As much a member of The Shining film cast as the blocked-writer Jack Torrence; his gifted son, Danny; his meek wife Wendy; and the psychically gifted Mr. Halloran, was the Overlook Hotel itself. The inn and its inhabitants — imagined or otherwise — twice served as the setting for a story of isolation, paranoia and the paranormal.
Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining: Iconic Horror
Sharing its plot (and name) with the Stephen King novel, the theatrical film The Shining was directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1980. It starred Jack Nicholson as a down-on-his-luck author who retreats to the Colorado Rockies for a winter of solitude in which he intends to write. He brings his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his gifted son, Danny (Danny Lloyd) on the trip into isolation.
Before things go wrong—as they eventually do in scary movies—Danny and caretaker Halloran (Scatman Crothers) realize an unusual, shared bond. Unfortunately, their unique connection becomes a case of too little too late.
From Movie Set to Vacation Spot: The Real Timberline Lodge
Providing the exterior of the cavernous Overlook was Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Ore. It remains a tourist destination today.
Despite the site’s accent on recreation and escapism, it doesn’t take much imagination to see how this site could be imbued with something unsettling and foreboding. This aspect is evident when considering how malevolently secluded it can be made to seem.
Nightfall. Time for a restful recovery from a day outdoors? Or something less … peaceful?
Much is made in the film of the loneliness of a family of three eating meals in such a deserted space. In reality, the dining facilities at Timberland Lodge are much more welcoming.
The movie version of this hotel has spirits that nobody wishes to deal with. The actual site, however, has spirits that are much more friendly.
Two of the ghosts that beset the Torrence family are twins. The real-life lodge’s twins are thankfully more benign.
Even though director Kubrick dialed up the creepiness of the Timberline, without Hollywood trickery, it can still project a somewhat unsettling vibe.
Travelers seeking to spend a vacation at the Overlook Hotel’s real-life exterior, can book rooms online at the Timerbline Lodge can book rooms online.
The Torrence Family Sets Out Again
In 1997, The Shining was remade as a made-for-television movie. The cast this time was Steven Weber as Jack, Rebecca DeMornay as Wendy, Courtland Mead as Danny, and Melvin Van Peebles as Halloran.
The Stanley Hotel’s Connection to The Shining
Providing the creepy setting this time as the Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colo.
Again, the exterior seems harmless. At first.
One interesting feature of the Stanley is its mini hedge maze. This type of outdoor puzzle was included in the Kubrick version by default.
In the source novel, Danny is terrorized by hedge animals that come to live and threaten him mortally. Kubrick lacked the special effects artistry to bring that vision to life in his movie, so he substituted the hedge maze.
Whether the film’s version was coincidentally inspired by the one at the Stanley Hotel is unknown. Regardless, the one there presently is significantly smaller than its screen double. But maybe just as dangerous.
A vacation stay at the Stanley Hotel starts with reservations, bookable at Reservation Desk.
