34 years ago today, one of the most renowned horror movies was released, The Shining, the psychological thriller has a lasting effect on most of those who watch it. The Stanley Kubrick film is an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel with the same title, and it’s this combination of genius storyteller and cinema mastery that provides the film world with an unforgettable movie.

 

As the summer holidays are nearing us, lots of us have a trip booked or are in the process of planning our vacation. Yes, you can stay at the hotel that inspired Stephen King's novel! On King’s site, he explains that the night they stayed at the hotel they were the only guests and thought it would be a great setting for a horror story. Aptly named The Stanley, you can book a room and spend your summer listening out for little boys on their tricycles in the corridor. You can even book a ghost tour at the hotel to be taken into the places where “paranormal activities” take place. Although, the hotel looks like a lovely setting, I’m not sure that I’ll be heading to Estes Park, CO this summer.

 

Although The Stanley was the inspiration for the book, it was the Timberline Lodge that was used for the opening shots of the film and for some of the exteriors. The interior scenes were mainly filmed at the Elstree Studios in England and therefore the Overlook Hotel is fictitious as a whole. However, there is a room #217 at the Timberline Lodge (the number of the room in the book, it was changed to #237 in the film for a whole variety of reasons of which one is correct it is not clear) and as the website for the lodge states the room is one of the most requested rooms in the hotel. I guess, it would be interesting to stay in the room, but I would not expect to sleep much that night!

 

Horror movies have an ability to effect or eject a feeling of fear inside the viewer, many horror movies leave me numb from boredom, others numb from terror. There is no doubt that The Shining is in the later category and I think I will give it another watch tonight in celebration of its release.