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Horror thriller

The Shining (1980): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Shining (1980) movie poster

The Shining is a 1980 horror thriller directed by Stanley Kubrick, starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. It is based on The Shining by Stephen King. It runs 2 hours 26 minutes and earned $48 million worldwide on a $19 million budget. It won 1 award from 2 nominations, including Best Supporting Actor at the Saturn Awards 1981. Critics gave it 68 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.4/10.

IMDb rating
8.4/10
worldwide gross
$48M
award won
1
Metascore
68
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The Shining (1980) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 26m (146 min)
Director
Stanley Kubrick
Genres
Thriller , Horror
Original language
English
Budget
$19M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Shining About?

The premise of The Shining without spoilers, adapted from The Shining by Stephen King. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A struggling writer, Jack Torrance, accepts a winter caretaker position at the isolated Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies, hoping the solitude will overcome his writer's block. He brings his wife, Wendy, and their young son, Danny. However, the hotel harbors a dark history, and as Jack becomes increasingly isolated by the heavy snowfall, he slowly descends into madness, threatening his family and uncovering terrifying secrets within the Overlook's walls.

The Shining Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • haunted hotel
  • labyrinth
  • isolation
  • freezing to death
  • typewriter
  • based on novel
  • hedge maze
  • domestic violence
  • surrealism
  • snow
  • imaginary friend
  • mother son relationship
+38 more
  • father son relationship
  • snowstorm
  • tricycle
  • bar
  • ghost
  • telepathy
  • chase
  • based on the works of stephen king
  • hallucination
  • mirror
  • ghost child
  • breaking down a door
  • ambiguous ending
  • ballroom dancing
  • chapter headings
  • supernatural power
  • psychological disintegration
  • caretaker
  • insanity
  • writer's block
  • premonition
  • blood
  • axe
  • elevator
  • writing backwards
  • slow motion scene
  • overhead camera shot
  • chopping down a door with an axe
  • family relationships
  • haunting
  • winter
  • psychic
  • bathtub
  • dysfunctional family
  • nightmare
  • photograph
  • marriage
  • baseball bat
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Cast & crew

The Shining Cast

Jack Nicholson leads the cast, with Shelley Duvall. Directed by Stanley Kubrick.

From the director

More from Stanley Kubrick

More films directed by Stanley Kubrick, best-rated first: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Paths of Glory, The Killing and Barry Lyndon.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Shining Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Shining 68 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.4/10.

Plot

The Shining Plot Summary

What happens in The Shining from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Former teacher and recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance seeks to rebuild his life by accepting a caretaker position at the Overlook Hotel. Following a tumultuous past where his temper cost him his teaching job, Jack meets with Mr. Stuart Ullman, the hotel manager, who warns him about the risks of isolation during the long winter months, particularly concerning cabin fever. He chillingly recounts a previous caretaker, Charles Grady, who tragically succumbed to madness and murdered his wife and children before taking his own life. Despite the grim warning, Jack is determined to focus on his passion for writing and takes the job.

Full summary

The whole story of The Shining, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Shining Box Office & Budget

The Shining grossed $48 million worldwide on a $19 million budget, 2.5 times what it cost. $45.6 million came from the US and Canada and $2.3 million (5%) from the rest of the world.

1980 box office

Worldwide gross

$48M

2.5× its budget

US & Canada
$45.6M
International
$2.3M
Budget
$19M
US & Canada 95% Rest of the world 5%
Awards

The Shining Awards & Nominations

The Shining won 1 award from 2 nominations, including Best Supporting Actor at the Saturn Awards 1981.

1 win2 nominations1 ceremony

Videos

The Shining Trailers & Videos

15 videos: 3 trailers, 7 clips and 5 featurettes.

All 15 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer Trailer
  • Trailer 4K Trailer
  • Clip 10 Minute Preview
  • Clip The Shining (1980) - Dick Hallorann's Vision
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Shining?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What position does Jack Torrance take at the Overlook Hotel?

Cars

Cars in The Shining

13 cars on screen, including the Thiokol Spryte 1201 and the 1973 Volkswagen Sedan Typ 1.

All 13 cars
  • Thiokol Spryte 1201 in The Shining Thiokol Spryte 1201 Important role
  • 1973 Volkswagen Sedan Typ 1 in The Shining 1973 Volkswagen Sedan Typ 1 Important role
  • Aktiv Snow-Trac ST4 in The Shining Aktiv Snow-Trac ST4 Minor role
  • 1977 Buick Riviera in The Shining 1977 Buick Riviera Minor role
Details

The Shining Also Known As

42 alternative titles, including “Zárení” and “I lampsi”.

Also known as
  • Zárení
  • I lampsi
  • Derakhshesh
  • Shining : L'enfant lumière
  • Porlash
  • Rongraem Phi Narok
  • Mirdzums
  • Stanley Kubrick's The Shining
  • Hohto
  • Փայլատակում
  • Сияние
  • The Shining - hohto
+30 more
  • El resplandor
  • Cinnet
  • 闪灵
  • Ondskabens hotel
  • Lśnienie
  • Ragyogás
  • Osvícení
  • Η Λάμψη
  • シャイニング
  • הניצוץ
  • Сяйво
  • Strălucirea
  • Сиянието
  • 샤이닝
  • O Iluminado
  • Shining - L'enfant lumière
  • 鬼店, ნათება
  • Исијавање
  • درخشش
  • 閃靈
  • Osvietenie
  • Ondskapens hotell
  • เดอะไชนิง โรงแรมผีนรก
  • La resplendor
  • Izžarevanje
  • Švytejimas
  • Hiilgus
  • Isijavanje
  • Khách Sạn Ma Ám
  • البريق

Seen The Shining?

FAQ

The Shining FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of The Shining, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Shining?

The Shining runs 2 hours 26 minutes (146 minutes).

When was The Shining released?

The Shining was released on May 23, 1980.

Who directed The Shining?

The Shining was directed by Stanley Kubrick.

More films by Stanley Kubrick

Who is in the cast of The Shining?

The Shining stars Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall.

How much did The Shining make at the box office?

The Shining grossed $48 million worldwide ($45.6 million domestic, $2.3 million international) on a budget of $19 million.

How is The Shining rated?

The Shining has 8.4/10 on IMDb, 68 on Metacritic and 82% on TMDB.

Is The Shining based on a book?

Yes. The Shining is adapted from The Shining by Stephen King.

What awards did The Shining win?

The Shining won 1 award from 2 nominations, including Best Supporting Actor at the Saturn Awards 1981.

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