Shining: A Look at the Filming Locations

In this blog post, we’ll be taking a look at the filming locations for the classic film Shining. We’ll explore some of the most iconic locations from the movie and see how they’ve changed over the years.

Checkout this video:

What is Shining?

Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel The Shining by Stephen King. The film stars Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, Shelley Duvall as Wendy Torrance, and Danny Lloyd as Danny Torrance.

The Shining is about a family that agrees to take care of a hotel while it is closed for the winter. Soon after they arrive, strange things begin to happen in the hotel and the family starts to unravel.

The film was shot on location in Colorado, at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park and the Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood.

The Shining – a brief history

Stanley Kubrick’s film The Shining was released in 1980, and is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. The movie tells the story of Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson), who takes a job as the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado, only to be possessed by evil forces within the building.

The Shining was filmed on location in several different places, most notably the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, which served as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel. Other locations used in the film include Mt. Hood meadows ski resort, also in Oregon;ues used in the film include Mt. Hood meadows ski resort, also in Oregon; and Estes Park, Colorado, which doubled for exterior shots of the hotel.

While most of The Shining was filmed on location, some of it was shot in a studio. The interior of the Overlook Hotel was actually a set built at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, England. This meant that Kubrick had to find a way to make the set look like it was located high up in the mountains of Colorado. He did this by painting the walls blue and using forced perspective to make them appear farther away than they actually were.

The Shining was a huge success when it was released, both commercially and critically. It is now considered to be one of Kubrick’s best films, and is often cited as one of the greatest horror movies ever made.

The Shining – the story

The Shining is a novel by Stephen King released in 1977. The story follows the Torrance family as they spend the winter shuttered away in the remote Overlook Hotel as caretakers. Soon, the father, Jack, descends into madness, trapping his wife and young son within the hotel with him. The novel was adapted into a film by Stanley Kubrick in 1980, and the film’s images have become just as iconic as the story itself.

The majority of the film was shot on location in Colorado at the Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. The opening scenes of Jack driving through the mountains were filmed in Oregon, and some exteriors were also filmed in California and Arizona. But it is the interior shots of the Overlook Hotel that are most remembered – and those were all done on a soundstage built specifically for the film.

The Shining – the characters

Jack Nicholson plays the role of Jack Torrance, a novelist who takes a job as the winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel in Colorado so that he can have peace and quiet to write. Shelley Duvall plays his wife Wendy, and Danny Lloyd plays their five-year-old son Danny. The family moves into the hotel, which quickly becomes sinister and haunted. Danny develops a psychic ability known as “the shining” which allows him to see into the future and communicate with the ghosts that reside in the hotel.

While most of the movie was filmed on location at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, some scenes were filmed at Elstree Studios in England. The majority of the exterior shots of the hotel were filmed at Elstree, while all of the interior shots were filmed at the Stanley.

The Shining – the setting

While much of the story takes place at the Overlook Hotel, very little of the film was actually shot there. The exterior shots of the hotel were filmed at Timberline Lodge in Oregon, while all of the interiors were shot on soundstages and at Elstree Studios in England.

The hedge maze scenes were shot on a specially-constructed set at Elstree, and the infamous “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” typewriter scene was also shot there. In fact, most of the movie’s key scenes were shot in England, with only a few days of filming taking place in Colorado – where King’s novel is set.

So why did Kubrick choose to film so far from the story’s actual location? Well, for one thing, it was easier to find snow in England than it was in Colorado! But more importantly, Kubrick wanted to have complete control over every aspect of the production – something that would have been much harder to achieve if they had been based in America.

Despite its English setting, though, The Shining is very much a American horror movie – and it’s arguably one of the most important films ever made in the genre. With its iconic images and unforgettable characters, it’s no wonder that it continues to scare and fascinate audiences almost 40 years after its release.

The Shining – the filming locations

When it comes to iconic movies, it’s hard to beat Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. The film was released in 1980 and continues to be one of the most popular horror films of all time. Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, The Shining tells the story of Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson), who takes a job as the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado.

While the majority of the film was shot on a soundstage in England, there are a few scenes that were filmed on location. Here’s a look at some of the places where The Shining was filmed:

-The Overlook Hotel: The exterior shots of the Overlook Hotel were filmed at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon. Built in 1937, Timberline Lodge is a popular ski resort that has been used as a filming location for several other movies, including The Hunger Games and Untouchables.

