
13th,” or “The Amityville Hor
ror” without breaking out into
helpless fits of laughter. The
film also has more comedy
than any other thriller of its
kind.
The characters and their in
tellect were more essential to
the story’s denoumont than
perhaps any other thriller.
Rather than grabbing an ax and
trying to chop Nicholson’s head
off, the son (Danny Lloyd), in
stead tries to lose him in the
gigantic maze and uses his
resourcefulness rather than
fighting violence with violence.
That was refreshing.
------------------ X
..
Since the release
of those cameramen . in the
audit
two and a half movies, a and onstage and fill
drought has occured in the Midler’s concert. It offers s
business. None of the major of
the
best
con
summer releases have been photography ever. Wil
worth writing about, until now. Fraker (1941, “Close
The movie is Bette Midler’s counters”) and his assis
“Divine Madness.” The old beautifully photograph 1
Breakfast cereal ad fits this Midler. Fraker and his <
movie perfectly. If you don’t tional photographers des
like Bette you’ll like it, if you award nominations for
like Bette you’ll love it.
cellent work.
“Divine M.” is one of the
What Midler does durini
most entertaining concert films filming of the concert is
to come around since Richard (with her backup vocals,
Pryor’s “Live in Concert.”
Harletts), dance, perform i
Filmed at the Civic tomine, and tell some i
Auditorium in Pasendena, disgusting, and very f
Calif., “Divine Madness” is jokes.
nothing more than a filmed
Despite the problems
concert. Michael Ritchie (“The jthe sound system at the N
Candidate,” “Smile,” and Box theatre the night
“Semi-Tough”), who directed Bette Midler was an enteJ
the whole operation, set 12 ing one, indeed.
The Army was no laughing matter
until Judy Beniamin joined it
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If a two-year scholarship that leads to
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For the facts, call Phil Wallace Col
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PRIVATE BENJA1
A HAWN • MEYERS • SHYER »»MILLER Production
À HOWARD ZIEFF Film
Starring GOLDIE HAWN in “PRIVATE BENJAMIN”
EILEEN BRENNAN • ARMAND ASS ANTE « IROBERT WEBBER}» SAM WANAMAKER
BARBARA BARRIE • MARY KAY PLACE • HARRY DEAN STANTON
Special Appearance ALBERT BROOKS » Music by BILL CONTI * Executive Producer GOLDIE HAWN
Written and Produced by NANCY MEYERS 4 CHARLES SHYER & HARVEY MILLER
Directed by HOWARD ZIEFF
Olstnbuled by WarnerSro;
< A Warner Communications Company.
RRESTRICTED&
©1980 Warner Bros Alt Rights Recervec
OPENS OCTOBER 10TH
AT A THEATRE NEAR YOU
★★
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