The psychological horror film masterpiece, The Shining, was released in theaters on May 23, 1980. The movie is based on the hugely popular novel of the same name, written by the legendary Stephen King and published in 1977. The Shining stars Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, Shelley Duvall as his wife Wendy, and Danny Lloyd as their clairvoyant son, Danny. 

The Torrance family stays at the Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Mountains, acting as caretakers during the hotel’s closed winter season. Jack, a writer and a former alcoholic, hopes that the isolation will help him overcome his writer’s block and reconnect with his family. Unfortunately, Jack’s writing fails to improve, and his son becomes increasingly disturbed by ghostly visions. As Jack descends into madness, he begins to terrorize his family, while dark secrets about the hotel come to light.

The Shining received mixed reviews upon its release. Many critics argued that the film deviated too much from Stephen King’s original novel. Some felt that it was slow-paced and lacked character development. Despite this, Jack Nicholson’s performance was widely praised, as was the tension that the film created. Over time, however, the movie has garnered greater acclaim and is now regarded as a significant influence in the horror genre and a classic.