Here’s the most thorough analysis of the differences between the 2 “Shining’s” that has ever been written. It’s a study of exactly what Stanley Kubrick changed from Stephen King’s novel as these alterations are essential for a thorough understanding of the movie. The tone of Stanley Kubrick's alterations are set in what I first noticed, the mirroring of colors, and are obvious from the very first frame. Important yellow objects in the movie like the VW are red in the novel. And important red objects like the Sno-cat in the movie are yellow in the novel. Danny’s red ball in the novel becomes Jack’s yellow ball in the movie.
The alterations are not just random but are actual reversals as if what we’re looking at (like “Redrum”) is being viewed in the reflection of a special mirror, and mirrors do stand out and are very important in the movie. Stanley Kubrick has mirrored many of the plot points from the novel as well, but you have to look very closely to realize the scope of what’s been done. The source novel has quite simply been turned inside out. Just look at the three items that The Overlook animates in the novel; the Hedges, the fire hose, and the elevators. In the movie we see the exact opposite and if you look closely none of these items ever budge an inch (the elevator doors only move in visions, not in the hotel itself). A perfect reversal viewed in Stanley Kubrick’s special mirror.
I’m trying to show here the detail and exact extent Stanley Kubrick went to in his alterations of the novel. It must be noted that he couldn’t reverse every single thing. Most of the names weren’t changed at all and places were reversed in a very crafty way. It may seem trivial but what he couldn’t literally reverse he just changes in some other fashion. The storeroom was altered, as he couldn’t leave it out of the movie. In the novel it’s a cold pantry where everything is stored (the utensils cups and plates, etc.), including food. In the movie it’s a food storeroom only, with nothing else. Durkin's Conoco from the novel becomes Durkin's Garage in the movie and he even changed Jack and Grady’s names in the movie. He’s not trying to draw attention to this and what we’re witnessing in Stanley Kubrick’s “Shining” is a masterful deception that has never been alluded to by Stephen King fans, who would be the people you’d expect to notice this. It runs mere millimeters below the radar screen and unless you stop and think about it you’ll miss it. Some things were doubled like the boilers, the elevators, Jack’s typewriters, and the Grady twins and I listed them separately.
Click here to see just how meticulous Stanley Kubrick was in his alteration of the source novel. This is just one small scene.
Here is a brief summery of what I feel are the more important inversions he made to the novel. I think it’s easy to see what he did and when you are alerted to them they can’t be missed. Watch for the inversions and reversals.
........…….…....... Movie / Novel
Jack mentions the Donner Party and cannibalism / Wendy mentions the Donner Party and cannibalism.
Danny and the viewers see the Grady girls / Danny and the readers never see the Grady girls.
Danny doesn’t see Tony in the movie / he does in the novel.
Tony is inside of Danny’s body in the movie / Tony is outside of Danny in the novel.
Dick Hallorann “Shines” and asks Danny if he wants something cold, “How'd you like some ice cream, Doc?” / Dick Hallorann “Shines” and asks Danny if he wants to go somewhere warm, “Sure you don't want to go to Florida, doc?”
Jack’s yellow rubber ball lures Danny to room 237 / Danny’s curiosity lures him to room 217.
Wendy is a smart blond / Wendy an unpolished dumb brunette.
Danny doesn’t want to go to The Overlook / Tony doesn’t “want to go there”.
The Torrances never use the elevator / in the novel they use the elevator quite a few times.
Wendy bolts Jack in the storeroom / Danny bolts Jack in the storeroom.
The young woman in room 237 pulls the shower curtain back / at separate times only Danny and Jack in room 217 pull the shower curtain back.
Jack sees the woman in room 237 and Danny doesn’t / Danny sees the woman in room 217 and Jack doesn’t.
There are two sets of twin red elevators without windows / there’s one grey metal elevator with a window.
In the novel Jack hides in the elevator when Dick Hallorann returns and comes up the stairs. / in the movie he stays on the ground floor and Jack (as well as Wendy and Danny) never goes into the elevator.
In the film Wendy says, “How did you know we called him 'Doc'?” / In the novel, it’s Jack that says, “"How did you know we called him doc?"
Jack talks to Lloyd with mirrors present / Jack talks to Lloyd and no mirrors are present.
“Redrum” is on a door and Wendy sees the word murder in the mirror / “Redrum” is in a mirror and Danny sees the word murder in a glass clock dome.
Wendy drags Jack to the storeroom and Danny is not present / Danny and Wendy, together, drag Jack to the storeroom.
Danny’s pediatrician is a female / Danny’s pediatrician is a male.
Wendy gets the knife after the fight with Jack when he’s already locked in the storeroom / Wendy gets the knife from the kitchen before her fight with Jack.
In their bedroom fight, Jack opens the apartment door with an ax / in the novel he opens their apartment door with a key.
Wendy sees a vision of “Dogman” / Danny sees “Dogman”.
The Overlook lives on and Dick Hallorann dies / The Overlook is destroyed and Dick Hallorann lives.
Wendy reads Jack’s novel / Wendy never looks at Jack’s play.
Danny is much closer to Wendy / Danny is much closer to Jack.
Tony speaks in a weird rasp / Tony speaks in a, “musical voice”.
In the movie Wendy knows nothing about "Shining" / in the novel she knows that Danny tries to contact Dick Hallorann.
Mr. Ullman’s predecessor hired Charles Grady / in the novel Mr. Ullman himself hired Delbert Grady.
Jack wears the Stovington Prep t-shirt / Danny wears the Stovington Prep sweatshirt.
Danny saves himself by deception / Danny saves himself by being truthful.
Jack goes mad and is not possessed by The Overlook / Jack goes mad because the Overlook possesses him.
Jack hits Danny / Jack never hits Danny.
Wendy doesn’t know the radio is broken before Jack tells her / Wendy does know it’s broken when Jack wakes her as he smashes it.
As he speaks to Dick Hallorann, Danny brings up room 237 in the kitchen / in the novel Dick Hallorann brings up room 217 in his car.
In the movie Danny never mentions the word “Shining”. Tony won’t let him talk about it as he says “I’m not supposed to” when Dick Hallorann asks him / in the novel Danny tells his parents that he has “The Shining”.
Wendy tells the pediatrician about the time that Jack hurt Danny / Jack tells the pediatrician about the time that he hurt Danny.
In the movie it's Wendy's idea to lock Jack in the storeroom. In the novel it's Danny's idea to lock Jack in the pantry.
Dick Hallorann never tells Danny to call him if there is trouble / Dick Hallorann tells Danny, "If there is trouble ... you give a call.”
Danny tells Wendy about the old woman in room 237 and she never says the number of the room to him when he asks / Danny tells Jack about the old woman in room 217 and tells him which room it is.
Jack plays with his yellow ball / Danny plays with his red ball.
Danny never has possession of the key and doesn’t unlock the door of room 237 / Danny has possession of the key and unlocks the door to room 217.
Larry Durkin knows Dick Hallorann and doesn’t know Danny or Jack / Larry Durkin doesn’t know Dick Hallorann and does know Danny and Jack.
In the movie it’s Jack that has the dream before he and Wendy see Danny, after he’s beat up, at the bottom of the stairs / in the novel Wendy is having a dream before she sees Danny standing, after he’s beat up, at the top of the stairs.
In the final fight, Wendy is in the bathroom with Danny and her knife and a window / Wendy is in the bathroom without Danny or her knife and no window.
The ax just appears in Jack’s hands and we don’t know where he got it from / Grady leaves the Roque mallet for Jack in the kitchen after letting him out of the storeroom.
In The Overlook, their bathroom has a window / in the novel their bathroom does not have a window.
In the movie Jack says this to Wendy alone, I'm gonna bash your brains in!" / in the movie Jack says this to Danny.
Danny is a totally normal seven-year-old child with a seven-year-olds vocabulary who only watches cartoons / in the novel Danny is a very bright five-year-old child who has a vocabulary that’s way beyond his years. And he watches “"Sesame Street" and "Electric Company.
Dick Hallorann has his long conversation with Danny inside The Overlook’s kitchen / Dick Hallorann has his long conversation with Danny outside in his car.
Hedges in the rear / hedges in the front.
In the movie Tony doesn’t change or evolve / In the novel he gets closer to Danny as the story progresses’ “And now Tony stood directly in front of him, and looking at Tony was like looking into a magic mirror and seeing himself in ten years, the eyes widely spaced and very dark, the chin firm, the mouth handsomely molded. The hair was light blond like his mother's, and yet the stamp on his features was that of his father, as if Tony — as if the Daniel Anthony Torrance that would someday be — was a halfling caught between father and son, a ghost of both, a fusion.”
In the movie The Overlook never makes a sound / in the novel Jack, "stood in the darkness for a moment, thinking, wanting a drink. Suddenly the hotel seemed full of a thousand stealthy sounds: creakings and groans... "
Mr. Ullman is a nice guy / Mr. Ullman is a total pr@&!
In the movie it never enters Jack’s mind that anything is wrong with him / in the novel Jack knows he’s loosing his mind.
Mr. Ullman wants to hire Jack / Mr. Ullman doesn’t want to hire Jack.
Tony shows Wendy the word “Redrum” / Tony shows Danny the word “Redrum”.
In the movie Jack chases Danny and never chases Wendy / In the novel he does.
The word “Redrum” is first seen in red lipstick / the word “Redrum” is first seen as green fire.
Mr. Ullman tells them there’s no booze on the premises / Dick Hallorann tells them there’s no booze on the premises.
Jack has the most power to “Shine” / Danny has the most power to “Shine”.
Dick Hallorann never tests Danny’s ability to “Shine” / Dick Hallorann tests Danny’s ability to “Shine”.
In the novel The Overlook was running things / in the movie it’s Jack that’s running things.
Dick Hallorann smells nothing when he “Shines” / Dick Hallorann smells “oranges” when he “Shines.
