The Shining

The Shining was a breakout performance for Jack Nicholson.  In my opinion he was born for that role and his performance really lead me to believe he had gone mad.  From his facial expressions, his body language, and his voice he truly sells the part. 

Wendy finally realizes that Jack has lost it when she looks through his work and sees what he’s been writing.  On every single page Jack typed, ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’  I think Wendy began to notice Jack slipping was when he cursed at her and flipped out at her for interrupting him while he was working.  Jacks conversation with Wendy is one give away that Jack has stepped out of civility.

Another art direction to suggest Jack has gone mad and stepped out of civility is the use of colors.  The color blue is linked to people with compassion and care for others.  While red represents violence and rage.  In the scene when Wendy finds Jack as he’s having a nightmare she wakes him up and he tells her how he had a horrible nightmare in which he murdered Wendy and Daniel.  Before this scene Jack wears blue, but after it he prefers to wear red.  Also the bathroom that Jack meets the old caretaker in is red, and this is where he tells Jack to take care of Wendy and Daniel.

Another art direction is the set of The Shining.  For starters there is a history of death and violence there.  Also, we learn early that the hotel was built on ancient Native American burial grounds.  To me this kind of hints that this hotel encompasses a lot of violence and rage.