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Why exactly is it that the Grady twins from Kubrick's Shining are so terrifying?

post #1 of 31
10/26/04 at 4:41pm
Thread Starter 
Since back when this was released I have always been a huge fan of this movie. I am still trying to understand why the hell this scene was always so unnerving. To this day I still have problems watching this scene.

For the uninitiated let me set the scene up for you. At one point in the movie Danny is seen peddling his big wheel throughout the eerily quiet and somber Overlook hotel. Eventually he comes to the scene of the Grady twins axe-murders and his pyschic powers kick in.



"Danny-- come and play with us.... Come and play with us....



"Forever... and ever... and ever!"




Mere words cannot describe the feelings of utter revulsion that I had watching this scene as a child and it still unnerves me to this very day.

My question is why is it so damn disturbing? I can watch just about any other "disturbing" horror movie with no problem so what the hell is it about these evil little girls that is so damn terrifying?
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post #2 of 31
10/26/04 at 4:53pm
To me they look like child Anthony Hopkinses in drag. I mean look at their faces. The resemblance is uncanny.

Disturbing!

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post #3 of 31
10/26/04 at 5:13pm
Something about their foreheads always disturbed me. Too much forehead?
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post #4 of 31
10/26/04 at 5:25pm
I heard/read somewhere that those are Stanley Kubrick's daughters.

But it's a creepy scene. The (Kubrickian) perfect symmetry; the way it's shot from Danny's height level, so they're not looking up at you, they're looking straight ahead at you; it comes after another very lonely Big Wheels tour of the hotel; creepy kids are creepy; empty hallways are creepy.
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post #5 of 31
10/26/04 at 5:25pm
They look like my sisters.
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post #6 of 31
10/26/04 at 5:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eye_H8_U
what the hell is it about these evil little girls that is so damn terrifying?
For me, it's the fact that someone took the time to swing an axe at them.
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post #7 of 31
10/26/04 at 5:26pm
It's the steadi-cam shot that does it to me. It follows behind Danny's Hot wheels for a long time and the sound of his wheels going from carpet to wood floors kind of puts me in a trance. Then, BANG. The two dead girls. David Lynch is also very good at putting me in a dream like state before he scares the shit out of me. Bob in Laura Palmer's bedroom and the derelict outside of Winky's diner have the same effect on me.
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post #8 of 31
10/26/04 at 6:35pm
I've been wondering about the creepy little kid phenomenon for awhile now. Movies like The Shining, The Exorcist, The Ring, etc. scare the crap out of me, but I have a hard time figuring out why they do.

I think it has something to do with the idea of something small and harmless suddenly becoming evil and menacing. Children are the ultimate symbol of innocence and goodness, so using them as symbols of evil is a fairly easy way to confuse and terrify people.
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post #9 of 31
10/26/04 at 7:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Sodium
.... the way it's shot from Danny's height level, so they're not looking up at you, they're looking straight ahead at you; it comes after another very lonely Big Wheels tour of the hotel;
I think it has to do with Kubrick putting you in a child's perspective -- pretty primal seeing it through Danny's eyes. And it's all just set up up so masterfully.


I still find the old hag in the bathtub to be the creepiest moment in the flick.
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post #10 of 31
10/26/04 at 7:37pm
Kids=Kinda Scary
Dead Kids=Very Scary
Dead Kids With Vaguely British Accents=Choke-To-Death-On-Your-Own-Fear-Scary.
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post #11 of 31
10/26/04 at 7:42pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally posted by mecha superior:

I still find the old hag in the bathtub to be the creepiest moment in the flick.
Just for you buddy.

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post #12 of 31
10/26/04 at 7:44pm
I'm rather partial (read -- scared) to the guy in the teddy bear suit, myself...
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post #13 of 31
10/26/04 at 7:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally posted by Charles B:

I'm rather partial (read -- scared) to the guy in the teddy bear suit, myself...
I'd have to agree with you.

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post #14 of 31
10/26/04 at 7:53pm
They actually mentioned creepy children in the AMC special "20: EW's Scariest Movies"...but I think the girls ending up slaughtered is probably the only thing I find creepy. That zombie girl from "Night of the Living Dead"...now that's CREEPY.

There was a Halloween card I saw that reminded me of "The Shining"-
Outside-You remember the scary movie with the freaky twins and the blood flowing out of the elevator?
Inside-Why can't life be more like that?
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post #15 of 31
10/26/04 at 8:08pm
A very freaky scene indeed. For all the reasons mentioned. Kubrick puts you in Danny's place on the big wheel and the hypnotic drumming of the floor. At that point in the film you just know something is going to happen to Danny as he is alone and you also know the girls are dead girls which is kinda creepy. Flashing to the axe murdered children seals the deal.

