However, there has been a conspiracy theory circulating since before The Shining came out that the Apollo 11 moon landing was faked, and that Stanley Kubrick was the one hired by the government to shoot it. Interpretations, also known as theories or readings are fan based interpretations of the meanings of hidden themes found in the 1980 Stanley Kubrick film version of the 1977 Stephen King novel The Shining. The aesthetic overlaps between Wendy discovering the manuscript and discovering Halloran’s body suggest that the manuscript is somehow symbolic of Jack’s genocide motive. I covered this topic extensively in my previous analysis, in fact it was the main premise of the review, but due to the greatly extended length of this current analysis, the genocide theme will cease to be my central contention about the film’s meaning. There are a lot of continuity errors and geographical oddities in The Shining, but maybe that's because Jack and his family are hallucinating throughout their stay at the Overlook. SLAVERY, CANNIBALISM AND GENOCIDE, Watch the video supplement or read the ext below (there are differences between these versions). “I told my friends, ‘That movie was about the genocide of the American Indians. A chorus of screams is heard over the elevator shot while Jack and Wendy argue in the bedroom. Like America, the Overlook Hotel is new and shiny. (In truth, it's more like 238,900 miles away on average, but we didn't know this until the late '60s, so it's possible that Kubrick was looking at an old textbook, and thus got the number slightly wrong.). And during a conversation between Wendy and Jack in the Colorado Lounge, a chair in the background keeps appearing and disappearing again between shots. It is ostentatious, corny and architecturally boring. No doubt they were still seen as second class citizens. Finding truth through looking backwards or looking into mirrors occurs all throughout the movie, such as when Danny escapes the hedge maze by retracing his steps. What else might they signify? However, the text version is a much more thorough breakdown of the film and includes video stills and other research sources. The Shining ends by zooming in on one photo in a grid, then settling on Jack as one person in a large crowd. Perhaps the Overlook itself is a mirror, in that it's only torturing guests with the evil that they bring with them. In the Colorado lounge Wendy discovers Jack's insane manuscript. Whatever the content of the document, it is something that Jack considers far more important than his own family. American Indian/First Nation genocide symbolism So much of this movie is about the genocide of people in general, but again, the symbol of genocide has two sub-themes: the native Americans and the Jews in ww2. The Ahwahnee design includes plenty of Native American designs in its tapestries and carpets, just as the Overlook does, but there are some key differences of native décor related to The Shining’s hidden narrative. Even if all of this is intentional, and Kubrick was really trying to allude to the Apollo 11 mission throughout the film, it's not necessarily evidence that he helped fake the moon landing. That genocide. The Shining is about the genocide of Native Americans. A list of all the native American symbols. The number 42 appears all throughout the film, such as on one of Danny's shirts, or when the Torrances watch the film Summer of '42, and 1942 was the year that the Nazis initiated the "Final Solution." So before I continue, I’ll offer a few statements for those who disapprove of the genocide interpretation. Thirty-six years after the release of Stephen King's novel, "The Shining," Danny Torrance is back as his story continues in King's new book, "Doctor Sleep." For a simple gate prop in Eyes Wide Shut Kubrick had a photographer take thousands of photos of real gates as reference material. It might not have led to any deeper truths, but it has created some awesomely creepy imagery. Educate yourself. Stanley Kubrick was a genius in every sense of the word, and his films are a testimony to that. Want more proof that The Shining is about the genocide of Native Americans? It's not not there, but it would certainly be an impressive feat of blocking and cinematography if this was intentional. Native American symbols were a medium of expression for these tribal people. The 4th of July is of course the declaration of independence, the most important day in US history, but what about the mysterious year 1921? Legend states that Hokolesqua's final words were, "May the curse of the Great Spirit rest upon this land. The bear is one such symbol. However, if we remember that Kubrick has symbolically presented the Overlook as a representation of America itself then Ullman’s statement makes sense. Danny says French fries and ketchup are his favourite food. Note that she also looks as if she’s choking, just as Danny was choked by Jack. Native American Color Meanings – Symbolism of the Native American Indians Colors and art have always played an important role in the traditional Native American worldview. Both Halloran and the Indian chief design on the tin are viewed at the same angle and the shot zooms in until both their heads fill the screen. CHAPTER TWELVE For more than three decades, people have been obsessed with The Shining. Hope you enjoy my latest video! Most viewers think that he's trying to protect Danny from the truth, but what if this is the truth? In fact there are several very specific uses of brand names in the store room scenes that relate to other subliminal themes, but we’ll return to that later. Ever since its inception, the people who come under the umbrella of Native American tribes have fiercely and successfully guarded their secrets from the world outside. Symbolism in Stephen King's The Shining. The Ahwahnee hotel also features a large room called the El Dorado Diggins bar which is themed to the California Gold Rush period. That is until we pay attention to how the sand painting is used in different scenes. Creation stories often include fire and flame as generative and destructive forces. However, I’ve been unable to verify this in online searches. The Crow, whose autonym is Apsáalooke ([ə̀ˈpsáːɾòːɡè]), also spelled Absaroka, are Native Americans living primarily in southern Montana. The interpretation of the ending is going to depend a lot on your interpretation of the film. The boiler room is