MovieChat Forums > The Shining (1997) Discussion > This arrived about 20 years too soon.

This arrived about 20 years too soon.

posted 3 years ago by KinkyInk (1694)
3 replies | jump to latest

The fact that it was a miniseries was good, because it gave the story the time it deserved. But I think it suffered from having to be restrained because it was made for network television.

It seems that the story would be a better fit in today's television landscape. Such as a limited series on HBO or Netflix for example. There it would get the time it deserves, and the hard edge that would make it more effective.

Maybe it'll be redone into a new television series. Or maybe even a movie remake. If they do that, I hope they start with the book instead of trying to remake Kubrick's version.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8707) 3 years ago

You're probably right.

As long as the cable channel/streaming service that might make it today could restrain themselves from throwing a bunch of woke shit in, then I'm sure it could be done better today. I could see HBO making a pretty good Shining mini-series.

That said, I don't hate this version and, I'm not sure why, maybe it's a nostalgia thing, but there's something about the late-90s network TV production values that I find kind of charming.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

I also thought this series was good. Stephen Weber isn't Jack Nicholson for sure, but here he was a long way from goofy Brian Hackett. It was also closer to the book than Kubrick's version.

Where it fell down was the decision to use CGI for the topiary scene. The CGI was badly done, but it shouldn't have been used regardless. In the novel, the creepiness of that scene comes from the fact that Jack Torrance doesn't see the creatures move. They only move marginally when he's not looking so that when he turns back he's never sure if they have moved or he's just losing his grip.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 3 years ago

Netflix?! 🤮🤮🤮