Danny finds room 237 on his own / Danny sees room 217 during the tour with Mr. Ullman.
Danny doesn't read minds in the film / in the novel he can read minds, "Can you tell what your mom and dad are thinking, Danny?" Hallorann was watching him closely. "Most times, if I want to."
Danny will not talk to his pediatrician about Tony / Danny talks to his pediatrician about Tony.
Jack wants to murder his family / Jack wants to become “the Manager”.
In the novel Watson appears to be the summer caretaker / in the movie he appears to be Mr. Ullman's assistant.
Jack writes nothing but nonsense / Jack writes a play.
In the movie Danny knows about room 237 already and mentions it to Dick Hallorann who knows nothing about it / in the novel it's Danny who knows nothing about it and Dick tells him the story of what happened there.
Wendy asks Danny what happened after they see him beat up / Jack asks Danny what happened after they see him beat up.
Jack has the same ability to “Shine” as Danny / Jack doesn't “Shine” at all.
Wendy and Jack have no sexual relationship / Wendy and Jack have a normal sexual relationship.
Mr. Ullman is the General Manager of The Overlook / Mr. Ullman is the Manager of The Overlook
The Snow-cat works and Jack disables it / the Bombardier Skidoo doesn’t work and Jack has to fix it.
Delbert Grady kills his girls with an ax / in the novel he kills his girls with a hatchet.
We see an important red key in the door of room 237 and Jack turns it / we see an important silver key in a clock and Danny turns it.
Danny has no vision of Jack’s attack before it happens / Danny has a vision of Jack’s attack before it happens.
Jack loses his mind and wants to hurt his family / The Overlook tries to make Jack hurt his family.
Jack doesn’t touch Wendy / Jack tries to strangle Wendy.
In the movie Dick Hallorann calls the Park Ranger and has a pleasant conversation / in the novel Dick Hallorann has a fight with the Park Ranger.
Wendy uses a regular knife / Wendy uses a butcher knife.
Wendy always has her knife with her and cuts Jack’s hand with it / Wendy hides her knife under the bed and forgets to take it into the bathroom. She uses a razor blade to cut Jack’s hand.
Grady is part of Jack’s imagination and Jack lets himself out of the storeroom / Grady is a real apparition and physically opens the door letting Jack out of the pantry.
In the movie Jack is slightly injured and he never touches Wendy / in the novel both Jack and Wendy are severely injured in their fight.
In the movie they’re surrounded by Indian artwork and we don’t know what street they live on in Boulder / in the novel they live on a street with an Indian name (Arapaho Street) and no Indian artwork surrounds them in The Overlook.
Jack did not break Danny’s arm / Jack broke Danny’s arm.
Jack’s frozen solid / the Grady’s are frozen solid.
Danny knows very little about anything / Danny knows “Redrum” has something to do with The Overlook.
They’re frozen breath is glaringly left out both when they’re in the walk-in freezer and at the end of the movie during the chase / in the novel their frozen breath “puffed out like comic strip balloons”.
Tony says, “It's just like pictures in a book.” / Dick Hallorann says, “they're just like pictures in a book”.
There is no basement (the two boilers are on the same floor as the lobby) / there is an important basement.
Grady is Jack’s subconscious and tells him to kill his family / The Overlook produces the voice of Jack’s father in the radio telling him to kill his family.
Wendy and Jack have their discussion about Danny in the apartment / Wendy and Jack have their discussion about Danny at the bar.
Jack taunts Wendy about the radio / Jack is ashamed about it.
Danny never cries / Danny cries.
Jack has a vision of confetti and balloons that are not real as they disappear later in the movie / in the elevator, Wendy actually finds real physical confetti from the “ghost’s” party.
Danny disappears for a while and becomes possessed by Tony / Tony disappears for a while and can’t help Danny.
Jack says "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin" / Dogman” says "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin".
Grady says, “Your son has a very great talent.” / Lloyd says, “Danny is a talented boy."
Lloyd looks quite normal, all dressed in red / in the novel Lloyd is described as somewhat of a horror.
The Overlook can’t “Shine” / The Overlook can “Shine”.
Jack destroys the radio so Wendy can’t call for help / Jack destroys the radio because he hears his father’s voice.
Larry Durkin is black / Larry Durkin is white.
In the film we're alerted to the "Shine" when Dick Hallorann knows Danny's nickname, "Doc" / in the novel, "[Dick Hallorann] snapped his fingers as if he had forgotten something. "What's my name, now? I guess it just slipped my mind." "Mr. Hallorann," Danny said, grinning. "Dick, to your friends." "That's right! And you being a friend, you make it Dick." As he led them into the far corner, Jack and Wendy exchanged a puzzled glance, both of them trying to remember if Hallorann had told them his first name." He didn't and this is where Dick Hallorann knows that Danny can "Shine"
In the movie when he returns to save them, Dick Hallorann finds the rear door of The Overlook already open / in the novel Dick Hallorann has to open the front door of The Overlook when he returns.
Tony is no help to Danny at all in the movie / Tony helps Danny throughout the novel.
Mr. Ullman calls Dick Hallorann in Florida telling him to go back to The Overlook / Danny calls Dick Hallorann with his special power and he decides to go back and help him.
In the movie it’s Wendy that we see doing all the work. In the novel Jack does a lot of work in The Overlook.
In the movie Wendy hits Jack with a baseball bat and he uses an ax / in the novel Wendy hits Jack with a wine bottle and he uses a Roque Mallet.
Jack sells his soul for a drink, “God, I’d give anything for a drink.” / in the novel Jack “ practically” sells his soul for the manager.
Tony won’t tell Danny anything choosing to show him cryptic images that he (and the audience) never fully understands / in a dream Tony tells Danny not to go to The Overlook and he shows him everything throughout the story.
In the movie Tony won’t tell Danny why he doesn’t want to go to The Overlook / in the novel Tony shows Danny everything.
One of the biggest and most telling reversals Stanley Kubrick made is this. In the novel Jack, Wendy, and Danny all realize at different times that The Overlook wants Danny’s power / in the movie The Overlook wants nothing.
In the movie’s credits his name is Jack Torrance. In the novel he’s John Daniel Torrance (page 22) and his nickname is Jack.
And one important alteration is deeply hidden by Stanley Kubrick; in the movie people who “Shine” can telepathically move items, make things disappear, and change the color of items, in the novel they can’t (it's The Overlook that can).
And this; in the novel Jack aspires to be The Manager but doesn't make it. In the movie in the final photo Jack becomes The Manager.
This is one of the most unbelievably hidden reversals I found. In the novel everything happens in a certain area or room of The Overlook and in the movie this is totally altered as almost all the scenes are in other places. There’s no Gold Room in the novel, no basement in the movie, and the Colorado Lounge is the barroom where Jack meets Lloyd. Here are some brief examples of this.
The end chase between Jack and Danny happens in a hallway inside The Overlook / the end chase happens in a hedge maze outside The Overlook.
Jack attacks Wendy inside their apartment / Jack attacks Wendy on a different floor outside their apartment.
Jack lures Dick Hallorann back to The Overlook as he sits in his bedroom / Danny lures Dick Hallorann back to The Overlook as he drives in his car.
Room 237 was Room 217.
Danny and Jack have their father and son conversation in Wendy and Jack’s bedroom / Danny and Jack have their father and son conversation in Danny’s bedroom.
The Torrance’s drive to The Overlook in a Yellow VW / in the novel they drive to The Overlook in a red VW.
Jack works in the Colorado lounge / Jack works in the basement.
Jack meets Lloyd and Grady in The Gold Room / Jack meets Lloyd and Grady in The Colorado Lounge.
Dick Hallorann talks to Danny in the kitchen / Dick Hallorann talks to Danny in his car.
Danny’s episode while brushing his teeth at the sink happens in the bathroom of the apartment in Boulder / in the novel Danny’s episode at the sink happens in their Overlook apartment.
Danny sees the pediatrician at home / Danny sees the pediatrician at his office.
Jack says that he needs a drink to Lloyd in the Gold Room / Jack says that he needs a drink in Danny’s room.
When he returns to The Overlook, Dick Hallorann stays on the ground floor / in the novel Dick Hallorann immediately goes up to the 1st floor when he comes back.
Wendy looks at the red Sno-cat in an attached garage / Jack works on the yellow snowmobile in an unattached “equipment shed”.
Danny hears the line, “Come and play with us, Danny. For ever, and ever, and ever” in a hallway inside The Overlook / Danny hears the line, “Come play with me... forever, and forever, and forever” in the playground outside The Overlook.
Jack speaks to Grady in the bathroom of the Gold Room looking into several mirrors / Delbert Grady speaks to Jack at the bar with no mirrors present.
“Redrum” is seen outside the bathroom / in the novel “Redrum” is seen inside the bathroom.
The party is in the Gold Room / the party is in the Colorado Lounge.
Even the location of The Overlook has even been tampered with. In the novel the Torrance’s are in Colorado. In the movie The Overlook is in Oregon as we see early on with the picture of The Timberline Lodge, which is located on Mount Hood in Oregon.
In the movie only the Hedge Maze is a literal maze, The Overlook actually has quite a simple layout mostly going around in circles with a few long hallways (and the proof is that no one ever gets lost) / in the novel The Overlook itself is the maze, “Mr. Ullman showed them some other rooms on the third floor, leading them through corridors that twisted and turned like a maze.”
This is hard to see but in the movie only 2 points of entrance or exit are real. The Overlook’s rear door, that all the cast members use at one time or another, and the bathroom window that Danny uses to escape from Jack. All the other windows or doors are not real (even Mr. Ullman’s window, the window in their apartment and the lobby door are not real) / in the novel, as you may have expected this is all reversed as 1) Jack never goes through the lobby door (he’s in Mr. Ullman’s office from the start) 2) they use the front door (not the rear) to enter and exit the hotel, and 3) there is no bathroom window.
