40 Years Later, Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’ Sequel is a Chilling Scare

By Kadija Doumbia

Nearly 40 years after the release of the cult classic 1980 horror film, “The Shining” (directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Jack Nicholson), its sequel, “Doctor Sleep,” does a fantastic job of balancing the “original book” story while maintaining the same eerie tone, horror sensibility and creative liberties that helped “The Shining” reach its notoriety 39 years ago.

The original film is based on the 1977 book by critically acclaimed horror fiction author, Stephen King, and has been distributed worldwide since its U.S. release; it was registered to the National Film Registry last year for its cultural influence.

In “The Shining,” Jack Torrance is a writer recovering from alcoholism, who applies for a job at the isolated Overlook Hotel and moves in with his family. At the hotel, strange occurrences cause Jack to slowly lose his sanity.

Doctor Sleep movie poster. (Photo Credit: IMDb)

“Doctor Sleep” takes place 31 years after the original movie’s premiere. The new film also adds some of its own flare, which results in an easy to watch stand-alone movie. It follows the story of Dan Torrance, Jack’s son. Dan (played by Ewan McGregor) has returned to the Overlook Hotel after surviving his father’s attempted murder in the previous film. Scarred by the incident, in adulthood, he has turned to alcohol to cope.

But his life turns around because of his friend Billy Freeman, who helps him find an apartment. 

Dan later lands a job at a hospital as a hospice worker who puts people at ease when they are dying.

Dan’s alcoholism adds a relatability to the character, in the sense that facing a traumatic event, can cause an individual to turn to drugs and alcohol in order to numb the pain of living through that event. It also extends to other self-harming activities as well. The job at the hospital and getting an apartment set up the building blocks to his redemption.

The audience learns that Dan has spent years suppressing supernatural abilities called the shining, which allows him to read people’s minds and emotions. Upon meeting Abra, a young woman with similar powers, the two form a friendship over their shared abilities.

One of the most gut-punching movie scenes is the introduction of the film’s antagonists led by Rose the Hat and her subordinates, Crow Daddy and Snakebite Andi. A cult that feeds on the mysterious life force of “steam” from children, the “True Knot” seeks to extend their natural lifespan. In a shocking twist, a young boy named Bradley falls victim to the group.

Audiences could only watch in terror as his “steam” was sucked from his body by the group. The visceral depiction of the child’s on-screen death is a testament to the film’s commitment to instilling fear in its viewers.

A similar scene can be recalled in “The Shining,” when Jack’s wife, Wendy, is almost strangled by the ghost of a woman haunting the Overlook. Jack refuses to believe her and accuses her of making the story up as a product of her neurosis, a consequence of living uneasily in the abandoned property. In general, being forced to live in a neglected building with daily supernatural occurrences can make anyone feel uneasy.

In both films, Room 237 is a source of misery for the main characters. The room is also an important plot device that propels Dan and Abra forward as they try to solve the mystery behind the source of their family’s pain.

Danny Torrance looking at the infamous "REDRUM" through a mirror. (Photo Credit: IMDb

King’s uncanny ability to incorporate supernatural elements into the lives of ordinary people is why he has remained the undisputed king of horror novels. Both “Doctor Sleep” and “The

Shining” display the psychological breakdown of a parent and child who are confronted with powers and situations that they can’t hope to understand.

The introduction of Abra into the story’s mythos was also a smart choice by the filmmakers.

Audiences find themselves fully invested in her journey, as she works to uncover her roots, discovers the potential of her psychic abilities, and learns the details of her family’s history. Overall, the film more than lives up to the high expectations of book and movie fans alike, and is worth seeing by anyone who pursues a good scare.