Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of The Shining is one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Though it was based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, Kubrick took more than a few creative liberties. One thing about Stanley Kubrick films is that nothing is as it seems. Nearly every film with Kubrick’s name attached has countless theories surrounding it. The Shining is certainly not an exception; in fact, it arguably has the most.
The fan theories revolving around this film are so many, and so in-depth, that a feature-length documentary titled Room 237 exists that talks about them in detail. King’s original novel was already open to interpretation, but Kubrick’s movie takes things to an entirely new level. Here are just a few of the bonkers, and some not-so-bonkers, theories surrounding this legendary film.
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CIA Experimentation and The Shining
Warner Bros.
One of the saner theories also has the least evidence backing it up. This theory implies that the Overlook Hotel isn’t haunted at all. In fact, it is all a set-up by the CIA to experiment on the Torrance family. Everything from the ghosts to Jack’s slip from sanity can all be explained by claiming that the CIA is pulling the strings.
This theory comes from a simple poster in the background of one shot. In the scene where Danny first encounters the Grady twins, they are standing in a doorway with a poster to the left. The poster showcases a man skiing with the word “Monarch” below. Earlier in the film, Mr. Ullman claims that there is surprisingly no skiing in the area. This is what makes fans believe the poster is out of place. The word monarch is supposedly one of the many code names for the CIA’s infamous MKUltra experiments. This single poster in the background of just one shot supposedly explains everything in the film. If this theory seems pretty out there, just wait.
The Overlook is Actually Hell
Warner Bros.
This theory is one of the few that could actually hold some water. The theory claims that the Overlook Hotel is actually Hell, and that Jack is trapped there. One of the major elements supporting this is that the layout of the hotel is constantly changing. Certain myths involving Hell claim that it is an ever-changing landscape, ensuring those damned there can never escape. Additionally, the hotel is brimming with ghosts (or at least hallucinations of the dead), most of whom would have been condemned to Hell in the traditional religious sense for their iniquities.
The theory claims that Jack going crazy and attacking his family happened before the events of the movie. The movie is actually Jack repeating that winter over and over for all eternity. This theory also implies that Wendy and Danny aren’t actually in the film; like the more disturbing figures in the film, they are just spirits used to torment Jack and make him relive his time as the caretaker over and over. Even lines such as “You’ve always been the caretaker” from Grady, or Jack’s line claiming he felt like he had been there before, help support the theory of Jack’s eternal damnation.
The Film is a Metaphor for Native American Genocide
Perhaps one of the oldest theories about The Shining comes from a 1987 article by reporter Bill Blakemore. In it, Blakemore claims that the film serves as a metaphor for the killing of Native Americans. His theory has some decent support behind it, and it is one of the few that make the most sense. One aspect of the film that wasn’t present in the book, was that the Overlook was built upon a Native American burial ground. This is the basis of the theory. Because of this added element, there are Indigenous symbols and imagery present all throughout the hotel.
One of the more notable examples is the various cans of Calumet baking soda. The brand’s mascot is a Native American man in a headdress. The word ‘calumet’ refers to a ceremonial pipe, and the cans are present when Dick and Danny are speaking with their minds. One of the most iconic scenes of the film is when an ocean of blood comes rushing out of an elevator. According to this theory, this represents the blood lost from the killing of countless Indigenous peoples.
The Shining is a Holocaust Metaphor
There is another theory that connects The Shining to one of humanity’s darkest periods, although this one has far less evidence. This theory originates from history professor Geoffrey Cocks. Cocks claims the number 42 is prevalent throughout the film. According to him, there are 42 cars in the parking lot, one of Danny’s shirts has a 42 on it, the number appears on Dick’s license plate, and even Room 237 alludes to it.
In the original novel, the forbidden room bore the number 217, and Kubrick changed it because 2 times 3 times 7 equals, of course, 42. Additionally, Wendy and Danny watch the movie The Summer of ‘42, and Dick mentions the figure $42 million. The number is so important to this theory because 1942 is the year the Nazis launched their Final Solution campaign. Also, Jack’s typewriter is German, so there’s that. Then again, Kubrick was a fan of The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which of course answered the question of “life, the universe, and everything” with the number 42, so who knows.
Danny and Jack Are Theseus and the Minotaur
One of the most obvious additions to the film that wasn’t in the novel was the hedge maze. When many people think of the Overlook Hotel, that maze is sure to be one of the first things to appear. This theory claims that Kubrick added the maze because he wanted his adaption to be a retelling of a popular myth. The myth of the Minotaur living in a maze that has impossible exits, various doorways, and is essentially a trap, climaxes with the hero Theseus outsmarting the much larger Minotaur and escaping the maze, much like Danny does in the climax of the film. Even Jack’s appearance alludes to this theory, as his crazy eyes and jutting forehead supposedly make him resemble a bull.
Kubrick Faked the Moon landing
One of the best-known conspiracy theories is that the American government faked the Moon landing back in 1969. This theory not only agrees that the landing was faked, but that none other than Stanley Kubrick was contracted to do so. Evidently, officials saw Kubrick’s great sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968 and hired the director for the job. By the time 1979 rolled around, Kubrick felt guilty about the ordeal. He couldn’t straight up admit it, but he could put hints in his movie.
Hints include Danny wearing an Apollo 11 shirt, Tang being present in the pantry, and Room 237 alluding to the 237,000 miles between Earth and the Moon. Also, the repeated pattern on the carpets of the Overlook Hotel are the exact octagonal structure of the Kennedy Space Center. Of course, these are all pretty flimsy arguments. Children love space, so a kid wearing a shirt with a spaceship (especially when Star Wars was new) isn’t that odd. Tang was a popular drink, not just with astronauts. Also, the Moon is approximately 238,900 miles from the Earth, not 237,000.
Wendy Imagined The Shining
If this theory were true, it could ruin or improve the film depending on who is asked. This theory states that Wendy (played by Shelley Duvall) is actually the main character of the film, and that the story is told from her point of view. The movie tells us that Jack was chosen as the caretaker for the Overlook, but does it ever show him doing anything? Putting the novel aside, the film never shows Jack doing any caretaking duties. Wendy, on the other hand, does. She is shown cleaning, cooking, and even being the one to operate the radio. There is one scene where she is watching the TV with Danny, but the television isn’t plugged in. Also, when Jack snaps at her when she interrupts his writing, he almost seems confused at the end of the scene. This could imply Wendy entered the room, had a one-way conversation, and left.
This theory could imply a few things. Maybe Wendy is the one being affected by the ghosts. Maybe the ghosts aren’t there at all, and the isolation is causing Wendy to go mad. Or, maybe the trauma she endured during Jack’s drinking days finally all come to the surface. This is really the only theory that could make viewers see the film in another light. Re-watching the film with Wendy going crazy instead of Jack makes for a unique experience, even if it is just a theory.
