Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Shining Prequel?

Jack Torrance on Fan Pop
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Warner Brothers is planning a prequel to Stanley Kubrick's classic film, 'The Shining,' starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. The prequel will likely be based on Kubrick's film, rather than Stephen King's novel, and will chronicle the strange happenings at the Overlook Hotel prior to the Torrance family's arrival. 

Perhaps the prequel will focus on the original caretaker/bartender? Regardless of the film's focus, the prequel will have a heavyweight pedigree. Warner Brothers is rumored to have hired Laeta Kalogridis ('Shutter Island), Brad Fischer ('Black Swan,' 'Zodiac'), and James Vanderbilt ('Zodiac,' 'The Amazing Spider-Man') to write and produce the prequel. However, Warner Brothers hasn't made an official announcement yet.

Before becoming a cult classic, 'The Shining' received mixed reviews and the public disapproval of King. 
King made no bones about his dislike of Kubrick's vision of his novel. King even penned his own television remake of the film in 1997, starring Rebecca De Mornay and Steven Weber, but King's remake was not well received.



Despite King's dislike of the original film, the original film continues to enthrall viewers and spark debate. So much so that 'The Shining' is now the subject of its very own documentary, 'Room 237.' Directed by Rodney Ascher, 'Room 237' explores the hidden meanings and theories behind Kubrick's film-- the blood soaked elevators, the 1920's party, the guy in the bear costume, the hedge maze, and of course Room 237 itself. 

Thankfully we have more "Shining" to look forward to in the near future. Stephen King recently announced a sequel to 'The Shining,' called '
Doctor Sleep.' 'Doctor Sleep' will continue Danny Torrance's story as an adult. The film rights for 'Doctor Sleep' have not been purchased yet, but it's only a matter of time. 'Doctor Sleep' will hit bookshelves on January 15, 2013.

4 comments:

  1. Well, there is a story there if they go back to the beginning. I've seen both versions of The Shining. Sorry King, Kubrick's version was better.

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  2. Kubrick was an auteur, his film was greater than the sum total of the book. All films are different to their book origins. Not sure of the prequel idea for the film...I suppose money is the bottom line. Seems superfluous to me.

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  3. Alex-- I agree. I remember watching King's version in the 90s...blah.

    Corvus Press UK-- Absolutely. Kubrick's film was magnificent. There's no remaking (or 'prequeling') that film.

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  4. Whaaaaaat?? I think that a prequel could be pretty interesting, the haunting of the hotel is so specific to the person it's trying to drive crazy that with a new cast of characters, I bet you could get some pretty interesting stories out of the set up. Of course to be a really good prequel, it would have to create a similar feeling of dread and that this place is "unclean" that the original had. But that would require a director who could show some restraint. Unfortunately, I can't think of any directors now who would be up ti the task.

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