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May 15, 2017SaraLovesBooks rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
I do not understand why this movie is considered one of the best horror films ever made. It's boring! The characters are caricatures, base templates that are a far cry from who they are in the novel. Jack Nicholson is not a man who loves his family but is tormented by demons, both inside and out; he is already an abusive father and possibly husband. I never believed that he loved his family or truly cared about them, which really destroys the tension of the story for me. Shelley Duvall's performance as Wendy was even worse, through no fault of hers. Stanley Kubrick made her perform as a stereotypical weak female victim, which is the exact opposite of who Wendy was in the book. It was misogynist and cruel. On the pro side, Kubrick's exacting standards to the technical side, especially in regards to the sound and the cinematography were amazing. Here is where the movie does deserve its praise. However, for me, if the story and characters aren't there, all the cinematic wizadry in the world can't save a film, as it can't here.