A few of the scenes were impossible for Stanley Kubrick to reverse but something is still changed in each.
Jack is locked in the storeroom with only food / Jack is locked in the cold-pantry where dishes cups and utensils are stored (and some food).
Jack has his interview in the General Manager’s office with Bill Watson present / Jack has his interview in the Manager’s office and Watson is not there.
The General Manager’s office is where the radio is located / the Manager’s office is where the CB is located.
It's Durkin's Garage in the movie / Durkin's Conoco in the novel.
There are also no twins in the novel. In the movie there are several sets of twins including the Grady girls, the elevators, and the boilers. Here are some examples of doubling and reverse doubling.
Twin elevators remain motionless / 1 elevator moves on it’s own.
Unimportant twin boilers / 1 very important boiler.
2 Grady’s / 1Grady.
“Redrum” is seen only twice in the movie / several times in the novel.
Jack frozen 2 times (in the Hedge Maze and on the wall) / Jack burns to death 1 time.
2 Overlooks (one has a Hedge Maze and one doesn’t) / 1 Overlook.
Jack sees 2 women / Danny sees 1.
Wendy reads 1 paperback / Wendy reads 2 paperbacks.
In The Overlook, a single bed is in their apartment / in the novel twin beds are in their apartment.
Jack uses 2 twin Adler Eagle typewriters / Jack uses 1 Underwood typewriter.
“White man's burden, Lloyd my man. White man's burden” is doubled and repeated twice / “White man's burden, Lloyd my man” is mentioned once.
“For ever, and ever and ever” is also doubled.
There’s only one reference to cannibalism (the Donner party) / in the novel there are 2 references to cannibalism (the Donner party and the rugby players).
Dick Hallorann tells Danny to stay away from 1 place at The Overlook (room 237) / in the novel Dick Hallorann tells Danny to stay away from 2 places at The Overlook (room 217 and the Hedge Animals).
The Overlook’s Ballroom has small intimate tables for four / The Overlook’s Ballroom has small, intimate tables for two.
Danny is 5 years old in the novel and 7 years old in the movie. 2 years older exactly like the Grady girls who are 6 & 8 in the novel than become 8 & 10 in the movie.
Here’s a more involved listing of the alterations I found from the novel, in sequence and with the page numbers for easy reference. The chapters and page numbers are from Stephen King’s 307 page version and I’ve also included a few other interesting tidbits.
Part 1 Chapter 1
In the novel his friend, Al Shockley hires him. Jack already has the job when he goes for the interview and Mr. Ullman doesn’t want to hire him (page 5). / in the movie Mr. Ullman loves him, wants to hire him, and he gets the job.
There’s one hotel in the novel / 2 different hotels are seen in the movie (one has a Hedge Maze and one doesn’t).
In the novel Mr. Ullman interviews Jack alone (page 3) / in the movie Bill Watson is present.
In the novel Mr. Ullman desk is clean (page 4) / in the movie it’s messy.
In the novel Mr. Ullman wears a “quiet gray tie” (page 5) / in the movie he wears a red tie that changes between shots to red white and blue.
In the novel Mr. Ullman says that The Overlook’s season runs from May 15 to September 30 (page 5) / in the movie he says it runs from May 15 to October 30 (making their first full day living in The Overlook, Halloween ).
In the novel the hedges are in the front, “a Roque court and a topiary full of hedge animals out front” (page 6) / in the movie the hedges are on the opposite side, in the rear.
In the novel there’s an important unattached “equipment shed” (page 6 & 187) / in the movie it’s an attached garage.
In the novel Mr. Ullman started working there when The Overlook was bought in 1970 (page 7) and he hired Delbert Grady (and in the novel there is no Charles Grady) / in the movie it was his “predecessor in this job” who now hired Charles Grady.
Even aspects of the characters or their personalities have been inverted in the movie.
In the novel Mr. Ullman is a total pr@&! (page 3) / in the movie he’s a nice guy.
In the novel Danny is a very bright five-year-old child who has a vocabulary that’s way beyond his years. And he watches “"Sesame Street" and "Electric Company" (page 19 & 82) / in the movie Danny is a totally normal seven-year-old child with a seven-year-olds vocabulary who only watches cartoons.
In the novel Jack appears totally normal in the beginning / in the movie he appears a little off right from the start.
In the novel Tony speaks in a, “musical voice” (page 21) / in the movie he speaks in a weird rasp.
Wendy is a very beautiful blond in the novel (page 114) / she’s an unpolished brunette in the movie.
Danny’s pediatrician is a male in the novel named Bill Edmonds (page 93) / in the movie his pediatrician is an unnamed female.
In the novel Dick Hallorann is severely injured (page 296) but ends up saving the day / in the movie he still saves the day, is also severely injured, and the reverse happens as he dies.
Even the Grady girls have been altered. In the novel, there are two Grady daughters / in the movie the girls become twins. But if you listen closely to the dialogue as Jack speaks to Grady in the men’s room he says, “ I saw your picture in the newspapers. You chopped your wife and daughter up into little bits”. This sounds like a mistake but never in a million years would Stanley Kubrick have let an error like this through without reason. Here for one brief moment there is only one Grady daughter instead of two.
Chapter 1
"I'll be perfectly frank with you, Mr. Torrance. Albert Shockley is a powerful man with a large interest in the Overlook... he has made his wishes in this care-taking matter quite obvious. He wants you hired. I will do so. But if I had been given a free hand in this matter, I would not have taken you on." (page 5) / In the film he loves Jack from the start and we also know that Jack went through the Boulder office to get the job.
In the novel Mr. Ullman states that "I made a mistake… The man was a drunk." when talking about hiring Charles Grady (page 7) / in the movie he says nothing about alcoholism and he only states that he, “suffered some kind of a complete mental breakdown”.
In the novel Bill Watson takes Jack on the first tour of the hotel (page 7) / in the movie Mr. Ullman and Watson go together.
In the novel Jack tells Bill Watson that he hasn’t had a drink in “the last 14 months” (page 8) / in the movie he tells Lloyd he’s had “five miserable months on the wagon”.
In the novel Delbert Grady kills his girls with a hatchet and his wife and himself with a shotgun (page 8) / in the movie he kills them all with an ax and himself with a shotgun.
In both the novel (page 7) and the movie Jack never tells Wendy what Mr. Ullman tells him about the Grady murderers in The Overlook.
In the novel Delbert Grady has only one name (page 7) / in the movie he has two, Delbert Grady and Charles Grady.
Chapter 2
In the novel both Wendy (page 9) and Dick Hallorann (page 51) say, "What's up, doc?" / in the movie Dick Hallorann says it.
In the novel they’re brought to The Overlook in Jack’s red VW (page 10 & 25) and have a yellow Bombardier Ski-Doo snowmobile in The Overlook’s shed (page188) / in the movie they are brought to The Overlook in a yellow VW and have a red Snow-cat in The Overlook’s garage. Also, in the novel they’re saved on Arctic Cat snowmobile / in the movie it’s a Snow-cat.
In the novel they live on a street with an Indian name “Arapaho Street” (page 10), and the only time an Indian is mentioned is in this statement “Can you see the Indians in this picture?” / in the movie they are surrounded by Indian artwork and an actual Indian is seen three times.
In the novel Danny’s arm was in a cast after being broken by Jack (page 12 & 84 & 100) / in the movie Wendy tells the pediatrician, “he dislocated his shoulder”.
In the novel it’s Danny who wears "his over-sized dark green “Stovington Prep sweatshirt” (page 12) / in the movie it’s Jack who we see wearing a light green Stovington t-shirt as he gets breakfast in bed.
Chapter 3
There is one very important furnace taken care of by Jack in the novel (page 12) / 2 unimportant twin furnaces taken care of by Wendy in the movie.
In the novel Bill Watson tells Jack that the Grady girls are eight and six years old (page 16) / in the movie Mr. Ullman tells Jack that they are “about eight or ten” and they are played by twins in the movie, which is very important.
About the Grady’s, in the novel “a ranger from the National Park that found em… froze solid” (page 16) / in the movie Grady “stacked them neatly” in a room in The Overlook and it’s Jack who’s found frozen solid at the end of the movie.
Chapter 4
In the novel “The greatest terror of Danny's life was divorce” (page 20) / in the movie this is never mentioned.
In the novel he’s John Daniel Torrance (page 22) and his nickname is Jack. In the movie’s credits his only name is Jack Torrance.
In the beginning of the novel on page 21, “Tony had appeared (far away, as he always did, calling distantly)”. He can be seen by Danny (page 23) and he eventually gets closer as the story progresses / in the movie he cannot be seen and only speaks from Danny’s mouth as he moves his index finger.
Tony is outside of Danny’s body in the novel / inside Danny’s body in the film.
In the novel we see the word “Redrum” very early on (page 23), and many other times / in the movie we don’t see the word until later on (three quarters of the way through) and we only see it twice.
In the novel Tony shows Danny the word “Redrum” “flashing off and on” in the bathroom mirror and the word murder is not seen in a mirror. Murder is seen in the reflection of, “a huge clock in a glass bowl materialized in front of [the bathroom mirror]” (page 209) / in the movie “Danny isn’t here Mrs. Torrance” and never sees it as Jack “Shines” the word “Redrum” into Tony’s mind. He is the one who writes it on the bathroom door.
In the novel Danny's 1st vision is very early on (page 23), and he sees everything; The Overlook, the snowstorm, "a single word appeared in green fire ... Redrum", the bathroom, the bedroom, an overturned chair, an old woman in a tub, "And, dangling over the white porcelain lip of the bathtub, a hand. Limp. A slow trickle of blood ... trickling down one of the fingers, the third, dripping onto the tile from the carefully shaped nail.", and his father swinging a mallet in the hallway. But no Grady sisters. / in the movie he sees the bloody elevators and the Grady sisters in his first vision.
