Question: Who is Tony?
Socks1000
29th Jun 2009
The Shining (1980)
Answer: Tony was a god-sent to change the course of history, which ultimately saved Danny and his mother in the 80s compared to the 20s when both of them were finally killed and eaten by Jack. Tony appeared in Danny's life when he started reading alphabets and his main message was 'REDRUM'. This was critical in the movie, as its mirror image 'MURDER' saved Wendy's life in the 80s.
29th Jun 2009
The Shining (1980)
Question: Are the ghosts real, or does Jack just imagine them?
Answer: Both Kubrick and King stated there were ghosts in interviews so as they are essentially the creators I would say there are.
In all fairness, Kubrick, unlike King, leaves the existence of ghosts somewhat questionable. The whole thing can just as well be just Jack succumbing to cabin fever: he loathes his family, and the long isolation just pushes him over the brink. Wendy witnesses the ghosts, too, yes, but she could also be suffering from cabin fever, not to mention the stress of her husband finally going insane, and trying to murder her and her child. In short, the whole existence of ghosts is a lot more ambiguous in the movie.
28th Jun 2009
The Shining (1980)
Question: Who hurt Danny after his visit to room 237?
Chosen answer: In the book, after Danny visits room 217 (237 for the movie) the ghost of the woman who killed herself in the bath chokes him.
Answer: In the 80s it was the old lady's ghost who hurt Danny. This was a repeat of the 20s when the actual old lady lured Danny in her room and tried to bite him and satisfy her hunger. (Given the lack of food due to snow storm).
I keep seeing things relating to the "20s version" and the "80s version " what is this about? I didn't even see them mention the 1920s until the picture at the end.
Throughout the movie there are flashes to the 20s which is seen as vision of what has already happened or as Jack's "psychotic break delusions." Since his soul is linked to the hotel, he returns time and time again (shown by the photo at the end of the movie). There are 2 versions, the 20s and the 80s. The 20s is when Jack and his family were at the hotel, snowed in and they resorted to cannibalism (the lady in the room 237), as seen in the photo. In the 80s version, his reincarnated soul is drawn to the hotel and we see bits of the 20s through flashbacks or delusions. For example, the ball is a delusion or reincarnated vision of him there before. It is more evident in the book when he hears voices of the hotel. As well, the blood vision in the hallway coming from the elevator is a reference to the 20s.
28th Jun 2009
The Shining (1980)
Question: What exactly happened to Jack? Why is he in that picture at the end of the movie?
Chosen answer: There are two possibilities: Most likely, Jack's soul is forever linked to the hotel, and every once in a while, he is reborn into the world, only to return to it, and instigate more killings. Basically, he is constantly resuming his duties as the caretaker of the spirits in the Hotel. That, or every time someone dies at the hotel, their soul becomes linked to it, and the photo at the end changes to illustrate that link. However, if that theory were true, then the cook would also be in the photo.
The cook would not be in the photo, as he was not succumbing to the Hotel, he died fighting it, and therefore his soul does not "belong" to the Overlook.
Jack is never reincarnated. Period. The hotel decides that Jack will become the next caretaker in the afterlife when he attends the initial interview! Therefore, when he dies, he becomes part of the ghosts in the hotel and immortalized in the infamous group photo on the wall! And he will make his presence known to the next victim.
Answer: I always believed, as have others, that anyone who is "killed" by the hotel has their soul added to the hotel which materializes as them being added to the picture.
Yeah, but it seems kinda weird he is in the middle of the picture with everyone around him even though he was added last. And the ghost calling him "the caretaker" suggest he is the caretaker in that picture too, so the same person as the original one who was caretaker all that time ago.
Answer: The point of the picture at the end is to show Jack has indeed been at the hotel before. This explains the deja vu he feels upon entering the hotel. Notice none of the other ghosts, such as Delbert, the twins, Mrs Massey, etc. are visible in the photo. That's because they were at the hotel after 1921. The answer that says his soul has been around a long time is correct.
28th Jun 2009
The Shining (1980)
Question: Who is the old woman in room 237 and what is her significance?
Chosen answer: In the book, she is Mrs. Massey, an older woman who is seducing a man much younger than her, until late one night he leaves in the car they arrived in, and doesn't return. Distraught, Mrs. Massey kills herself with liquor and sleeping pills while taking a bath. However, since none of this is in the actual film, fan theories have sprung up regarding her importance to the movie. One theory is that she is in fact Grady's wife, and 237 is where he murdered his family.
I don't think this is quite as true because the twins are Grady's children and they are seen to be killed in the hallway in a vision of Danny's when he was riding the bike through the hotel. Therefore, the movie version could be the wife of Grady in room 237 however the children were not there and not killed there at the time. However, why would she have been staying in room 237 if there is the apartment for the caretaker?
Answer: Her significance to the story is that she is one of the most powerful spirits that resides in the hotel. When Jack enters her room, she appears to him as a young and beautiful woman at first. This symbolizes his embracing the evil of the hotel, while Danny sees the hotel for what it really is. The aftermath of his visit to room 237 shows that the hotel has Jack in its grasp, as he lies to Wendy about not seeing anything in the room. He knows Wendy would want to leave, whereas he wants to stay.
Answer: The old woman in room 237 could have been a sex-worker. The shining parallel story shows Jack going in and having sexual advances with her (before they cut it with her current rotten version). Until one day, she lures Danny in her room and bit him out of hunger. That's when Jack goes in the room and kills the old lady.
28th Jun 2009
The Shining (1980)
Chosen answer: The Ghosts want Jack to kill Danny because the shining is what gives the Hotel power. The only way Danny's shine would stay permanently at the Hotel would be for him to die there. The only reason Jack was chosen was because he was the weakest link to get to Danny.
Chosen answer: Danny's middle name is Anthony and "Tony" is his imaginary friend. At first Danny fears Tony, but he later becomes Danny's source of strength.
raywest ★