Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining is unapologetically itself. It is based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, though it is very different than the book. It's always hard for a remake to be successful when the original was so good. After all, originals come first and remakes will always be compared. Even though The Shining wasn't exactly original (since it came from a book), it didn't have any other movie or show to be weighed up against. And ironically, when Stephen King wrote the three-episode miniseries for TV, it was highly ridiculed and compared to the original movie, and people thought it was a cheap "rip-off," though the story wouldn't have even existed without the author—which is kind of insulting to King.
There are many reasons why Stephen King didn’t like Stanley Kubrick’s interpretation of his novel. The biggest reason would have to be the treatment of Jack’s character. In the film, Jack shows signs of being abusive and crazy even before going to the hotel. But in the novel, it is the hotel that causes Jack to become crazy and violent. Before that, he was a good family man. In Kubrick’s film, the hotel only elevates Jack’s natural tendencies for anger and aggression. Because of this, Stephen King wanted to make a show that explored his story in the way he imagined it.
The miniseries was released on the television network ABC, 17 years after Kubrick’s 1980 film was released. The series was directed by Mick Garris—who co-wrote the fan-favorite Halloween film Hocus Pocus, and he also has directed several other Stephen King adaptations. And of course, Stephen King wrote the script. Perhaps King chose to work with Mick Garris because he trusted his stories with the filmmaker since he had already proven he could make a great adaptation based on King’s novels. But sadly, Stephen King’s The Shining was not received well and was even ridiculed (retrospectively).
In an interview with The New York Times, Stephen King was quoted saying, “Let’s put it this way, I dislike the film. I always have.” Although King said he admired Kubrick as a filmmaker, he felt that “he didn’t have the chops for this particular thing.” The world renowned author said that Jack’s character arc in The Shining wasn’t really an arc at all—"it’s a flat line. He’s crazy from the jump.” Because of this, Stephen King says Kubrick didn’t do the character justice, nor did he write a good character arc. And although that may be somewhat true, no one can deny how much better Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Jack Torrance was than Steven Weber’s.
Perhaps the reason why The Shining is so beloved is because of the mysticism surrounding the true meaning behind the film. Something about the unknown and unexplained makes it that much more tantalizing and desirable. Also, Kubrick made several other classic films that made him a household name, and in the eyes of his fans, he could do no wrong. That’s not to slight his work on The Shining in any way, but it is something to think about.
At first, Stephen King’s The Shining was praised for its makeup, atmosphere, and pacing. But now, critics compare it unfavorably to the 1980s horror film. It won two Primetime Emmy and Saturn Awards, and was one of the most-watched shows with a 10 out of 10 score from TV Guide. People noted how creepy and masterfully crafted the pacing was. But of course, the miniseries had to be compared to Kubrick’s film, which then made everyone dislike it. The pacing and effects which were critically acclaimed at first are now thought of as dull and cheesy, and above all else, not scary—which is a complete 180 from what was once said.
And to some degree, the criticism is deserved, as the effects (which were good at the time) are now quite goofy looking. However, there is still a certain made-for-TV, late 90s charm to the miniseries. On its own, it is a pretty entertaining watch. But compared to the classic horror film, it just doesn’t hit the right balance between creepy, realistic, and maniacally captivating—thanks to Jack Nicholson’s expressive performance. The cast in Stephen King’s The Shining was sort of bland, unexciting, and forgettable. Whereas Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining cast was so unforgettable and perfectly cast that people all over the world still remember the names of the actors as well as their performances 41 years after the movie was released.
The unexplained horror within Kubrick’s film takes viewers down a maze with endless pathways and twists and turns. So even though Stephen King may be right about Jack Torrance being sort of one-note within the film, everything else about Kubrick’s The Shining was better than the miniseries.