decorated with photos of naked women. Before we go any further, let's get one thing straight. Moving on from cannibalism, let’s take a closer look at the hotel décor. We’re on our way through to the basement. In the end, both movies end with a character getting frozen. And so I did. On one hand, it's meticulously made, with every shot carefully choreographed and most scenes filmed dozens of times before Kubrick chose the perfect take. I’ll also add that if you’re willing to stomach the criticism of US history contained in this chapter, you’ll find later in this analysis that Kubrick encoded scathingly anti-British themes in The Shining as well. Food is emphasized a great deal in the film, especially in the scenes of Halloran rambling on about all the different types of food in the freezer room and store room. Not all Shining theories are deadly serious or profoundly deep. The Overlook Hotel is a representation of what the settlers have built – a society that is a beautiful paradise on the surface, yet it has menial workers slaving away to maintain the affluence of the upper classes and it forever stands upon the graves of the Indians. And in reference to cannibalism, he calls his family “little pigs” through the bathroom door while doing his big bad wolf impression, implying a desire to eat them. It’s Really About the Nazi Holocaust. The Native American wind symbols are some of the aspects that helped these people to be in tune with their living surroundings. Socioeconomic Class. I don't blame them, it's a ridiculously good, truly scary film. The symbolic connections are undoubtedly deliberate. Fan theories about The Shining that would change everything. She sees his bloody corpse lying on a native art section of floor tiles and the camera also pans across an elevator entrance that is identical to the one from which we see the river of native blood. Halloran’s character is important because he represents both the slaughtered Native American’s and the Black immigrants who were brought in for slavery purposes. Speculating about The Shining has proved to be such a rich vein that it's spawned a whole second movie, the fascinating documentary Room 237, which catalogs a wide array of fan theories that range from totally reasonable to the patently absurd and presents them all on equal footing. This further supports the theme of room 237 and the Torrance apartment being one and the same. Falcon people have an amazing aptitude to ferret out new paths and patterns. Learn about the different symbols such as Boiler in The Shining and how they contribute to the plot of the book. So the eagle in this film has a double meaning- it represents both the Americans and the Nazis (Eagle was also their symbol). While being shown through the Colorado Lounge Wendy asks Ullman “Are all these Indian designs authentic?” and he replies, “I believe most are based mainly on Navajo and Apache motifs.” Then in the Overlook grounds Ullman explains to the Torrance’s “The hotel is built on an old Indian burial ground and I believe they actually had to repel a few Indian attacks as they were building it.” Ullman also told Jack Torrance during his interview that the “construction began in 1907 and was finished in 1909.” Can this really be the case? HIAWATHA m History, Indigenous American, Iroquois From the Iroquoian name Haio-went-ha meaning "he who combs". Another theorist, Bill Blakemore, asserts that the imagery of bloodshed in The Shining refers to the history of violence against Native Americans. One of the most baffling shots is the river of blood emerging from an elevator. Although the exteriors of the Overlook are based on The Timberline Lodge, its interiors are inspired by another real life hotel called the Ahwahnee. With this reading, many of the film's more puzzling lines suddenly become meaningful, like when Jack says, "When I came up here for my interview, it was as though I had been here before," or when Grady says to Jack, "You've always been the caretaker." Here's one that's a lot less fun. Wendy screams and faces him. Imagery of sex and sexual abuse is sprinkled all throughout in The Shining, and we're not just talking about the man in the dog costume. The themes of a suppressed history of violence and bloodshed in the US are one of Kubrick’s central political themes in The Shining. When Jack and Grady chat in the lavatory, during the ballroom party, a song by Ray Noble and Al Bowlly plays in the background. Another theorist, Bill Blakemore, asserts that the imagery of bloodshed in The Shining refers to the history of violence against Native Americans. In my previous analysis I put forth the contention that the manuscript was a metaphor of the written declaration of independence, but having discussed the issue at length with many correspondents, I’ve now dropped that interpretation. Fire represents living things, the creation of light, and the sun. Danny told his Mother during the drive to the Overlook, “Don’t worry Mom. The Constitution and Bill of Rights were great documents, and I’m sure most American’s would agree with my disapproval of how the US government has in recent years been destroying those founding documents. The Grady girls are mirror images of each other. The murders at the Overlook represent the historical genocide of Native Americans and Jack and his alter-ego Grady represent the perpetrators of the atrocities. 2 years ago. That's also why Wendy suddenly starts seeing spooky imagery at this point, when she hadn't before. Pueblos indígenas (indigenous peoples) is a common term in Spanish-speaking countries. Then when he returns to meet her in the kitchen he makes the same assumption, “Dick, can we borrow Mrs Torrance for a few minutes. A Penderecki piece, which features native-instrument-like sounds and ritualistic vocals, is used six times – As Wendy sees Danny’s “MURDER” graffiti in a mirror, as Jack kills Halloran, as Jack begins chasing Danny, as Wendy sees Halloran’s body, as she see the party guest, and as she sees the man in a bear costume. He was most likely aware of the conspiracy theory, and he also knew how closely people analyzed his films for hidden meanings. The genocide of Native Americans were very in tune with their natural surroundings meaning to the California Gold Rush.... To Grady for this totem the brand of Jack ’ s double identity as an Englishman compare following! 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