http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/ movie review and news blog Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:26:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-36736 1408 - Review - Movie Reviews Blog Sat, 23 Jun 2007 05:43:18 +0000 http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-36736 [...] with other haunted house stories written by King, with more than a passing resemblance to “The Shining” and “Rose Red”. Like the aforementioned examples, “1408” is a more surreal take on the [...] […] with other haunted house stories written by King, with more than a passing resemblance to “The Shining” and “Rose Red”. Like the aforementioned examples, “1408” is a more surreal take on the […]

]]> http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-5323 The Messengers (2007) - Movie Reviews Blog Sat, 03 Feb 2007 22:55:55 +0000 http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-5323 [...] twist ending is especially random and hard to stomach, as it leaves you wishing you were watching “The Shining”, “The Amityville Horror”, “What Lies Beneath” or any other of the dozens of movies that [...] […] twist ending is especially random and hard to stomach, as it leaves you wishing you were watching “The Shining”, “The Amityville Horror”, “What Lies Beneath” or any other of the dozens of movies that […]

]]> http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-844 The Amityville Horror (1979) - Movie Reviews Blog Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:25:19 +0000 http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-844 [...] Just about every classic haunted house picture has a certain gimmick that helps it achieve its “classic” status. The House on Haunted Hill had Vincent Price, the Haunting had the use of sound, Poltergeist introduced heavy duty special effects, the Shining took a surrealist approach and the Amityville Horror is notable for firstly, being based on a true story, and secondly, for being filmed on-location at the haunted house itself. Granted, there remains much debate over whether the Amityville haunting was real or a hoax, most certainly, most of the contents of Jay Anson’s novel (from which this film was truly based) is nothing but fiction. Still, it’s a note-worthy gimmick which adds to the film’s realism and the sense of dread while the ghostly phenomenon runs its course. [...] […] Just about every classic haunted house picture has a certain gimmick that helps it achieve its “classic” status. The House on Haunted Hill had Vincent Price, the Haunting had the use of sound, Poltergeist introduced heavy duty special effects, the Shining took a surrealist approach and the Amityville Horror is notable for firstly, being based on a true story, and secondly, for being filmed on-location at the haunted house itself. Granted, there remains much debate over whether the Amityville haunting was real or a hoax, most certainly, most of the contents of Jay Anson’s novel (from which this film was truly based) is nothing but fiction. Still, it’s a note-worthy gimmick which adds to the film’s realism and the sense of dread while the ghostly phenomenon runs its course. […]

]]> http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-788 Twilight Zone: the Movie - Movie Reviews Blog Tue, 24 Oct 2006 18:39:11 +0000 http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-788 [...] The second segment (directed by Stephen Spielberg) is my least favorite of the bunch, which hurts me to say it, as I love Scatman Crothers (“the Shining”). A remake of “Kick the Can”, a kind-hearted old man (Crothers) visits a retirement home where all the old folks are wasting away their final years. The new-comer encourages them to reclaim the magic of their youth with a game of kick-the-can, though some of the more bitter old timers aren’t very fond of the idea. [...] […] The second segment (directed by Stephen Spielberg) is my least favorite of the bunch, which hurts me to say it, as I love Scatman Crothers (“the Shining”). A remake of “Kick the Can”, a kind-hearted old man (Crothers) visits a retirement home where all the old folks are wasting away their final years. The new-comer encourages them to reclaim the magic of their youth with a game of kick-the-can, though some of the more bitter old timers aren’t very fond of the idea. […]

]]> http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-710 Poltergeist - Movie Reviews Blog Sat, 14 Oct 2006 16:57:54 +0000 http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-710 [...] Up there with the Shining as one of my favorite haunted house films of all-time, Poltergeist just doesn’t feel like its 24 years old. The setting, the special effects, the acting…it has all withstood the test of time gracefully. Though I’m afraid I can’t say the same for this film’s despicable sequels (Poltergeist II: the Other Side and Poltergeist III). [...] […] Up there with the Shining as one of my favorite haunted house films of all-time, Poltergeist just doesn’t feel like its 24 years old. The setting, the special effects, the acting…it has all withstood the test of time gracefully. Though I’m afraid I can’t say the same for this film’s despicable sequels (Poltergeist II: the Other Side and Poltergeist III). […]

]]> http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-700 The Amityville Horror: Review - Movie Reviews Blog Thu, 12 Oct 2006 18:34:24 +0000 http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-700 [...] The final act of the film is the textbook example of what NOT to do in any film: do not rip off other movies of the genre. The last act makes a radical departure from the book by trying to fix the mystery of the house in its own way: hey, guess what, it’s actually built over a secret room in which some dude liked to kill people! So we’re treated to 40 minutes of the greatest rip offs of all time, including The Shining, Poltergeist, and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Originality is thrown out the door in favor of a lame excuse for a plot resolution. The film would have been sufficienty creepy if we were to just assume that it was a house with bad stuff inside and that no one should live there, but no. [...] […] The final act of the film is the textbook example of what NOT to do in any film: do not rip off other movies of the genre. The last act makes a radical departure from the book by trying to fix the mystery of the house in its own way: hey, guess what, it’s actually built over a secret room in which some dude liked to kill people! So we’re treated to 40 minutes of the greatest rip offs of all time, including The Shining, Poltergeist, and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Originality is thrown out the door in favor of a lame excuse for a plot resolution. The film would have been sufficienty creepy if we were to just assume that it was a house with bad stuff inside and that no one should live there, but no. […]

]]> http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-699 A Nightmare on Elm Street - Movie Reviews Blog Thu, 12 Oct 2006 18:32:41 +0000 http://www.filmsy.com/reviews/the-shining-1980/#comment-699 [...] When most people think of Freddy Krueger, they think of the stand-up comedian version who makes more bad puns than kills. However, you’ll find little of that in the original installment of the franchise. The first Nightmare on Elm Street film isn’t a campy, silly slasher horror-comedy like the majority of the sequels. Actually, the first film is a legitimately good horror film with a strong story, unique scares and impressive actors. I’d rank it as highly as I would movies like the Exorcist or the Shining. [...] […] When most people think of Freddy Krueger, they think of the stand-up comedian version who makes more bad puns than kills. However, you’ll find little of that in the original installment of the franchise. The first Nightmare on Elm Street film isn’t a campy, silly slasher horror-comedy like the majority of the sequels. Actually, the first film is a legitimately good horror film with a strong story, unique scares and impressive actors. I’d rank it as highly as I would movies like the Exorcist or the Shining. […]

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