Film poster Analysis and

Research of The Shining (1980)

Mitch Price

The Shining (1980) film poster

The hyperbolic and

metaphorical use of terror
and swept relates to topics
which are relevant to those
of the horror-genre.

The two main characters

are shown in the poster.
The antagonist (Jack
Nicholson) and the
deuteragonist (Shelley
Dunall ,who is the
second character)
The word Shining in the title
of the film could well refer to
the stainless steel weapons
which feature twice in the
movie poster in the form of a
metallic shiny knife and axe.

The female character is shown to

be holding a knife for protection as
her facial expression shows her as
fearful and terrified.

This film is likely to be

filmed and distributed in
America as the strapline
specifically addresses
American audiences.
The viewer is fed a basic
understanding of
character roles in the film
through the facial
expressions ; such as the
female appearing
terrorised. The male
character is shown as
threatening and dangerous
through the preposition of
the axe cutting through a
door to access the woman.

Viewers are made aware that this is likely to be a

film adaptation of a book written by the
novelist Stephen King. Many consumers would
have recognised that this film is about the novel
The Shining.

The X certification of this film production denotes to

the viewer that this film has received the top rating so
will not be suitable for viewers under the age of 18.
The X certificate existed from 1951 to 1982 and was
equivalent to an 18 in current time.

The famous cast would entice audiences who like the work of Jack
Nicholson who is also known for popular productions such as One who
flew over the cuckoos nest (1975). Viewers may have related Nicholsons
work to this film and assume it may be in a genre similar to psychologicalhorror.

Research into the film

Ratings 8.4/10 - IMDb 91% - Rotten Potatoes 4/5 Common Sense Media

Productions budget estimated $19 million.

Genre Horror, secondary sub-genre of Psychological.
Filming dates between May 1978 and April 1979
The film grossed over $44 million in USA alone, with an extra $17.5 million
in Non-USA countries.

Filming locations
The filming locations in this film are:

Glacier National Park, Montana, USA for opening aerial-shot scenes.

Mount Hood, Oregon, USA of Overlook Hotel Exterior shots.
Elstree Studios, Hertfordshire, England.
Colorado, USA
Yosemite National Park, California, USA