-The hedge maze: One of the most iconic scenes in The Shining is when Jack chases his son Danny through a hedge maze. This scene was actually filmed at Elstree Studios in England, but the hedge maze itself was built using real hedges.

-The redrum scene: Another memorable scene from The Shining is when Jack sees visions of his wife Wendy (played by Shelley Duvall) covered in blood. This scene was shot at Epping Forest, which is located just outside of London.

If you’re a fan of The Shining, visiting these locations is a must!

The Shining – the legacy

The Shining is a classic horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1980. The movie is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name and stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers. The story follows Jack Torrance (Nicholson), a writer who takes a job as the caretaker of an isolated hotel during the off-season. His wife Wendy (Duvall) and young son Danny (Lloyd) accompany him, but they soon realize that something is wrong with the place. The hotel seems to have a mind of its own, and it starts to drive Jack insane. Danny, meanwhile, is haunted by strange visions. The Shining is a suspenseful, scary movie that has become a horror classic.

The film was shot entirely on location in Colorado, USA. Some of the most iconic scenes were filmed at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, which served as the inspiration for Stephen King’s novel. Other locations included the Timberline Lodge in Oregon (which served as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel), Manhattan Beach in California (which stood in for Florida), and Mount Victoria in New Zealand (which was used for the mountain climbing scenes).

Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a horror classic that continues to terrify audiences today. If you’re brave enough to watch it, be sure to pay attention to the beautiful filming locations.

The Shining – the remake

In the summer of 1980, Kubrick and his crew spent several weeks filming in the Estes Park area, using the Timberline Lodge as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel. The lodge had originally been considered as a location for the original Shining film, but was ultimately deemed too small. For the remake, Kubrick was able to work with production designer Roy Walker to create the look and feel of a much larger hotel.

The interior of the Overlook Hotel was shot on a soundstage in London. To give the illusion of a more expansive space, Kubrick used forced perspective techniques, shooting at a lower frame rate than normal and with special lenses that made objects in the foreground appear larger than they actually were.

Many of the establishing shots of Colorado landscapes were filmed in Utah. The final snow maze sequence was actually shot on a backlot at Universal Studios in Hollywood.

The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick, co-written with novelist Diane Johnson, and starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. The film is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name.

The Shining was Kubrick’s third film in a row to receive mixed reviews upon its initial release, joining Barry Lyndon (1975) and A Clockwork Orange (1971). Nevertheless, the majority of contemporary critics have retroactively praised the film; many surveys indicate that it is one of the greatest horror films ever made, as well as one of the greatest films ever made period. The Shining is widely regarded as one of the most influential horror films; some even consider it a work of art.

While many believe that much of The Shining’s greatness is due to Kubrick’s direction, others have credited King’s source material, or Nicholson and Duvall’s performances.

The Shining – trivia

The Shining is a classic horror film from 1980, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. The movie was directed by Stanley Kubrick and starred Jack Nicholson. The movie is famous for its use of unique filming locations, many of which were actual haunted buildings. Here are some fun facts about the filming locations used in The Shining.

1.The Overlook Hotel – The most iconic location from the movie, and the one that is most associated with the story, is the Overlook Hotel. This was actually a combination of two different real-life locations. The exterior shots of the hotel were filmed at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon. For the interior shots, Kubrick rented out a wing of the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, which just so happens to be one of the most haunted hotels in America.

2.The hedge maze – One of the most memorable scenes from The Shining is when young Danny Torrance becomes lost in a hedge maze that is part of the Overlook Hotel grounds. This maze was not a real location but was instead built specifically for the movie on a backlot at Elstree Studios in England.

3.The Gold Room – Another iconic location from The Shining is the Gold Room, where Jack Torrance has his famous “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” meltdown. This scene was shot on stage at Elstree Studios, using real gold leaf to cover everything in the room, including the furniture and walls.

4.The bathroom mirror scene – One of the creepiest scenes in The Shining is when Wendy Torrance looks into a bathroom mirror and sees an elderly woman staring back at her. This scene was actually filmed using two mirrors placed face-to-face, with actress Shelley Duvall positioned between them.

Scroll to Top