MovieChat Forums > Room 237 (2012) Discussion > Why does this board think that the movie...

Why does this board think that the movie endorses these theories?

posted 12 years ago by AdnanZian
6 replies | jump to latest

It seems like nobody on this board stopped to consider what the film itself might be about, and to consider its own formal qualities, and the choices made. The lack of a narrative documentary voice alone makes it hard to see this as a conspiracy theory movie. In fact, I wasn't so keen on watching it because that's what I expected it to be: a bunch of people talking about their weird, strange takes on The Shining's hidden meanings, going well beyond solid interpretation of imagery and so on.

But the movie isn't presented as it might have been. It's not the documentarian commenting on the material at all. It's a fascinating, experimental film if you pay attention to what it doesn't do. And one of the things it doesn't do is take a stance on any of the people talking and their theories. At all.

[–] marso86 12 years ago

Yeah this is why I liked it quite a bit. Did I buy into everything ? No. But neither do the film makers I feel. A decent chunk of it is interesting, hell it might all be coincidence but I still enjoyed it. I don't know why anyone who isn't into looking into things quite a bit deeper would even watch this in the first place anyway.

[–] trnjamesbond 12 years ago

This is a film I will not waste my time on, I really didn't care for anything that was presented to me, I found it all to be mundane info that consisted of the ramblings of people who think they know everything about Kubrick, well if that were the case why did they not show their faces?

I love The Shining for what it is and this film does nothing for me, and will not recommend it to anyone ever.

[–] richardecredico 12 years ago

This film is yet another layer added to an already layered experience and the majority of folks posting here are not so nuanced or deep thinking.

[–] tomimt 12 years ago

While I was watching I couldn't help but to feel, that maybe we as an audience were meant to laugh at these wildly far too far reaching analyses of a movie. The documentary shows us, that you can take almost any crazy idea and connect it to the Shining in such a way, that it looks like Kubrick meant the viewer to see just that idea in the movie.

[–] whereismikeyfl 11 years ago

I think that most of the people posting here are a lot like the people in film.

[–] juntmonkey 11 years ago

I would disagree that the movie does not take a stance. I only watched the first 50 minutes (I plan on watching the rest), but it seemed clear to me that the film is mocking its subjects to one degree or another. The more ridiculous the theory, the more dramatic the music gets. After one particularly absurd statement, there's a cut to Nicholson saying "Whatever you say!"

The part where the woman is speaking about the office window with the map of the fictional hotel onscreen ("IMPOSSIBLE WINDOW") is absolutely hilarious.