The Shining

[spacekid]

Just wondered if anybody else had noticed that the remastered version of The Shining is a lot shorter. From my research it seems that the DVD version is 37 mins shorter than the original. I don't think they cut out scarey bits, but I am curious why they have cut it at all. Anyway the dvd looks great the colours are vivid and the picture looks great overall. Your comments please

[Michael Brooke]

There are various versions of <I>The Shining</I>:

<B>1) Original theatrical release version - 146 mins</B>

This played for a fortnight in the US only, after which Stanley Kubrick decided to cut a two-minute coda because he thought it was interfering with the impact of what is now the film's ending.

<B>2) US theatrical release version and R1 DVD - 144 mins.</B>

See above.

<B>3) International theatrical release version - 119 mins.</B>

After the film's US release garnered mixed reviews and disappointing box-office, Kubrick cut a further 25 minutes from the film - full details are available <A HREF="http://us.imdb.com/AlternateVersions?0081505">here</A> (loads of spoilers, obviously!). With a few exceptions (a National Film Theatre screening, an ITV showing in the early 1990s), all non-American versions of the film will conform to this cut.

<B>4) International PAL video version (including R2/R4 DVD) - 114 mins.</B>

This is identical to the international theatrical release - the discrepancy in running time being caused by the speedup from 24 frames per second (theatrical) to 25 frames per second (PAL video).

The crucial point, though, is that all these versions were personally edited and approved by Stanley Kubrick himself - indeed, he apparently favours the shorter cut, though I'm glad the longer one is still available. The 146-minute version seems to have vanished for good.

[spacekid]

I think the remastered version is only 104 mins, I could be wrong though

[spacekid]

Ignore me your right it's 114mins. Out of curiosity what is the two part tv version like

[Gozer]

Out of curiosity what is the two part tv version like?

EXPLETIVE DELETED. Its bad.

[Chris]

Originally posted by spacekid
Just wondered if anybody else had noticed that the remastered version of The Shining is a lot shorter. From my research it seems that the DVD version is 37 mins shorter than the original. I don't think they cut out scarey bits, but I am curious why they have cut it at all. Anyway the dvd looks great the colours are vivid and the picture looks great overall. Your comments please

The IMDB has a list of the cuts

[Michael Brooke]

Chris, I've already supplied a link to the IMDB list!

As for the TV version of <I>The Shining</I>, I rather like it. It's radically different from the Kubrick film, and - unsurprisingly the presence of Stephen King on the credits as executive producer - <U>much</U> closer to the novel, but as a good old-fashioned haunted house film it delivers the expected goods. It's certainly no masterpiece, and far less interesting as a piece of film-making than Kubrick's version, but I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to.

[McD]

I can see why most people will plump for the longer R1 - infact it's the one I've got myself - but the R2 International version is much more effective than the longer cut. The cuts were well chosen, especially Anne Jackson as the child pshychologist at the beginning. Although, she's still billed in the R2 opening credits despite not appearing!

If I get a chance later on, I might pick up the R2 if it's cheap somewhere.