The Shining
Chillingly,The Shiningis partly based on a true story.
In 1974, King and his wife spent time atthe isolated Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.
That specific room hasa haunted history involving the chief housekeeper, Elizabeth Wilson.
In 1911, Wilson was injured in an explosion because of lighting a lantern.
There have been several other accounts detailing unexplained noises, figures, and personal objects stolen or broken.
While roaming the real hotel, King felt inspired by the long corridors and the isolated feel.
Custom image by Simon Gallagher
His experience instantly gave him the idea for the horror novel.
The Stanley Hotel was built by Freelan Oscar Stanley of the Stanley Steamer fame, and opened in 1909.
The hotel also has a very haunted history which has helped attract viewers and paranormal investigators.
Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall tells the story of the Torrance family, who move to the isolated Overlook Hotel so that father Jack Torrance can act as its winter caretaker. Stuck at the hotel due to the winter storms, the malevolent supernatural forces inhabiting the building slowly begin to drive Jack insane, causing his wife and psychically gifted son to be caught up in a fight for their lives when Jack is pushed over the edge.
King noted the eerie feeling of being in an empty hotel.
King noted the eerie feeling of being in an empty hotel.
The ghosts of two of these animals have been glimpsed by guests over the years.
It’s a line made famous by Kubrick’sThe Shiningadaptation but does not appear in King’s novel.
Kubrick changed much of the layout and added the hedge maze at the front of the property.
The infamous room was also changed from 217 to 237.
ThroughoutThe Shining, as in King’s own experience, it’s never clear precisely what’s going on.
Doctor Sleepwinds up ruining what madeThe Shiningand Stephen King’s original Stanley Hotel experience so chilling.
As a result, he tried to make things more personal.
This played into Jack’s discovery of the room in the movie/book.
The explosion ties into the end of the book, as well asDoctor Sleep.
As forThe Shining, it mostly played with the legends rather than repeating them.
