Why Stephen King And Stanley Kubrick Couldn't Agree Creatively On The Shining, According To Horror Directors

Taylor Swift · August 21, 2023

If you’re cold on the Kubrick version, it’s probably for a good reason.

The new documentary, King on Screen, is a must-see for any fans of Stephen King or horror movies. Directed by Daphné Baiwir, it brings together over 20 filmmakers who owe their inspiration to the Maestro of the Macabre. While the film celebrates the author's massive impact on cinema, it skips over one juicy detail: why Stephen and Stanley Kubrick butted heads while making The Shining. It turns out the filmmakers in the doc have some theories about why the two couldn't see eye-to-eye creatively on that infamous haunted hotel story.

While we at CinemaBlend would put The Shining at the top of our best Stephen King adaptations, filmmaker Frank Darabont begs to differ. Known for his hit adaptations like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist, Darabont knows a thing or two about what makes a good movie adaptation from the famous writer’s work, and he doesn't think Kubrick did a very good job at all, according to National Review. He said:

" It’s a really good Stanley Kubrick movie, but it’s a terrible Stephen King movie. "

Every '90s horror fan will recall that King wasn't too happy with Kubrick's take on his novel. In fact, he produced his own TV miniseries version of The Shining, directed by Mick Garris. Garris backs up Frank Darabont's critique, offering his thoughts on why Kubrick's adaptation missed the mark:

" The creative personalities are very different: King is a very warm and human and emotional writer, Kubrick is a very cool and intellectualized filmmaker. His calculating manner is in contrast to what King’s story is about. "

Steven Weber in The Shining miniseries

There you go! Stephen King's stories tap into raw, emotional human experiences, focusing on everyday people in extraordinary situations. Kubrick, however, took a more cerebral, even detached, approach to horror. Mick Garris, a close friend of King, seems to hit the nail on the head with his analysis, echoing King's own thoughts. In a 2016 interview with Deadline, King said:

" I think The Shining is a beautiful film, and it looks terrific, and as I’ve said before, it’s like a big, beautiful Cadillac with no engine inside it. In that sense, when it opened, a lot of the reviews weren’t very favorable, and I was one of those reviewers. I kept my mouth shut at the time, but I didn’t care for it much. "

What is a car's engine if not the heart of the machine? It sounds like Garris was spot on.

The creative tension between writer and filmmaker isn't necessarily bad; it's two master storytellers, each taking their approach to horror. While Kubrick's film is iconic, Garris's TV miniseries holds a special place for King fans due to its faithfulness to the book. Steven Weber's portrayal of Jack Torrance adds emotional depth that differs from Jack Nicholson's version, although Weber wishes he could refine his performance.

The two different versions of the story showcase the flexibility and wide appeal of the Carrie creator's writing. It's adaptable yet unmistakably King-esque. The King on Screen documentary serves as a testament to the writer's lasting impact on both books and movies, touching on divisive subjects like his politics and public image. The Daphné Baiwir directed doc hit the 2023 movie release schedule on August 11 in select US theaters and will be available on demand and Blu-Ray on September 8. You can check out the trailer embedded below: