On May 23, 1980, audiences got their first look at The Shining, a psychological horror film that would eventually be recognized as a masterpiece. The movie drew its story from Stephen King's wildly popular 1977 novel of the same name. Leading the cast was Jack Nicholson in the role of Jack Torrance, with Shelley Duvall portraying his wife Wendy and Danny Lloyd playing their clairvoyant son, Danny.
The plot follows the Torrance family as they take on caretaking duties at the Overlook Hotel, nestled in the Colorado Mountains, during the establishment's closed winter season. Jack, who is both a writer and a recovering alcoholic, sees the remote setting as a chance to break through his writer's block and rebuild his relationship with his family. Things don't go as planned, though — Jack's writing shows no signs of improvement, and young Danny finds himself increasingly tormented by ghostly visions. As madness slowly consumes Jack, he turns on his own family, all while the hotel's dark secrets begin surfacing.
When The Shining first hit theaters, critics were far from unanimous in their praise. A common complaint was that the film strayed too far from Stephen King's original novel, and some reviewers took issue with what they considered a slow pace and insufficient character development. That said, Jack Nicholson's portrayal earned widespread admiration, and many acknowledged the film's masterful ability to build tension. As the years passed, critical opinion shifted dramatically — today, the movie is celebrated as a genre-defining classic and a major influence on horror filmmaking.