The horror movie that traumatised Leonardo DiCaprio: “Scared the living daylights out of me”
Cinema has the power to move us, leave us inconsolable, and make us reconsider the whole meaning of life in just 90 minutes. Films can also create an overwhelming sense of fear within us, truly untethering us from a sense of stability and leaving us feeling cold and nauseous, too scared to sleep without some glimpse of light or to walk in the dark without continuously checking behind our shoulders.
During the time that cinema has existed, humans have rapidly evolved. We’ve come to understand each other better because of the images we are shown on screens – or we at least come to know more about the world, even if we can’t quite understand what we’re seeing. Cinema’s strong power is why so many people are drawn to acting. They want to tell these stories that become important parts of popular culture and history, and someone like Leonardo DiCaprio, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, is a prime example.
The actor had an impressive run as a teenager and young adult, appearing in emotionally charged movies like What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and The Basketball Diaries. The mid-1990s saw DiCaprio appear in several movies that were huge hits, establishing him as a floppy-haired heartthrob. First was Romeo + Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrmann, followed by Titanic, the epic disaster movie that dominated the world with its tragic love story.
Titanic changed Hollywood forever, grossing over $2billion. It was unavoidable, and whether you like the film or not, you can’t deny its popularity and impact. DiCaprio’s character, Jack, meets his untimely fate at the end of the film, and this image of his freezing body disappearing into the water is one of the most iconic moments in cinema history.
Since then, DiCaprio has appeared in many movies that have significantly impacted pop culture, from Django Unchained to The Wolf of Wall Street. In an interview with IndieLondon, DiCaprio shared what he believes to be “one of the most powerful images in film as far as terrifying is concerned,” highlighting his love of movies that feature lasting and unforgettable images. He selected the iconic image of the twins in The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick – a movie that has always scared the actor.
The movie is regarded as one of the most important horror films of all time, and while it divided opinion upon its release, it’s safe to say that many images within the movie are objectively horrifying. From Jack Nicholson’s turn as the psycho axe-wielder Jack Torrance to the elevator pouring with blood, Kubrick filled his movie with haunting moments that proved his genius as a filmmaker.
“The twins in The Shining, which were influenced by the Diane Arbus photograph. That scared the living daylights out of me,” DiCaprio explained. The characters, played by Lisa and Louise Burns, are ghostly apparitions who greet little Danny in the hallway and say in sync, “Come play with us, Danny.”
With their matching blue frilly dresses, the pair stare blankly while holding hands, and while there are arguably a lot more things scarier than two little girls, it’s their haunting presence and terrifying line delivery that has cemented them as unforgettable members of the horror canon.
The Burns sisters spoke to Cosmopolitan about their roles once, explaining that they are “naturally spooky,” adding, “But we did practice our timing — saying things in unison — and we worked on saying our lines in a hollow, other-worldly kind of way a number of times.” The pair helped to make The Shining even spookier, and DiCaprio seemed to have been scarred by their presence in the movie from a young age.