"Then, in the next instant, Tony was gone and Daddy's battered red bug was turning the corner and chattering up the street, farting blue smoke behind it." In the novel the red VW is old and falling apart / in the film it's yellow and new.
Chapter 5
In the novel Danny has the dream that Jack hurts him (page32) / in the movie Jack has the dream.
Chapter 6
In the novel Wendy reads Jack’s writings before they go to The Overlook (page 34) but does not read the play he’s working on at the hotel / the reverse happens in the movie where she reads “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.
"He loved his mother but he was his father's boy." (page 38) / This is reversed in the film where Danny seems to shy away from his father and cling to his mother.
Chapter 7
Part Two - Closing Day
Chapter 8
In the novel The Overlook is full of people on closing day / in the film it's almost empty except for workers.
In the novel Wendy reads 2 paperbacks Victoria Holt (page 41) and Cashelmara (page 175) / in the movie it’s only “The Catcher in The Rye”.
In the novel Wendy knows where the Donner Party became snowbound, “Further west in the Sierra Nevada the Donner Party had become snowbound and had resorted to cannibalism to stay alive.” (page 42) / in the movie this is reversed and she doesn’t, and it’s Jack who knows where it happened and he cheerfully brings up the word cannibalism.
In the novel Tony warns Danny about The Overlook (page 44) and Danny doesn’t want to go there / in the movie this is reversed and it's Tony that doesn’t “want to go there”.
In the novel Danny knows “Redrum” is in The Overlook, "And in the bug... he kept looking out between them as the road unwound, affording occasional glimpses of the Overlook Hotel... It was the place he had seen in [a vision]. The place Tony had warned him against. It was here. It was here. Whatever "Redrum" was, it was here." (page 44) / In the film Danny doesn't know anything about "Redrum" until near the end of the story. In fact if you look closely he never looks in the mirror or sees the word “Redrum” at all, Wendy does. Every time "Redrum" appears Tony is possessing Danny. It's Tony in the film that first sees the word.
Chapter 9
It the novel, "Ullman was waiting for them just inside the wide, old-fashioned front doors." (page 44) / in the film is the front doors that Jack walked through are quite ordinary.
Danny reads minds in the novel, "But he (Mr. Ullman) didn't like that lady (Mrs. Brant)," Danny said immediately. "He was just pretending to like her." (page 45) and, "Can you tell what your mom and dad are thinking, Danny?" Hallorann was watching him closely. "Most times, if I want to." (page 56) / he doesn't in the film.
In the novel Mr. Ullman says, "I had expected you more around three, Mr. Torrance." / in the film he's on time.
Chapter 10
"I'm Jack Torrance. My wife Winnifred.... "And a pleasure it was. Ma'am, are you a Winnie or a Freddie?" (page 49) / in the film Jack is not present in the kitchen as Danny and Wendy take the tour and he asks this question.
In the novel there is a, "long wallboard hung with cutting instruments which went all the way from paring knives to two-handed cleavers hung beside a four-basin sink." (page 49) / in the movie there are only a few knives.
In the novel Jack says the line during the tour of the kitchen, (page 50) "How did you know we called him doc?” / in the movie Wendy says this line and Jack is not present.
“Hallorann showed them into the walk-in freezer first, where their breath puffed out like comic strip balloons. In the freezer it was as if winter had already come.” (page 50) / in the movie this sentence is reversed and they’re frozen breath is glaringly left out both when they’re in the walk-in freezer and at the end of the movie during the chase.
"[Dick Hallorann] snapped his fingers as if he had forgotten something. "What's my name, now? I guess it just slipped my mind." "Mr. Hallorann," Danny said, grinning. "Dick, to your friends." "That's right! And you being a friend, you make it Dick." As he led them into the far corner, Jack and Wendy exchanged a puzzled glance, both of them trying to remember if Hallorann had told them his first name." He didn't and this is where Dick Hallorann knows that Danny can "Shine" (page 51). / in the film this is reversed and we're alerted to the "Shine" when Dick Hallorann knows Danny's nickname, "Doc".
In the novel when Dick Hallorann “Shines” during the tour (page 51) and asks Danny if he wants to go somewhere warm, “Sure you don't want to go to Florida, doc?” / in the movie this is reversed and he asks Danny if he wants something cold, “How'd you like some ice cream, Doc?”
In the novel Dick Hallorann says that Bill Watson (page 52) is the “foulest-talking man” he’d ever seen / in the movie Bill Watson is a nice guy.
In the novel (page 53) Dick Hallorann said, "If you're a drinkin’ man, I hope you brought your own supplies. That place is picked clean. Employee's party last night, you know. Every maid and bellhop in the place is going around with a headache today, me included." / in the novel it's Mr. Ullman that says, “I'm afraid you're not going to do too well here unless you've brought your own supplies. We always remove all the booze from the premises when we shut down, that reduces the insurance that we would normally have to carry.
Chapter 11
In the novel, (page 54) in a dream Tony tells Danny not to go to The Overlook and he shows him things throughout the story / in the movie Tony won’t tell Danny anything choosing to show him cryptic images that he (and the audience) never fully understands.
In the novel (page 46 and 142) there’s a topiary with hedge animals that protect (page 284) The Overlook, and they’re positioned in the front of the hotel / in the movie it’s a hedge maze in the rear of the hotel, and the animals from the novel are hidden throughout the movie in Danny's toys.
In the novel Danny first sees “Redrum” in a vision as “green fire” (page 23) / in the movie it’s written in blood red lipstick and if you look closely Danny never sees it, Tony does.
In the novel, Danny’s thoughts come to him in colors (page 21) / in the movie they are visions.
In the novel, Danny (page 54) has the most power to “Shine” followed by Dick Hallorann. Wendy has very little (page 60) and Jack has none (page 170). Dick Hallorann also meets up with a snow plow driver and a woman on a plane who also “Shine” / in the movie it’s brilliantly hidden but almost every character has some ability to “Shine”.
In the novel Dick Hallorann has his long conversation with Danny outside in his car (page 55) / in the movie it’s inside The Overlook’s kitchen.
In Dick Hallorann's car Danny asks, "Am I the only one you ever met?" "No, child, no. But you shine the hardest." (page 55) / he never says anything in the film.
In the novel Dick Hallorann tells Danny that he’s only met about a dozen people throughout his life who knew they could “Shine” (page 55) / in the movie at first he knows no one else except Danny even though there are others with this ability around him.
In the novel Dick Hallorann tests Danny’s ability in his car, "What do you want me to think?" "Anything. Just think it hard." "You shine on, boy. Harder than anyone I ever met in my life.” (page 56) / in the movie he never does this.
In the novel Dick Hallorann tells this to Danny, "What you got, son, I call it shinin’ on, the Bible calls it having visions, and there's scientists that call it precognition. I've read up on it, son. I've studied on it. They all mean seeing the future. Do you understand that?" / in the movie he gives a much simpler explanation.
In the novel Dick Hallorann smells “oranges” when he “Shines” and gets a premonition (page 59, 213 & 215 & 267) / in the movie he doesn’t.
In the novel Dick Hallorann brings up room 217 as he talks to Danny in his car (page 59) / in the movie it’s Danny that brings up room 237 in the kitchen.
Dick Hallorann asks this question in the novel, ""Your folks, they don't shine, do they?" "No, I don't think so." "I tried them like I did you,"... "Your momma jumped the tiniest
bit... Your dad ... "I don't think he shines at all," (page 60) / in the film he doesn't know unless someone reaches out and "Shines" at him if they have this ability.
In the novel Dick Hallorann’s important line to Danny is, “I don't think there's anything here that can hurt you. So just be cool, okay?" (page 60) / in the movie his important line is, “Remember what Mr. Hallorann said. It's just like pictures in a book, Danny. It isn't real.”
In the novel Dick Hallorann says, “they're just like pictures in a book” (Page 60 & 150) / in the movie Dick Hallorann never says this. If you look closely it’s Tony that says it to Danny as he moves his index finger; “Remember what Mr. Hallorann said. It's just like pictures in a book, Danny. It isn't real.”
Chapter 12
In the novel Danny is much closer to Jack and Wendy is jealous (page 61 & page 166) / in the movie he’s much closer to Wendy.
In the novel Dick Hallorann says this to Danny, "If there is trouble ... you give a call.” (page 61) There is trouble and Tony (page 209) tells Danny to call him, Danny calls several times, and Dick Hallorann comes and saves them / in the movie he still saves them but he never says this and Danny never calls. It’s Jack that calls him now, and he does it only once.
In the novel The Overlook has a breathtaking view, "This is... the Presidential Suite."... The sitting room's wide western exposure made them all gasp, which had probably been Ullman's intention. He smiled. "Quite a view, isn't it?" (page 64) / in the film we never see any of this "view".
In the novel The Overlook itself is the maze, “Mr. Ullman showed them some other rooms on the third floor, leading them through corridors that twisted and turned like a maze.” (page 65) / in the movie it’s only the Hedge Maze that’s a literal maze, The Overlook actually has quite a simple layout mostly going around in circles with a few long hallways, and no one ever gets lost in it.
In the novel Danny sees a dead woman in the tub (page 149) and he also sees a vision of the aftermath of a murder in the presidential suite (page 64 & 169). But Danny never sees the Grady girls / in the movie this is reversed and he only sees the Grady girls.
In the novel Danny sees room 217 during the tour with Mr. Ullman (page 66) / in the movie he finds room 237 on his own.
In the novel there are twin beds in their apartment (page 66) / in the movie there’s only one.
In the novel Danny sleeps on the top of his bunk bed (page 67) / in the movie he has a regular bed.
Chapter 13
In the novel Jack does a lot of work in The Overlook / in the movie it’s Wendy that we see doing all the work. Jack never does anything.
In the novel The Overlook opens again on May 12 / in the movie it's May 15.
