The Shining; Film Element

Text: The Shining 1980 (feature film)

Element of Media language: Tracking Shot

In the film ‘ The Shining’ Stanley Kubrick uses various styles of filming to bring about desired effects to the audiences. He is most famous for his use of ‘tracking shots’ in multiple scenes during the movie. The graceful and steady movement of the camera is considered to be a feat of strength for some directors and cameramen. Tracking shots help to reflect a realistic approach and view of the happenings.

At the start of the movie, the tracking shot is used to follow Jack in his car as he drives towards the Outlook. Located at the peak of a mountain, the car has to go through various winding roads above steep cliffs. Shot on a moving helicopter from above at a distance of almost 50 meters, above the car. The tracking shot at a high angle gives viewers the ability to see all that is happening around Jack. Audiences have this sense of empowerment almost as if they are ‘god’, with their ability to view all that is going on from above the ‘clouds’.

The ability to see the steep hills and Rocky Mountains that he is travelling across helps to develop the story of the Outlook Hotel as a secluded isolated location far away from any developed town. The tracking shot displays all the forests, bushes, trees and the incredibly long distance one must take in order to seek help, as needed further on in the film.

About halfway into the movie, a significant usage of the tracking shot in The Shining is seen. Danny explores the hallways and passages of the hotel on his tricycle. The camera follows him from behind as he makes sharp turns around corners and peddles across various types of flooring. The tracking shot is done from a low angle just as if the audience were on ground level and following him from another tricycle, which is quite a difference as oppose to the beginning.

It is just as if the audiences themselves were accompanying Danny and exploring the ground. With this shot, the curiosity of Danny is transferred to the audience, similarly when he feels afraid and confused of the twins that he sees, so are the audience for they are with him in the Outlook as well.  We can compare this to let’s say a virtual roller coaster, a machine that emulates the desired effect of thrill and adrenalin rush as experienced on a real ride. The people within the machine are simply looking at the screen; which is the film being shot and the movement of the machine, to emulate a sense of change in travel, is the movement of the camera. Entirely virtual but audiences are tricked into believing it’s really happening, likewise with this tracking shot.

Towards the end, we are given another different approach on the way in which the tracking shot is used. Being advised by Wendy to leave the Overlook after Danny get’s strangled by the ghosts. Jack reacts violently and goes into an outburst of rage as he throws the utensils in the kitchen around. In here the tracking shot is done from a front view of the character. Unlike behind and above, a full view of what is happening can be seen including background and the emotional effects on characters to the surrounding.

The camera tracks Jack as he leaves the room with a face filled with angst. Audiences are able to see the manner in which he stomps out of the room.

This emotional rage is further highlighted in his face as he proceeds to cause destruction and mayhem within the kitchen. The gritted teeth and facial lines of fury allow audience to get a full view of the madness that has begun to engulf him. With a front shot and him throwing around pots, we feel as thou the emotional hatred is being taken out on us and as if we may be potentially hit by the flying pots. This tracking shot from the front also shows us the change in mood as he starts to see the ghosts having a party in the hotel. Audiences see Jack go from mad to surprised, we now see how anger has had its effect on his mentality and grip on reality.

The entire usage of tracking shot in the movie is done in order to provide viewers with a sense of realism that cannot be achieved with other methods. It provides a different perspective on life as opposed to how we view life on a normal basis. There are no tracking shots in real life, just point of view. The tracking shot provides viewers with a sense of POV from a different angle, one from which they normally won’t be able to see.

 Aside from that we see POV from on top of a moving helicopter, from the perspective of someone that is almighty and powerful. Then there is the POV from the ground, a humbling contrast. These all to sum it up makes things more surreal just like how everyday life can be observed but through the eyes of someone else. The POV from the front makes audiences more jarred by their own reactions to what is happening.  It can switch from a tracking shot from the front to one from the back reflecting an almost 360 degree of what is actually happening.

Kubrick’s usage of this particular shot is so great that many great directors of our time are still using him as an inspiration. Usage of fantastic tracking shot that implements both high angle, low angle and a wide side view can be seen in movies such as ‘The Player (1992)’ by Robert Altman. Altman’s opening scene which lasts 8 long amazing minutes (uninterrupted) includes tracking shot from all possible angles, giving viewers again that similar feeling of a simulated ride. This draw of inspiration from Kubrick has even been confirmed by Robert Altman in a statement he made to the press on ‘The Player’s’ opening date.

I personally enjoyed what Stanley has done with all his tracking shots and the variety that he has provided. I was able to relate my emotions with the character and he had my full attention grabbed. Despite me knowing that this is all just a film, up to this day I still get nightmares of me cycling with Danny from behind through the overlook in a red, blue and white tricycle.

Mohamed Sahdique Caubang

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