Jump to content

The Shining - Here's Johnny! Cinematography


Recommended Posts

Hello everyone,

 

I'm currently a freshman at a university studying film, and a recent assignment of mine was to study the cinematography used in the "Here's Johnny!" scene in Stanley Kubrick's classic movie The Shining. I would really like to hear some of your views on some unique cinematography used in the scene. I've just begun my research on it, and so far one significant thing I have found is the use of Steadicam on set when filming. I look forward to hearing from you guys.

 

- Max

 

(

)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just the shots of him coming up the stairs and walking to the door. I've just found a good piece by Garrett Brown on it

http://www.freewebs.com/theshiningmovie/thesteadicam.htm

It's from a practical light, of course, but the axe scene follows the horror convention, or cliché if you like, of the bad guy being lit from below. Of course by then it hadn't really been a cliché for decades. So it just reinforces Torrance's descent into madness.

You really feel the axe strike because the pan stops dead with the blow.

Edited by Mark Dunn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

Hello everyone,

 

I'm currently a freshman at a university studying film, and a recent assignment of mine was to study the cinematography used in the "Here's Johnny!" scene in Stanley Kubrick's classic movie The Shining. I would really like to hear some of your views on some unique cinematography used in the scene. I've just begun my research on it, and so far one significant thing I have found is the use of Steadicam on set when filming. I look forward to hearing from you guys.

 

- Max

 

(

)

 

An interesting point to focus on might be the restraint used by Kubrick in not to make every shot a Steadicam shot. Of course, it was Kubrick and he knew not to over or under-utilize anything. But the Steadicam was still a relatively new invention at the time this movie was made. And nowadays, it feels like it is the A-camera on every big-budget feature.

 

Ask yourself the aesthetic and technical reasons why the Steadicam was not used for this scene.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

An interesting point to focus on might be the restraint used by Kubrick in not to make every shot a Steadicam shot. Of course, it was Kubrick and he knew not to over or under-utilize anything. But the Steadicam was still a relatively new invention at the time this movie was made. And nowadays, it feels like it is the A-camera on every big-budget feature.

 

Ask yourself the aesthetic and technical reasons why the Steadicam was not used for this scene.

These days I usually wince when the track ends and the camera 'nods' from side to side. Garrett Brown explains how to avoid that in the piece I referred to and after 35 years you'd think word would have got round.

'Rocky' could have used other ways to get its Steadicam shots. In 'The Shining' it was essential.

There's a scene in 'Paths of Glory' in the château where the camera follows Douglas and Menjou up a flight of stairs and stops an instant after they do. In a way Kubrick invented the Steadicam for that shot. In 1957.

Edited by Mark Dunn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

There's a scene in 'Paths of Glory' in the château where the camera follows Douglas and Menjou up a flight of stairs and stops an instant after they do. In a way Kubrick invented the Steadicam for that shot. In 1957.

 

He did and I often cite Paths of Glory as the film that he did it with as well. Only the scene that I use is the shot of Kirk Douglas walking through the trenches. One of Kubrick's greatest shots of his career.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just watched it again. Not obtrusive, but it has the rapid pans at the extremes of the dolly turns that Brown describes as being obviated by the Steadicam. You're right, Kubrick invented it.

We've just written the OP's essay for him. A slightly different essay,though. Hope he doesn't get a D because he listened to us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

I've just watched it again. Not obtrusive, but it has the rapid pans at the extremes of the dolly turns that Brown describes as being obviated by the Steadicam. You're right, Kubrick invented it.

We've just written the OP's essay for him. A slightly different essay,though. Hope he doesn't get a D because he listened to us.

 

A D?! No way!...lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...