Part Three - The Wasps' Nest
Chapter 14
In the novel Jack has writer's block that seems to disappear during his stay in The Overlook (page 71) / in the film he has no writers block, his writings just don't make sense.
Jack uses 1 Underwood typewriter in the novel (page 71) / in the movie he uses 2 Adler Eagles.
Jack actually writes in the novel (page 71 & 81). He’s working on two projects 1) a play and 2) a novel on the history of the Overlook / in the movie Jack is working on one sentence, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Jack smokes in the novel (page 84) / we never see him smoke in the movie.
In the novel Danny’s episode while brushing his teeth at the sink happens in their Overlook apartment (page 86) / in the movie it happens in the bathroom of the apartment in Boulder.
In the novel during Danny’s episode as he brushes his teeth Tony appears to him in the mirror (page 86) / in the movie this is reversed and he only talks when he moves his index finger while Danny looks in the mirror.
In the novel Danny says, "You'd never hurt Mommy, would you, Daddy?" in his bedroom on his bed (page 87) / in the movie he says this in Wendy and Jack’s bedroom on their bed.
In the novel Jack says “God how I need a drink” for the first time in Danny’s room (page 87) / in the movie he says it to Lloyd in the Gold Room.
Jack has several tics in the novel that are symptoms of his alcoholism (wiping his lips – page 131 & 168, chewing Excedrin – page 121) / these are left out in the movie and there are no visible effects of his alcoholism.
In the novel Jack mentions that he doesn’t like the hotel (page 93) / this never happens in the novel.
In the novel Jack, "stood in the darkness for a moment, thinking, wanting a drink. Suddenly the hotel seemed full of a thousand stealthy sounds: creakings and groans... " / in the movie The Overlook never makes a sound.
Chapter 17
In the novel Danny’s, "stripped to his underpants, lying on the examination table." / none of this happens in the film as Danny is wearing a sweater and lying in his own bed as he is examined.
In the novel Danny’s pediatrician gives him an EEG (page 93) / in the movie his pediatrician just talks to him.
In the novel Danny’s pediatrician, Bill Edmonds asks him if he smelled “oranges” when he passed out (page 94) / in the movie his pediatrician doesn’t ask this.
In the novel Danny tells his pediatrician that he sees Tony at a distance (page 95 &21) and in the novel Tony gradually gets closer / in the movie this is reversed and he will not talk about Tony.
In the novel Danny tells his pediatrician, “All I can remember when I wake up is REDRUM." (page 96) / in the movie he tells Dick Hallorann, “I can’t remember everything”.
In the novel Danny’s pediatrician talks to him about “Redrum” (page 97) / in the movie he doesn’t talk about “Redrum” with anyone.
In the novel Tony shows Danny a vision of Jack looking into The Overlook’s scrapbook in the basement (page 97) and he tries to tell Jack not to open it. / in the movie this scrapbook is seen open on Jack’s desk but the audience doesn’t really know where it came from or how significant it is.
In the novel Danny tells Dr. Edmonds that he has “The Shining” (page 99) / in the movie he never mentions the word.
In the novel Dr. Edmonds mentions Dr. Freud (page 100) / in preparation for the movie Mr. Kubrick reads Dr. Freud.
In the novel Danny “poured the can of beer all over the pages” of Jack’s manuscript (page 100) / in the movie Danny had “had thrown all [Jack’s] papers all over the floor”.
In the novel Jack tells Dr. Edmonds about the time that he hurt Danny (page 100) / in the movie this is reversed and Wendy tells it to the pediatrician.
As they speak about Danny’s special abilities with Dr. Edmonds in the novel, Wendy mentions that Danny, "was born with a caul (page 101), “a simple tissue of membrane… a tissue that the old wives' tales said betokened the second sight“ (page 133) / this, as well as second sight, is not mentioned in the movie.
Chapter 18
In the novel Jack finds, “the scrapbook on the first of November… in the basement” (page 104) / in the movie there is no basement as the two boilers are on the same floor as the lobby.
In the novel Jack finds the scrapbook in the basement and thinks about writing a novel about The Overlook’s colorful past (page 106), and stops writing his play (page 177) / in the movie he just types the same sentence over, and over, and over again.
Chapter 19
In the novel Danny’s favorite lunch is, “a cheese and bologna sandwich plus Campbell's Bean Soup” (page 115) / in the movie his favorite is “French Fries and Ketchup.”
In the novel Danny’s curiosity lures him to room 217 (page 116) / in the movie this is reversed as it’s now Jack, via his yellow rubber ball, that lures Danny to room 237.
In the novel Danny (page 116) and Dick Hallorann (page 217) use the passkey to unlock the door and get into room 217 / in the movie he doesn’t unlock it as the door of room 237 is already opened when he walks up to it with the red room key in the lock.
In the novel three items move because of The Overlook’s power (the Hedge Animals - page 143, the fire hose - page 119, and the elevator – page 202 & 259) and, “It only happens when you’re not looking.” / in the movie props move or change color continuously right before our eyes, while were looking (but interestingly the Hedge Maze, the fire hose, and the elevators never budge an inch).
Chapter 20
In the novel Jack calls Mr. Ullman (page 124) who wants to immediately fire him (page 125)/ in the movie we only see Wendy make a phone call.
Chapter 21
In the novel Steven King puts in, “Can you see the Indians in this picture?” (page 133) / in the movie Stanley Kubrick puts Indian artwork in almost every scene.
In the novel Jack smokes (page 28, 128 & 144) / in the movie Jack has cigarettes on his desk but we only see Wendy smoke.
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
In the novel’s basement (page 147) Jack finds, “something that seemed to be a poem, scribbled on the back of a menu in dark pencil: "Medoc, are you here? I've been sleepwalking again, my dear. The plants are moving under the rug." This is a description of what’s also happening to Jack- - sleepwalking and seeing thing move by themselves. / in the film this doesn’t happen.
In the novel Danny goes into room 217 on page 149, almost exactly half way through the novel and watched his double in the mirror / in the movie Jack goes into room 237 at the exact halfway point.
In the novel Danny sees the old woman in room 217 (page 149) and Jack sees that the tub was, “dry as a bone” (page 172). / in the movie it‘s Jack who sees 2 women in the tub of room 237.
“I don't think they can hurt you ... they're like pictures in a book ... close your eyes and they'll be gone.” Is Dick Hallorann’s line to Danny in the novel (page 150), and if you notice it’s not definite, “I don't think…” / In the movie the line is changed to, “Remember what Mr. Hallorann said. It's just like pictures in a book, Danny. It isn't real.”, and this statement is quite definite.
Part Four - Snowbound
Chapter 26
In the novel the manager lures Jack into the basement and he decides to write a novel about The Overlook (page 151); “He would write it because the Overlook had enchanted him — could any other explanation be so simple or so true? He would write it for the reason he felt that all great literature, fiction and nonfiction, was written: truth comes out, in the end it always comes out. He would write it because he felt he had to.” / in the movie this is all inverted as Jack writes nothing but nonsense. He isn’t even a writer.
In the novel The Overlook has the voice of Jack’s father come out of the radio telling him to kill his family, You have to kill him, Jacky, and her too.” (page 155) / in the movie it’s Grady in Jack’s head that tells him this.
In the novel Wendy is awoken as Jack destroys the radio (he hears his father’s voice coming out of it telling him to kill his family - page 155) / in the movie Jack destroys the radio so that they can’t get help and Wendy doesn’t know.
Chapter 27
In the novel Wendy is having a dream before she sees Danny standing, after he’s beat up, “standing at the top of them, still and silent, his unfocused eyes directed out into indifferent
space, his thumb in his mouth…” (page 156) / in the movie it’s Jack that has the dream before they both see Danny, after he’s beat up, at the bottom of the master staircase.
In the novel Jack utterly destroys the CB radio, “The two-way CB radio lay at his feet in a sprinkling of broken glass.” (page 156) / in the movie Jack pulls parts out of it, leaving the rest intact.
In the novel Jack sleepwalks and has a dream that, “it was my mother saying that Daddy was going to be” on the CB radio (page 157) / in the movie Jack’s dream is that he cut his family into little pieces.
In the novel Jack asks Danny what happened after they see him beat up (page 158) / in the movie Wendy asks him what happened.
In the novel Wendy knows that, “Jack had done this, she had no doubt of it. His denials meant nothing to her.” (page 159) but she’s wrong, it’s The Overlook that’s doing everything. “"I never touched him." (page 165) / in the movie Wendy says the same thing but now she’s correct because it is Jack and not The Overlook that beats up Danny.
In the novel we picture, “the stylized batwing doors of the Colorado Lounge” / in the movie there is no old western style to The Overlook.
In the novel Wendy use a butcher knife (page 160 & 223) / in the movie it’s a regular knife.
Chapter 28
In the novel Jack sees, “Men and women in costume, here a glittering princess, there a high-booted cavalier” (page 161) / in the movie it’s not a costume party that Jack imagines in his mind.
“White man's burden, Lloyd my man” is mentioned in the novel (page 162) / the difference in the movie is that “White man's burden” is doubled and repeated twice.
In the novel the first time Jack speaks to Lloyd (page 162) Stephen King writes it in such a way that we know that Jack is not actually speaking to Lloyd face-to-face / in the movie they always speak face-to-face.
In the novel Jack asks Lloyd for 20 martinis (page 162) / in the movie he asks for Bourbon (Jack Daniels, an obvious play on words).
In the novel, “Jack contemplated the twenty imaginary drinks” (page 163) / in the movie he gets one real drink (you’ll need to go back to the main blog to understand this).
In the novel Jack has “a cold certainty… that he was losing his mind.” (page 164) / in the movie it seems obvious that the thought never crossed his mind.
In the novel it’s Danny that tells Jack about the old woman in the room and Wendy is present, “Danny's face went dark. ‘Her,’ he said. ‘The woman in that room. In 217. The dead lady." (page 164 & 168) / in the movie Wendy tells Jack about the old woman and Danny is not present.
