STEPHEN KING'S THE SHINING (1997)
Directed by Mick Garris
Starring Steven Weber and Rebecca De Mornay
After enjoying a string of miniseries hits on the ABC network, including the landmark series “The Stand,” Stephen King was given carte-blanche to produce just about anything he wanted. He opted to remake “The Shining,” a film that of course had already been made by legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, whose version of the bestselling novel is considered a classic by some.
Granted, Kubrick’s abbreviated version of King’s novel did lack a bit in the character development department. We never got a full picture of daddy Jack Torrance’s past battles with alcoholism or of the real reasons the ghosts that haunt the Overlook Hotel are so interested in Torrance’s psychic son. There are also monster animal shrubs in the TV movie version and we get a better, longer picture of Jack Torrance’s descent into madness.
Unfortunately, comparisons to Kubrick’s original are inevitable and his film delivers 100 times more style and sheer terror than this TV miniseries. In fact, of all the King miniseries that have aired, this may be the worst, with the possible exception of “The Langoliers.”
The story of “The Shining” is already well known. Needless to say, the miniseries is more faithful to King’s book than the Kubrick film, giving more screen time to Jack’s battle with alcoholism. Rebecca De Mornay put in a good performance as Ms. Torrance. But none of the style and atmosphere that made Kubrick’s early ‘80s film a classic are even remotely here. It’s a shame, but King bombed with this one.
It’s a shame because neither version of the story is perfect. In some ways, the first half of this miniseries is superior to the first half of Kubrick’s film and it does give us a lot more insight into the characters. It’s in the second half where the King miniseries really begins to fall short.
“The Shining” marked the first time that a King miniseries didn’t do well in the ratings. Here’s hoping he continues making them. Most of them have been quite good.