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Analysis Of Stephen King Film

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American writer Stephen King has written over 50 novels and 200 short stories most of which exists within the horror and suspense genre. Given the immense popularity of his work, King’s stories have often been made into feature films. Unfortunately, the horror that exists on the page rarely translates successfully to the silver screen. For every great King film adaptation such as the classic “Carrie” (1976) and the recent version of “It!” (2017), there are many dismal failures such as “The Dark Half” (1993), “Needful Things” (1993), “Thinner” (1996), “Dreamcatcher” (2003), and “The Dark Tower” (2016). The reason for this poor track record is that the horror that exists within King’s work is contained within complex themes and …show more content…

At the beginning of the film, Jack and his family arrive at the remote Overlook Inn to begin the winter as caretakers. From the moment they walk into the large, empty Overlook Inn, the viewer realizes that the location itself will become a big character itself within the film. To make the Inn a character, Kubrick designed several large sets for the film to help create the sense of loneliness and isolation. Within such a large environment, the family is often kept apart. Jack seems to enjoy the isolation and even demands that he be left alone. At one point in the film his wife, Wendy, interrupts him. Jack responds with anger stating that “When I am in here, it means I am working. And that means don’t come in!” Aside from the isolation they feel from each other, the set designs also make the character seem small and alone within the Inn. The family’s young son Danny often explores the location by himself. The long hallways appear endless and he rides his tricycle through the inn. The large rooms, hallways and exteriors seem to overtake the characters as the hotel’s supernatural past begins to take control. Finally, Kubrick created a large hedge maze for the film’s climax. This maze was built for the film and completes the location’s ability to isolate the characters as they seek shelter in it. A maze has the ability to separate people and get them lost within it. The character of Jack was “lost” well before he entered the maze,

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