In the novel Wendy and Jack have their discussion about Danny at the bar, with Danny being present, “"Jack, we have to get him off the mountain.” (page 165) / in the movie they have the conversation in the apartment as Danny sleeps in his bedroom.
In the novel it’s Danny that tells his parents that he “Shines” and that, “"Mr. Hallorann said I had the best shine of anyone he ever met. We could talk back and forth to each other without hardly opening our mouths." (page 168) / in the movie he never tells them anything about it.
In the novel Danny also mentions the room number 217 to his parents (page 168) / in the movie and Wendy never mentions the important room number (217) to Jack when he asks her, “Which room was it?”
In the novel Danny says this, "Mr. Hallorann got me alone because he was worried… He said this was a bad place for people who shine. He said he'd seen things.” (page 169) / in the movie Dick Hallorann never sees anything.
Chapter 29
In the novel Danny says this about his father to Wendy, "He'll be all right. He doesn't shine. Nothing here can hurt him." (page 170) / in the movie it’s obvious that this is reversed and Jack has the same ability to “Shine”. “Not things that anyone can notice, but things that people who 'shine' can see." It should come as no surprise to anyone that by the very definition Stanley Kubrick gives us of the “Shine” in his story, Jack also possesses this ability to “notice… things”.
Chapter 30
In the novel the key opens every door in The Overlook, “The door to Room 217 was ajar, and the passkey hung from the lock on its white paddle.” (page 171). / in the movie this is reversed as it’s now a red room key that only opens one door.
In the novel, “Nothing in the Overlook frightened him. [Jack} felt that he and it were simpatico.” (page 171). / in the movie this is reversed as Jack says, “I love it.” But still almost pukes when he sees the old woman.
In the novel there are two references to cannibalism. The first is the Donner party (page 42 & 50), and the second is about the rugby players (page 171). / in the movie there is only one reference, the Donner party.
In the novel Danny (page 149), Jack (page 172), and Dick Hallorann (page 217) all pull the shower curtain back in the bathroom of room 217. / In the movie this is reversed and it’s the young woman who pulls the shower curtain back in room 237.
In the novel Jack doesn’t see the dead woman in room 217, Danny does, (page 173) “[Jack] turned off the light with a fumbling gesture, stepped out into the hall, and pulled the door shut without looking back. From inside, he seemed to hear an odd wet thumping sound, far off, dim, as if something had just scrambled belatedly out of the tub, as if to greet a caller… “ / in the movie this is all reversed and it’s Jack that sees the woman in room 237 and if you look closely Danny doesn’t.
In the novel Jack (page 174) pull the shower curtain back in the bathroom of room 217. / In the movie this is reversed and it’s the young woman who pulls the shower curtain back.
Chapter 31
In the novel Jack tells Wendy there is no woman in room 217 in the kitchen / in the movie he tells her in their bedroom.
Chapter 32
In the novel Wendy sits with Jack while he writes (page 175) / in the movie this is reversed and Wendy is nowhere near him as he ‘works’.
In the novel Wendy says, “I worry about his teeth and his eyesight and about this thing, what he calls his shine. I worry.” (page 178) / in the movie Wendy doesn’t know about the “Shine”, she only knows about Tony.
In the novel Jack admits that he broke the radio and is ashamed (page 178) / in the movie this is reversed and he’s happy about it and taunts Wendy.
In the novel Wendy is the first to realize and says this about The Overlook, “something in this hotel seems to want him. And it will go through us to get him if it has to.” (page 178) / in the movie Wendy knows nothing because the hotel wants nothing.
Jack is possessed by the Overlook and makes a progressive change throughout the novel / in the movie he goes mad but appears a little off right from the start. The Overlook doesn’t possess him but just happened to be the place where all this occurs.
In the novel Wendy and Jack have a normal sexual relationship (page 178) / in the movie there is no sexual relationship.
In the novel Jack says that Danny has a “talent” and” maybe the Overlook has something, too." (page 180) / in the movie it’s Grady that talks about Danny’s talent, “Your son has a very great talent.” And it’s Dick Hallorann that says that The Overlook has, “something about it that's like “Shining”.
In the novel Wendy says, “"What got at him?"… "The marks on his neck, Jack. Those are real." And Jack replies, "I can think of two explanations for those. And neither of them involves a fourth party in the hotel." (page 181) / in the movie Stanley Kubrick leaves us with a picture of a July “fourth party” that remains “in the hotel”, for ever, and ever, and ever.
In the novel Jack has an explanation about the marks on Danny’s neck (page 181). He believes it may be a Stigmata / in the movie this is never mentioned.
In the novel Jack agrees that Danny should be taken out of the hotel (page 184 & 201). / in the novel he doesn’t.
In the novel Jack says this (page 184) “…if they didn't go down, if they could somehow stick it out. The play would get finished. One way or the other, he would tack an ending onto it. His own uncertainty about his characters might add an appealing touch of ambiguity to his original ending.” / in the movie Stanley Kubrick amplifies on this and “tacks” on the most ambiguous “original ending” in the history of movies.
In the novel it says this (page 187) “When he woke up he was standing in the bathroom of 217… been walking in my sleep again” / in the movie Jack only goes into room 237 once and he doesn’t sleepwalk.
Chapter 33
In the novel we see the Roque mallet that Jack will later use to attack his family in the equipment shed (page 187) / in the movie the ax just appears in Jack’s hands and we never know where he got it from. The only other ax seen in the movie is in the scene where Danny has a vision of the dead Grady sisters.
In the novel there is a yellow “Bombardier Skidoo” (page 188) in the equipment shed. / in the movie there is a red Snow-cat in the garage. And these two devices are quite different.
In the novel Jack has to fix the Bombardier Skidoo so that they can get down to Sidewinder (page 189)*. He ends up finding the “magneto” and The Overlook makes him throw it away (page 193). / In the movie this is reversed, the Snow-cat already works and he cuts the distributor cap wires to disable it.
*This is a tremendous plot era in the novel because there’s no way a manager as thorough as Mr. Ullman would’ve let these three people stay in The Overlook all winter with a Skidoo, possibly their only way to safety, that wasn’t in working condition.
In the novel Jack is the second to realize “in that instant, kneeling there, everything came clear to him. It was not just Danny the Overlook was working on. It was working on him, too. It wasn't Danny who was the weak link, it was him. He was the vulnerable one, the one who could be bent and twisted until something snapped… The hotel wanted Danny” (page 191). / in the movie Jack doesn’t seem to realize anything and the hotel wants nothing.
In the novel there is only one important black and white picture mentioned (page 191) and after seeing what it is Jack realizes that “He would be damned. He would be in hell with the sinners.” / in the movie there’s only one important black and white picture where Jack ends up “damned… in hell with the sinners.”
Chapter 34
In the novel Danny’s neck heals (page 194) / in the movie it doesn’t.
In the novel Dick Hallorann had “told him to stay away from the topiary” (page 195) and Room 217 “… I want you to promise me you won't go in there, Danny. Not all winter. Steer right clear” (page 60). And Danny disobeys both times. / in the movie he only tells him one thing that he’s not supposed to do. He doesn’t disobey him, if you look very closely he doesn’t actually go into room 237.
In the novel Danny sees the hedge dog move (page 197), the fire hose move (page 133), and the elevator move (page 202) / in the movie he doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary move.
In the novel Danny never sees the Grady girls and the line, “Come play with me... forever. And forever. And forever” (page 197) is said by one unseen child in the playground. “something is in here with me… Yes. Yes. There was something in here with him” (page 196) / in the movie this is reversed and he sees the Grady girls, twice.
In the novel Danny sees the ghost of a child outside The Overlook, “Now, in spite of the snow-dazzle, he thought he could see something there. Something moving. A hand. The waving hand of some desperately unhappy child, waving hand, pleading hand, drowning hand.” / in the movie this is reversed and he sees a vision of the twins inside The Overlook.
In the novel (page 197), “…come play with me... forever, and forever, and forever” is nine words / in the movie the same line, “Come play with us Danny, for ever, and ever, and ever” is 11 words. And this line is never included in the novel, “I wish we could stay here forever... and ever... and ever.”
In the novel, “[Danny] began to walk out of the playground… The green indentations that were their eyes were fixed on him. The dog had turned its head… It only happens when you're not looking.” / In the movie “It only happens when” we're “not looking.”
In the novel Danny is attacked by the Hedge Animals which protect the hotel (page 199) / in the movie the Hedge Animals are cleverly dispersed throughout the movie in his toys, and they protect Danny.
In the novel Danny cries (page 199) / in the movie he never does.
Chapter 35
In the novel Jack hits Danny (page 201 & 221) / in the movie this is reversed and he never does.
Chapter 36
In the novel there’s one elevator with a, “diamond- shaped window” that they can look into (page 203), and a grey metal door (page 205) / in the movie there’s two set of twin red elevators, one stuck on floors 1 and 2 and the others stuck on floors 1 and 4, and none of the elevators have any windows.
In the novel Danny, as well as the others, hears the party (page 204) / in the movie he doesn’t.
In the novel Wendy actually finds physical confetti from the party (page 205) / in the movie Jack has a vision of confetti and balloons that are not real as they disappear when Wendy goes into the lobby and sees Dick Hallorann’s dead body.
In the novel The Overlook has a, “blue-black jungle carpet” (page 205) / in the movie The Overlook has an orange/brown/red design.
Chapter 37
In the novel Danny finds a “silver key” (page 206) that he turns inadvertently winding up The Overlook towards it’s destruction / in the movie Jack turns the red key in the door of room 237 moving things towards his own destruction.
In the novel The Overlook’s Ballroom has “small, intimate tables for two” (page 207) / in the movie The Overlook’s Ballroom has small, intimate tables for four.
In the novel, “here in the Overlook things just went on and on. Here in the Overlook all times were one. There was an endless night in August of 1945…” (page 207) / in the movie The Overlook’s party lasts only one evening – the last night they are there.
