The Shining
However , clip has been tolerant to Kubrick ’s take on King ’s tale . While other King adaptations about taken up hotel , like2007’s1408 , remain sorely underrated , The Shiningwas vindicate by reviewers within a few eld of its tone ending . By the ' 90s , The Shiningwas already see as a classic of horror film , and in the decade since , the King adaptation has arguably become the most iconic of Kubrick ’s movies .
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However , The Shiningwas not always destined to be seen as a classic by critics . The picture show ’s production was pregnant with tension , with the stamp feeling animalize by the experience of shootingThe Shining . Before yield even began , the question of who to cat in the motion-picture show ’s main roles was disputative for Kubrick and King . think it or not , drollery fable Robin Williams was one of the epithet that Kubrick considered for the part of Jack Torrance , and this could have resulted in a very different iteration ofThe Shining . While some Stephen King motion picture , likeIt Chapter 2 . have been savedby stellar turns from a scene - stealing comics , few buff ofThe Shiningwould be able-bodied to picture the part of an ax - wielding murderer being play by Williams , nor what this would have meant for the careers of both Nicholson and Williams .
Who Kubrick Wanted For The Shining’s Jack Torrance
Although he did consider other actors , Kubrick was open from the outset that Nicholson was his first pick . However , he also enunciate he would take Harrison Ford , De Niro , or Williams for the part if Nicholson was unavailable . King interdict all three of these worker ( although he also did n’t desire Nicholson ) . The novelist reasoned that audiences knew Nicholson for dark , unhinged persona and would guess the “ twist ” that theOverlook and its shadowy historydrives Jack to a homicidal rage instantly .
Indeed , Kubrick ’s version ofThe Shiningwasn’t concerned with hiding Jack ’s unstableness , as the film director ’s version of the tarradiddle did n’t lay the inculpation for the character ’s breakdown on the Overlook as much as King ’s original novel did . This would make Williams an interesting candidate since the comedic player was a warm covert bearing than Nicholson and would belike have played the role closer to what King , and the novel interpretation ofThe polishing , had fancy .
Robin Williams Pre-Shining Career
In 1980 , Williams was n’t known for much outside of goggle box ’s wakeful - hearted sitcomMork and Mindyand his incredibly successful bear - up career . His early dramatic movie role were still a few twelvemonth away in 1982’sThe World concord To Garpand 1986 ’s Saul Bellows adaptationSeize The Day , meaning thatThe Shiningwould have been a total reinvention for the then - emerging star . Ryan Reynolds ’ account in horror moviesproves that light - hearted leading humankind have carry off to go on star in comedies after play killer father .
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The fact that Williams tended to play zanier , wackier roles could have made transitioning back into clowning heavily after spectator had seen him embody someone murderously disquiet . That articulate , the part could also have showcased the actor ’s range before . The drear role of Jack Torrance would have beg into the ripe edge that Williams later exhibit inOne Hour Photo , a carrying into action that turn up he could have nailed the role of a once - wholesome family human beings growing lethally erratic .
Would Robin Williams Have Ruined The Shining (Or Made It Better)
The erratic Kubrick was infamously adversarial with his cast , with some commentators come to to his treatment of Shelley Duvall onThe Shiningset as emotional abuse . DespiteThe Shining ’s success , the Stephen King version ’s circle was a tense , uncomfortable work that few collaborators involved in the movie ’s production recall fondly . As such , a freewheeling improviser like Williams could have been disastrously badly - suitable to a perfectionist like Kubrick ’s set and may have clash with the helmer . That said , Nicholson ’s iconic line “ Here ’s Johnny ! ” was improvised , entail there was at least some leeway afforded to the actor during take .
It is hard to tell whether Williams ’ legendary improv acumen would have reshapedThe Shining(for better or worse ) , evaluate by the fact that Kubrick founder Nicholson this level of originative freedom . While Tom Hardy ’s conflict withMad Maxcreator George Milleron the fit ofFury Roadresulted in a classic activity movie , these sorts of personality clashes just as often lead to monolithic decisive and commercial-grade failures . The wonky , blackly risible feel ofThe Shiningwas already challenge to pull off , so it ’s unlikely that a man oft promise one of the funniest comedians in story would have been well suitable to play the villain of a movie that was already more far-out and odd than outright terrifying .
Would The Shining Have Ruined Robin Williams’ Career?
There ’s an argument to be made thatThe Shiningcould have improved Williams ’ career , allowing him to play serious , darker roles earlier , or that it would have ruined it before he had even begun to get a footing in the world of movies . An impressive string of serious roles after in animation likeWorld ’s Greatest DadandInsomniaproved that Williams had the dramatic chop to pull off a part likeThe Shining ’s Jack Torrance . However , Williams swear on his sweet , paternal role for hit tramp fromDead Poet ’s SocietytoMrs . Doubtfire , toNight at the Museum , toGood Will Hunting , and the sight of him trudging through the snow to kill his kid in his first major movie role could have put the kibosh on that tight .
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How Would Losing The Shining Affect Nicholson’s Career?
LosingThe Shiningwould have been far less disastrous for Nicholson . Already well - shew , thanks to movies likeFive Easy PiecesandOne Flew Over The Cuckoo ’s Nest , Nicholson was a well - enjoy wizard when he took onThe Shining . The Kubrick moving-picture show ’s imperfect reception did n’t hurt his life history upon release in 1980 , so there is little reasonableness to guess that missing out on theStephen King picture adaptationaltogether would have sunk Nicholson ’s smash hit fortunes . While Robin Williams playingThe Shining ’s Jack Torrance could have potentially tank Stanley Kubrick ’s Stephen King adaptation , it ’s improbable that lose out on the project could ever have hurt Jack Nicholson ’s star power .
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