Stephen King Dislikes Best Horror Movie Ever, Says Its “insulting”
Stephen King's love of film is well documented. The horror writer legend often shares short reviews on social media, with a special interest in the horror genre.
So when a writer expresses their distaste for a movie, fans listen and take note: even if the movie they're reviewing is one of the best ever made. Of course, if you've followed King's opinions closely over the decades, you know that he has a particular dislike for Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.
"The Shining" is still considered not only one of the best horror films, but also absolutely fantastic. Starring Jack Nicholson, it's based on one of Stephen King's own novels, which means the author has some understandably strong opinions.
Over the years, King has criticized almost every element of a psychological horror film, from its adaptations of the novel to its treatment of women. In an interview with Paris Review, the author said it was "an insult to women" of Shelley Duvall's framing of Wendy.
"[Kubrick's The Shining] is so cold. There's no sense of emotional investment in her husband's family. I felt that treatment of Shelley Duvall as Wendy — I mean, talk about abusive women. It's basically a screaming machine idea about its involvement in family dynamics."
Then, after directing his anger at Kubrick's management of Jack Nicholson—whom King had called "actually insane" from the start—King emphatically concluded, “No, I hated what Kubrick did to him. "
Harsh words from the king and also a strange opinion. While it may seem like the author will never quite live up to The Shining, we're delighted to revisit it alongside Stanley Kubrick's other best films.
For more movie magic, read our guide to the next release date for Insidious 5 and find out all the early reviews of the scariest movie of 2023. Or check out our guide to all the new movies coming out at 2o23.