In the novel Danny has a vision of Jack’s attack before it happens (page 208) / in the movie he doesn’t.
Part Five - Matters of Life and Death
Chapter 38
In the novel Tony disappears (page 209) and cant help Danny any more (page 221) / in the movie this is reversed and Danny disappears and becomes possessed by Tony.
In the novel Danny has a toy Volkswagen called the, “Violent Violet Volkswagen” (page 209) / in the movie he has no toy Volkswagen.
In the novel Danny sees “Redrum” in “the medicine cabinet mirror,” in the bathroom (page 209) and the date is December 2 / in the movie this is reversed and Wendy sees “Redrum” in the bedroom vanity mirror, and no date is given.
In the novel, Dick Hallorann recounts the time he entered room 217 and saw Mrs. Massey’s dead body in the tub (page 217) / in the movie he never mentions going into the room to Danny and he seems to know nothing about it at all.
In the novel, Dick Hallorann knows about the, “costume party” and the moving, “hedge animals” and Mrs. Massey’s dead body in the tub. (page 217) / in the movie he knows nothing about anything out of the ordinary.
In the novel Dick Hallorann calls the airline from a shopping center Laundromat in Florida (page 218), and calls the Park Rangers from the airport (page 230) / in the movie he never calls the airline and calls the Park Rangers from home.
Chapter 39
In the novel Danny plays with his red rubber ball (page 220) / in the movie Jack plays with his yellow rubber ball.
In the novel The Overlook wants Danny and tricks Jack into thinking that it wants him also (page 221). And he finally realizes that it doesn’t want him (page 234) / in the movie The Overlook doesn’t want anything.
In the novel The Overlook tries to make Jack hurt them (page 221) / in the movie this is reversed. Jack loses his mind and wants to hurt his family.
In the novel Wendy gets the knife from the kitchen before her fight with Jack where he’s locked in the storeroom (page 222) / in the movie this is reversed and she gets the knife after a fight with Jack when he’s locked in the storeroom.
In the novel Wendy keeps a “butcher knife” under the bed (page 223) / in the movie a steak knife never leaves her side.
Chapter 40
In the novel a little bit of Jack lingers till the end of the novel (page 224) / in the movie the old Jack disappears.
Chapter 41
In the novel Danny sees the future several times (page 227) / in the movie we never realize whether he can actually see the future or not.
In the novel Danny sees “Dogman” (page 228) / in the movie Wendy sees a vision of him.
In the novel, "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin" and “I’ll huff and I’ll puff” are said by “Dogman” (page 228) / in the movie they’re said by Jack and the man in the dog costume is in one very mysterious shot where he says absolutely nothing.
In the novel Danny goes back to the bedroom and realizes, “The hotel was running things now.” (page 229) / in the movie Jack is running things.
Mid-Air
Chapter 42
In the novel Dick Hallorann flies TWA (page 230) / even the airline has been altered, in the movie he flies Continental.
In the novel Dick Hallorann calls the emergency number of the Rocky Mountain National Park Authority and gives a false name and is put on hold (page 230) / In the film he never lies about anything and talks directly without being on hold.
In the novel the ranger asks Dick Hallorann, "May I ask how you've come by this information, sir?" and, "If you're not in Colorado, you're not in CB range of the Overlook Hotel. If you're not in CB range you can't possibly have been in contact with the, uh ..."(page 231) / In the film no one asks him this question and he never has to answer it.
Chapter 43
In the novel Lloyd says, “The manager… expects to see to your son's well-being himself. He is very interested in your son. Danny is a talented boy." (page 234) / in the movie The Overlook is not interested in Danny except to get rid of him, and it’s Grady, a figment of Jack’s imagination, that says, “Your son has a very great talent.”
In the novel Jack thinks to himself, “practically sold my soul” for the manager (page 234) / in the movie Jack sells his soul, “God, I'd give anything for a drink… my God dam soul, just a glass of beer.”
In the novel (page 234) Jack, “took his wallet out and laid a twenty carefully on the bar.” / in the movie Jack thinks he has 2 tens and 2 twenties in his wallet, but actually has nothing in there.
Here’s another glaring plot error in the novel; Dick Hallorann knows who can “Shine” and who can’t yet he’s conveniently unaware of the fact that he’s working in a place where the manager is the devil / in the movie a similar problem occurs when he’s conveniently unable to see his bleak future (that he has the ability to foresee) as he walks right into an ax.
In the novel Lloyd is somewhat of a horror, “...his eyes were socketed in shadow and his skin was horribly white, like the skin of a corpse.” (page 234)- “[his] face seemed to be running, changing, becoming something pestilent. The white skin becoming a hepatitic yellow, cracking. Red sores erupting on the skin, bleeding foul smelling liquid. Droplets of blood sprang out on [his] forehead like sweat…” (page 235) / in the movie he looks quite normal, all dressed in red.
In the novel, Jack asks himself, “What could they want with his son? What could they want with Danny?” (page 234) / in the movie The Overlook wants nothing.
In the novel Lloyd says, "Drink your drink, Mr. Torrance," (page 235) / in the movie Jack needs no help drinking his drink.
In the novel, the devil is obviously the manager of The Overlook and it seems the place may be a portal to hell (page 235) / in the movie none of this is clear and Lloyd may be the devil himself inside Jack’s head.
Chapter 44
In the novel, Delbert Grady is rolling a drink cart and doesn’t spill anything on Jack in the Colorado lounge bar (page 239) / in the movie Grady bumps into Jack and spills a drink on him.
In the novel Jack knows Delbert Grady immediately (page 239) / in the movie he realizes that he has seen him later on in the bathroom.
In the novel we have, "The manager," Grady said. "The hotel, sir. Surely you realize who hired you, sir." "No," he said thickly. "No, I ... " "I believe you must take it up further with your son, Mr. Torrance, sir. He understands everything, (page 239) / in the movie Danny knows nothing.
In the novel, Delbert Grady speaks to Jack at the Colorado lounge bar (with no mirrors present) (page 239) / in the movie Jack speaks to Grady in the bathroom of the Gold Room looking into several mirrors.
In the novel Delbert Grady says, “…the manager takes care of his help. He finds that it pays. Education always pays, don't you agree, sir?" "Yes," Jack said dazedly. "For instance, you show a great interest in learning more about the Overlook Hotel. Very wise of you, sir. Very noble. A certain scrapbook was left in the basement for you to find — " "By whom?" Jack asked eagerly. "By the manager, of course.” (page 241) / in the movie we see a scrapbook on Jack’s desk but it’s not clear as to what it is or where it came from.
In the novel Jack realizes that, “They wanted him to sacrifice his son.” (page 241) / in the movie if The Overlook wants anything, it wants Jack.
In the novel Jack thinks to himself, “…there was no back bar mirror. Now he was glad. Looking into it he would have seen just another drunk fresh off the wagon: bloody nose, untucked shirt, hair rumpled, cheeks stubbly.” (page 243) / in the movie whenever he sees a vision Jack is staring into a mirror and talking to himself.
Chapter 45
In the novel Dick Hallorann, “felt a fatalistic certainty that he would not be coming back from this trip.” yet he does (page 248) / in the movie even though he “Shines” he has no such feeling and dies.
Chapter 46
In the novel Jack has the conversation with Wendy about his responsibilities at the bar (page 252) / in the movie they have it in the Colorado lounge.
In the novel Jack tries to strangle Wendy (page 253) / in the movie he doesn’t touch her.
In the novel Danny tries (page 253) to stop Jack and Wendy from fighting / in the movie he doesn’t.
In the novel Wendy hits Jack with a wine bottle (page 253) / in the movie it’s a baseball bat.
In the novel Danny hears ghosts in the hotel (page 254) / in the movie he doesn’t hear anything as it’s all in their minds and there aren’t any ghosts in the hotel.
In the novel it's Danny's idea to lock Jack in the pantry (page 255) / in the movie it's Wendy's idea to lock him in the storeroom.
In the novel both Danny and Wendy drag Jack to the storeroom (page 255) / in the movie only Wendy does and Danny is not there.
In the novel Wendy thinks, “it was Danny's shine that was powering it, the way a battery powers the electrical equipment in a car.” (page 255) / in the movie Wendy knows nothing.
In the novel Wendy says, “if your friend Dick comes” to Danny (page 255) / in the movie Wendy doesn’t know he’s coming to save them.
In the novel Danny locks the storeroom door (page 257) / in the movie Wendy locks the storeroom door.
In the novel Jack says this to Danny, "You mind your daddy, Danny! You do what I say! You do it or I'll give you a hiding you'll never forget. Open this door or I'll bash your fucking brains in!" (page 257) / in the movie Jack says it to Wendy only.
In the novel both Danny and Jack (page 257) believe that The Overlook wants them / in the movie neither mentions this, and The Overlook wants neither of them.
Chapter 47
In the novel Wendy knows that Danny tries to contact Dick Hallorann (page258) / in the movie she knows nothing about "Shining".
In the novel both Danny and Wendy hear the sound of Jack trying to get out of the pantry, “up the dumb-waiter shaft” (page 258) / in the movie they only hear him after he escapes.
In the novel both Danny and Wendy realize that, “The Overlook was coming to life around them.” (page 259) / in the movie The Overlook never makes a sound.
Chapter 48
In the novel Jack thinks that Wendy is, “…trying to destroy his last and best chance: to become a member of the Overlook's staff, and possibly to rise ... all the way to the position of manager…” (page 261 & 284) / in the movie he may have made it as he appears to be “the manager” in the final picture.
In the novel Grady says this, “You let them lock you in?" Grady's voice registered well-bred surprise. "Oh, dear. A woman half your size and a little boy? Hardly sets you off as being of top managerial timber, does it?" (page 261) / in the movie nothing about Jack being manager is ever mentioned.
