The Shining 1980- Mise En Scene Analysis

The scene starts on a wide shot of a hotel with little around it showing the lack of communication from the outside world and that what goes on inside the hotel has no way of getting out as there is no one around to help. The snow also connotes the idea that it is very cold, which in turn gives the audience a sense that something is not right and effectively gives the audience chills as they are unsure what is happening. It is very dark outside showing that it is night time however it also gives a sense of uneasiness as the audience is unsure of what is really there, but more sinisterly what could be there. There is a blue light which could be seen as either the moon which could feel that it is spooky like a typical scary night in the dark with no light but the moon. The light is high up and shines down onto the rest of the scene especially the hotel, almost putting it in a spot light as to show that something is going on within the building making it seem more important to the audience.

The camera immediately flicks to a mid-shot of the character Jack Torrance who has been affected by a force called ‘the shining’. As the camera switches to this shot there is the sound of the wind howling. This denotes that the weather outside is bad which could mean that those inside the hotel are in fact trapped in. This diegetic sound connotes to the audience that the event that is about to take place could be scary with a very sinister outcome. The mid-shot helps to show to the audience a brief outline of what is happening so they are more aware of what is occurring in this scene. It also establishes the character. The audience is now aware of who is in the scene and where the scene is set. When you first look at the Character you would think that he is a normal person however the director Stanley Kubick has chosen the clothes specifically to show that all is not right and connote to the audience that there is something significantly different about this person than first seems. The clothes that the character is wearing are very dark compared to the lighter clothing that the other character in the scene is wearing; however you don’t see this character until a little bit longer into the scene. He is wearing a very dark red jacket highlighting the dark and sinister thoughts that are going through this mans head. The red also represents fear and death meaning that something could occur. It highlights the fear and really gives the audience a sense of being scared. The chequered shirt shows how casual and unexpected that this whole ordeal is. It is a dark blue which links in with the idea of the darkness and sincerity of the scene. The characters hair is all slicked back either with sweat from his desperation, this shows the audience that this man has been very affected by the spiritual ‘force’ and will do anything to achieve what he has set out to do. The fact that the character has stubble denotes to the audience that he hasn’t shaved recently as he has been affected by this ‘force’. The lighting is very low and makes the room appear dark and almost scary. This reflects the sinister events that are taking place from that side of the door. The wind is still howling showing that this problem isn’t going to go away. The character then starts to talk, he is quoting from a popular children’s story, the three little pigs. This is a clever thing for the director to have included as it is showing that the character is trying to play into the innocence and naivety of the other character. Just as children are innocent and naïve. The tone of the characters voice is very deep and mysterious to really add to the suspense that is already being built up. As this character speaks his eyes are looking in one direction and the expression on his face is very clear so the audience can really see the anger and craziness of the character. This is the point where the normality ends and the audience realises that something bad is really going to happen.

The scene suddenly switches to the bathroom where the other key character in the film is hiding. The lighting within this part of the clip is very bright. The colour of the light is mainly white. This is a massive contrast compared to the darker and more sinister colours that are the other side of the door. This brightness compared to the darkness really highlights to innocence of this character. The woman is wearing what appears to be pyjamas which connotes to the audience that before this ordeal things were occurring normally and she was very relaxed. There is also a big contrast in the colour of clothing that this character is wearing compared to the character that we have previously seen. The clothing again is lighter blues and creams highlighting the naivety and innocence of this character who is scared of what might happen. The camera is at a constant mid-shot so that the audience can see all that is happening in the room from this characters point of view. The camera also tracks the characters movements as she panics and grabs a large knife that is in the sink. This shows this desperation of the character for some help against what is happening. The camera zooms in and has a close up of the large knife, the close up denotes to the audience that it is sharp and shows the real desperation of the character grabbing the knife in such a panic. The diegetic sound of the knife being bashed against the bathroom sink really highlights the panic and desperation of the character. The extra-diegetic is a high pitched screeching sound. More than likely to be played on a violin as it has a very sinister and harsh sound to it which emphasises the situation.

The camera continues to flick between the different sides of the door. With a continued used of the screeching to really build up the tension and get the audience on edge as to what will happen next. The contrast in lighting also builds up the tension as the audience is unsure as to whether the innocence will prove to come through or the sinister dark side will win. The camera then reverts to a wide shot of the man in a normal hotel room. Again the lighting is dull and shows the darker side of this character. However from this shot the audience is able to see the axe in which the character is holding. This reflects the power that this character has compared to the woman who is just the other side of the door, as the size varies so dramatically between the knife and axe. The increased screeching of the extra-diegetic sound desperately increases the tension within the audience as the character throws the axe behind him and hammers it down into the door. The crashing of the axe hitting the door really highlights the anger and aggression of the man who is trying to break the door down. The sudden scream gives the audience a shock and makes them question what has happened to the other character as the camera takes several seconds before it reverts back to the other side of the door where you can see clearly as to what has happened to the other character. This all builds up the tension and suspense and really gets the audience on edge. The screaming continues as the axe keeps going into the door. This really makes the audience feel uneasy as they still are not aware of what has happened to the other character within the scene. The character, who is trying to break into the door, face is screwed up showing the audience the determination to break through the door. The scene the switches to the other side of the door where we see the traumatised woman hiding in the corner of the room. She has little make up on showing her desperation, it could also suggest that she was not preparing for anything to be happening, it was to be a normal evening and she was ready for bed. He hands are clasped together almost as if she is praying for help really emphasising her desperation. As the axe continues to be thrusted through the door the loud bangs of the axe hitting the wood shock the audience as they do not expect it to be so loud. The desperate screams of the female character also really make the audience feel the horror of the situation. As the scene continues the screaming gets louder and more frequent which really builds up the tension within the audience. As the male character manages to break a substantial hole through the door and is able to put his head through the door the camera focuses on his face in an extreme close up to really show how possessed the character is. The sweat upon his face shows how determined that he really was to get through the door proving to the audience that something has affected this man so greatly to make him be so desperate to break through a door. As the character moves away from the door the contrast between lighting really shows through the audience as they are able to see how very different they are. This also proves to the audience the huge difference between the sinister and dark thoughts compared to the innocent and pure ones of the other side of the door. This is continued and highlighted further as the male character reaches through the hole in the door to open the door. As the woman slices down into the man’s hand the music is put into a much high tone and has a very fast rhythm to it, this adds to the tension and creates a very surreal feeling. The fake blood which is put on the door as the man’s hand is cut really shows a huge contrast between the purity and the idea of fear and death. The camera is shooting a close up of the man’s hand being drawn away quickly leaving the audience with the question as to what will happen next.