The Shining Movie’s Most Significant Difference From Stephen King’s Book

Stephen King infamously hates Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of his novel The Shining, but his disdain may really come down to the biggest distinction between the book and movie: the Overlook Hotel’s motivation. The Shining was published in 1977 as King’s third novel, and the second to be adapted for the screen. Conversely, The Shining was Kubrick’s 11th feature film, though his first knack at the horror genre. Audiences and critics didn’t immediately take well to Kubrick’s adaptation, even nominating him for the Worst Director Razzie Award. Since then, the movie has been as equally praised as the book as one of the greatest horror movies of all time. 

Kubrick adapted The Shining in 1980 with most of the main characters and plot points intact. Both versions include Jack Torrance as a recovering alcoholic who seeks to use his time as the Overlook’s caretaker to work on his writing. Jack’s son, Danny, and wife, Wendy, are also present with most of their major storylines preserved, aside from fewer explanations of Danny’s titular “shining” gift. Kubrick’s version of the story has been praised by audiences and critics alike for its horror and suspense, but fans of King’s novel tend to criticize how the director changed the primary motivating factors of the hotel which changes the self and familial conflicts of the Torrances. 

The most significant difference between King and Kubrick’s versions of The Shining is the hotel’s primary motivation for causing Jack’s madness and who is actually the Overlook’s intended victim. The Overlook’s goals are important as they give a reason as to why these supernatural events are occurring for the Torrances, what the hotel succeeding looks like, and Jack’s character arc. In the novel, Danny is the Overlook’s primary victim, and Jack Torrance is simply used as a conduit to get to Danny. The hotel wants Danny dead so that it can absorb his “shining” ability to add to the Overlook’s plethora of dark energies, so it possesses Jack in his vulnerable state to try to kill Danny. In The Shining movie, the Overlook’s motive isn’t as clear, but focuses much more on Jack for the sake of finishing the corruption of another soul.

Jack is the Overlook’s true victim in the movie, so by continually driving him into madness and committing atrocious acts until his unsympathetic death, the hotel wins. In the movie, the hotel accomplished its goal, but in the novel, it doesn’t for two reasons. With Jack not being the Overlook’s primary intended victim in King’s The Shining, it never truly wins when Jack dies in the end, especially since his death was selfless as he essentially killed himself to save Danny and Wendy from the hotel. The hotel also doesn’t win in The Shining book because its primary victim was Danny and his shining ability, so even though Jack was taken in the process, Danny’s successful escape meant the Overlook lost.

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Jordan Williams
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Jordan Williams is a Movie/TV Feature Senior Staff Writer for Screen Rant. She graduated from the University of Oregon in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Media Studies.

Jordan is based in Seattle, Washington and enjoys exploring the natural beauty the PNW has to offer. She runs on coffee and classic movies, taking pride in having watched every film on AFI’s 100 Greatest Films list and every Best Picture Oscar winner.

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