In the novel, Grady says, “You would bring us your son?” (page 262) / in the movie Grady isn’t interested in Danny except to kill him.
In the novel, Grady is a real apparition and physically opens the door letting Jack out of the storeroom (page 262) / in the movie Grady is in Jack’s mind and Jack (having the ability to “Shine”) lets himself out.
In the novel (page 262) after letting him out of the storeroom Grady leaves the Roque mallet for Jack, “The kitchen was empty. Grady was gone… His eyes caught on the large chopping block where the three of them had eaten their meals. Standing on top of it was a martini glass, a fifth of gin, and a plastic dish filled with olives. Leaning against it was one of the Roque mallets from the equipment shed” / in the movie the ax just appears in Jack’s hands.
Chapter 49
In the novel very few people have the ability to “Shine”, and Dick Hallorann only meets three (page 266) / in the movie this is reversed and all of them “Shine”. The Overlook may very well attract people with this special power.
In the novel a snow plow driver asks Dick Hallorann “It's funny. Ain't no way you could know someone's in trouble up there at the Overlook ... the phone's out, sure as hell. But I believe you. Sometimes I get feelins’.” (page 266) / in the movie no one seems to wonder about this.
In the novel The Overlook can “Shine” also and tries to scare Dick Hallorann out of coming back (page 267) / in the movie it can’t and doesn’t.
Chapter 50
In the novel Wendy goes back down to the storeroom to check on Jack (page 270) / in the movie she doesn’t.
In the novel Wendy screams when the clock strikes 12 and the lights in the ballroom come on (page 272) / in the movie Wendy screams when she has a vision of the old gentleman who says, “Great party, isn’t it”.
In the novel Wendy and Jack fight in the hallway (page 272) / in the movie everything happens in their apartment.
In the novel both Jack, when he is stabbed (page 273) and Wendy, with broken ribs when she is hit in the stomach (page 272) are severely injured in their fight / in the movie Jack is only slightly injured with a nasty limp, a small lump on his head and a cut hand. And Wendy is not injured at all.
Chapter 51
In the novel Larry Durkin is white (page 274) / in the movie he’s black.
In the novel Larry Durkin (page 266) doesn’t know Dick Hallorann (page 274) and does know Danny and Jack (page 275) / in the movie it’s the opposite, he knows Dick Hallorann and doesn’t know Danny or Jack.
In the novel Larry Durkin gives Dick Hallorann (page 275) an unenclosed ArcticCat snowmobile / in the movie he gives him an enclosed Sno-cat.
In the novel Larry Durkin tells Dick Hallorann (page 275) that it, “looked to me like the two of ‘em was just about as tight as they could get. That's one little boy that loves his daddy” / in the movie they aren’t and Danny is closer to Wendy.
In the novel Dick Hallorann “Shines” and sees several visions on his way up to The Overlook (page 277) / in the movie he doesn’t.
Chapter 52
In the novel Wendy sees, “a man with a green ghoul-mask on” and he says, "Great party, isn't it?" (page 279) / in the movie an old bloody gentleman, who physically looks like the description of Overlook owner Horace Derwent in the novel (page 107), says it.
In the novel Jack opens their apartment door with a key (page 280) / in the movie he uses an ax.
In the novel Wendy is in the bathroom alone (page 280) / in the movie this is reversed and Wendy is in the bathroom with Danny.
In the novel Jack uses a Roque mallet on the bathroom door (page 281) / in the movie it’s an ax.
In the novel Wendy forgets the knife in the bedroom and cuts Jack’s hand with a razor blade (page 281) / in the movie she cut him with the knife.
In the novel Jack trashes the bedroom (page 281) / in the movie he just trashes the doors.
In the novel there doesn’t seem to be a bathroom window and Wendy hears Dick Hallorann’s motor through the bedroom window (page 282) / in the movie she hears him through the bathroom window.
Chapter 53
In the novel the Hedge Animals guard The Overlook (page 284) / in the movie The Hedge Maze guards Danny from Jack.
In the novel Dick Hallorann has to open the front door of The Overlook (page 285) / in the movie it’s the opposite as he finds the door already opened.
In the novel Dick Hallorann runs up the stairs to get to the first floor, “Jack had been hiding in the elevator when Hallorann came up the stairs.” (page 285) / in the movie he stays on the ground floor and Jack never goes into the elevator.
In the novel Danny hides from Jack on the 3rd floor (page 285) / in the movie he hides on the ground floor.
Chapter 54
In the novel Tony mysteriously reappears at the end to help Danny (page 286) / in the movie this is reversed, he mysteriously disappears and is no help to Danny at all in the end.
In the novel Tony is part of Danny subconscious, “I'm a part of you, Danny" (page 287). He protects him, is a part of him, and never possesses him / in the movie this is reversed and Tony is a separate Doppelganger who actually possesses Danny at one point.
In the novel Tony says to Danny, “your father... he's with the hotel now, Danny. It's where he wants to be…” (page 288) / in the movie Jack is never with the hotel until the last shot, “forever, and ever, and ever”.
In the novel Tony can be seen by Danny, “And now Tony stood directly in front of him, and looking at Tony was like looking into a magic mirror and seeing himself in ten years, the eyes widely spaced and very dark, the chin firm, the mouth handsomely molded. The hair was light blond like his mother's, and yet the stamp on his features was that of his father, as if Tony — as if the Daniel Anthony Torrance that would someday be — was a halfling caught between father and son, a ghost of both, a fusion.” (page 288) / in the movie Tony is never seen.
Chapter 55
In the novel Danny knows that his father is possessed by The Overlook (page 292) / in the movie this is never shown because it isn’t so.
In the end of the novel Danny meets up with Jack inside The Overlook on the third floor (page 292) / in the movie they never go onto the third floor and the final chase is outside in the Hedge Maze.
In the novel Danny knows that, “... they lie here. Everything is a lie and a cheat.” (page 292) / in the movie because of Stanley Kubrick’s brilliant manipulation this thought never pops into the audiences’ mind at all.
In the novel Jack comes back to Danny for a brief moment, "Doc," Jack Torrance said. "Run away. Quick. And remember how much I love you." (page 294) / in the movie he goes deeper and deeper into insanity and never comes back.
In the novel Jack attacks himself, “destroying the last of Jack Torrance's image”, in front of Danny (page 294) / in the movie this never happens.
In the novel Danny saves himself by saying the truth, “The boiler… It hasn't been dumped since this morning! It's going up! It's going to explode!" (page 295) / in the movie this is reversed and he saves himself by deception as he tricks Jack by walking backwards in his own footprints in the snow.
Chapter 56
In the novel Jack considers himself, “the manager/caretaker” (page 297) / in the movie he may end up being, “the manager/caretaker” after he dies.
In the novel The Overlook wants Danny, “It hurried across the basement and into the feeble yellow glow of the furnace room's only light. It was slobbering with fear. It had been so close, so close to having the boy and the boy's remarkable power.” (page 297) / in the movie The Overlook wants (and gets) nothing at all.
In the novel Jack is burned to death / in the movie we see the opposite as he’s frozen.
In the novel The Overlook blows up leaving Jack dead and very little mystery behind (page 298) / in the movie The Overlook is spared while Jack disappears leaving a big mystery behind (and a place for Danny to return in a sequel).
Here’s another major plot error in the novel. Why didn’t The Overlook blow up when Grady killed himself and his family? There’s no evidence he wasn’t doing his job and the hotel would have blown up earlier if he wasn’t. The Torrance’s have been there in both the novel and the movie for months without anyone checking on them. There’s little chance that Grady’s dead bodies would have been discovered within the 24 hour period that the boiler pressure had to be tapped in order to prevent an explosion.
In the novel “The furnace exploded… [and] the party was over” as the Overlook is destroyed (page 298) / in the movie this is reversed and The Overlook is not destroyed and the party continues on the wall in the last shot (it goes on and on, forever as long as movies are seen).
Chapter 57
In the novel Dick Hallorann sees the spirits as they leave the hotel (page 300) / in the movie The Overlook is psychically inert, not haunted, and we never see any spirits leave. The spooky happenings are all the product of its inhabitants and their ability to “Shine”.
In the novel both Dick Hallorann (page 300) and Jack had episodes in their childhoods were they destroyed wasps nests / in the movie this connection is not there.
In the novel Dick Hallorann (page 302) is possessed for a few moments by The Overlook and thinks of committing murder / in the movie he’s never possessed by The Overlook.
Chapter 58
In the novel the three surviving members end up in Maine and Danny (page 306) believes that it was, “my fault, all my fault’ / in the movie he doesn’t say anything about it.
In the novel Jack was never in The Overlook before and did not continue on as there is no indication that his remains were not found and buried / in the movie he was never there before either. The reversal is that he will never leave as he remains on the wall in that picture, “for ever, and ever, and ever”.
Reincarnation is not a part of the novel and Jack has never been there before / Jack’s possible reincarnation as Grady, a previous caretaker, is hinted at but cannot be proven in the movie.
Here’s some of what Stanley Kubrick left out of the movie.
George Hatfield who Jack beat up at Stovington Prep (page 11 & 74 &185).
“Take your medicine!” (page 24) was Jack’s big line in the novel.
Wendy’s mother (page 28).
Jack’s friend Al Shockley who got him the job at The Overlook (page 28 & 73).
The playground beyond the topiary (page 47).
The wasps (page 70 & 89).
Jack’s alcoholic past (page 73).
“This inhuman place makes human monsters.” (page 98) was one of Danny’s big lines in the novel.
The scrapbook and The Overlook’s past (page 104).
The story about Bluebeard (page 116).
Jack calls Mr. Ullman in Florida, jokes about killing his wife and almost gets fired (page 123).
Jack’s father (page 141).
Jack’s childhood and family background (page 151).
The survivors meet up at the “Red Arrow Lodge” in Maine at the end of the story (page 303).
Friday, December 21, 2007
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