“Just because you’re a perfectionist doesn’t mean you’re perfect”: why Jack Nicholson was frustrated with making ‘The Shining’
The stories behind the production of The Shining have gone down in history along with the legacy of the film, with tales of torturous repeated takes and borderline abusive practices that were used to encourage distressed performances from the lead actors.
The distinctly unnerving mood of the film has led to it being described as one of the most influential horror movies of all time, from the infamous tracking shots, haunting score and chilling performances. It is one of the most praised performances in Jack Nicholson’s career, and while it propelled his Hollywood status to new heights, the actor has complex memories of the shooting experience.
Many actors have praised Kubrick’s work ethic and meticulous attention to detail, sometimes described as being demanding and relentless in the way he crafts a scene. However, this approach has led to a prolific body of work that is yet to be matched by any other filmmaker, creating an entirely new language to articulate each story world he constructs, whether it be a haunted hotel in the snowy mountains, a period piece set in rural Ireland or a modern spaceship controlled by devious technology.
Kubrick has always been somewhat cunning in his approach to casting, often using the public image of an actor to manipulate the audiences’ expectations. People have speculated that the auteur cast Tom Cruise as a way of leaning into the rumours that the actor was gay, with the film centring around a crisis of sexuality and identity after a man discovers that his way has sexual fantasies about other men, sparking a strange odyssey as he explores his own restrained desires.
However, in casting Nicholson, the actor was pushed to his limits in a way that tested his image of being effortlessly talented, creating a unique atmosphere on set that challenged this idea.
When describing the production, Nicholson said, “Stanley’s demanding. He’ll do a scene 50 times and you have to be good to do that. There are so many ways to walk into a room, order breakfast or be frightened to death in a closet. Stanley’s approach is, how can we do it better than it’s ever been done before? It’s a big challenge. A lot of actors give him what he wants. If you don’t, he’ll beat it out of you; with a velvet glove, of course.”
This approach can definitely create a strain on the collaborative relationship, with Nicholson responding to the reported tension between the pair on set, saying, “I’m a great off-stage grumbler. I complained that he was the only director to light the sets with no stand-ins. We had to be there even to be lit. Just because you’re a perfectionist doesn’t mean you’re perfect.”
This style of shooting is undeniably taxing, and with the added pressure of working with one of the best directors of all time, you can imagine how the burden would become heavy. But, it seems as though it would be hard to hold contention towards the film given how well-loved it is and the lasting mystery around Kubrick’s work, and any actor would be proud to be part of such an iconic project that has changed cinema history as we know it.