The decaying old hag/beautiful woman freaked me out so bad as a kid in the theater I was afraid to be in the bathroom for weeks afterward. It is the reason I love horror so much. I am forever trying to get that same exact feeling back again but it never comes. Someday perhaps.

I love this movie.
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post #16 of 31
10/26/04 at 10:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eye_H8_U
I'd have to agree with you.

I was always freaked out by the implication of the bear suit guy.

Is he fellating the other guest??

As a child, the idea of a guy in a bear suit blowing some other creepy guy for NO REASON AT ALL made me take my sweet time coming back to this flick again.
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post #17 of 31
10/26/04 at 10:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally posted by Jesse Custer: Carnivale Roustabout:

Is he fellating the other guest??
I don't know why this fascinates me so much-- but here ya go:

from the "kubrick faq"

The "bear scene" is a brief moment in The Shining when Wendy, beginning to see the same "1920's Party" events that Jack's been seeing, is wandering through the halls of the hotel. As she looks around a corner, she sees two shapes huddled over the edge of a bed. As she looks, they are revealed to be two men, possibly engaged in oral sex. One is wearing what looks to be a bear costume.

The scene is taken directly from Stephen King's novel. In one of the novel's scenes set in the 1920's party, Jack is dancing with a beautiful woman. He notices that at one table, there is a young man behaving like a pet dog for the amusement of others, including a tall, bald man.

The bald man is Horace Derwent, a Howard Hughes-like figure who poured millions into restoring the Overlook Hotel in the 1920's. (Jack has learned this by reading a mysterious scrapbook earlier in the novel.) The younger man has a romantic crush on the bisexual Derwent, and Derwent has said that 'maybe', if the man dresses like a nice doggy, and acts like a nice doggy, he 'may' be willing to sleep with him.

Later on, in the novel, as Wendy is warily navigating the corridors of the Overlook, she begins to see the visions of the 1920's party. And at one point, peering around a corner, she sees the two men on a bed, one in a doggy costume. The two men are Derwent and his extremely dependent lover.

It's difficult to say why this second scene remains in the film; as it's somewhat confounding without all of the set-up that King provides in his book. Perhaps its jarring incongruity is reason enough for its inclusion, illustrating as it does Wendy's extreme disorientation at that point in the film. Another explanation is that (1)the background on Derwent may have been scripted and filmed, (2) but excised in the final cut.

Notes:
(1) In King's novel it's actually a dog costume - Gordon Stainforth also states it was referred to as the 'dogman' scene by the crew. - although, some people maintain it was changed to a bear for the film, while one person suggested the costume was that of a walrus, because of some symbolic association walruses have with death (although the absence of large tusks tends to mitigate against this interpretation).

(2) There's evidence that a 'lot' of material was filmed, but not used. For instance Making The Shining shows a "test" shot of a severed woman's head that isn't in the film (or in King's novel). Although Gordon Stainforth, who cut that scene with Stanley says he had no recollection of any other footage, apart from that particular camera set up. There were of course a number of virtually identical takes.
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post #18 of 31
2/16/11 at 1:01pm

This scared the hell outta me and it still does. Its probably because there are actual twin ghosts like these two that had appeared before I saw it in a picture and it HORRIFIED ME! its because both the twins in this movie and the picture ACTUALLY LOOK ALIKE.

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post #19 of 31
2/16/11 at 1:13pm

Can you show us this picture, Miyuki?  Purely for academic purposes, you understand.

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post #20 of 31
2/16/11 at 3:06pm

Wow, blast from the past here.

 

If there's one thing Kubrick is great at, it's establishing atmosphere. The mood of the preceding scenes is...playful, sort of. Danny's cruising down the halls. But add the music and the way it's edited and you know something is coming. The scene is building towards something, on an instinctual level you just know it. Empty hallways are a film-makers fodder because you get a natural depth.  I'm more freaked out by the opening shot over Danny's head with the girls way in the distance. It's so damn unexpected. It's an empty hallway, it's supposed to be empty and to see someone (or someones) standing there, not walking, not talking, not entering a room or doing anything that one does in a hallway (hallways are, in their essence, a thing that connects more important things to one another and therefore not worth thinking about), it just catches you off guard. Add the murder, the dead children (children, as stated above, are innocence; heck, look at their dresses, they'd be adorable if they weren't so goddamn terrifying), the freaky way the girls talk, the music, the wide angle perspective and yeah, it's an unnerving scene both in craft and art.

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post #21 of 31
2/16/11 at 4:54pm

I've always maintained that ghostly figures/menaces standing completely still is always way more terrifying than something actively chasing you.  See also, many scenes of Michael Myers in Halloween or the thing in the church in Prince of Darkness. 

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post #22 of 31
2/17/11 at 11:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Schwartz View Post

Kids=Kinda Scary
Dead Kids=Very Scary
Dead Kids With Vaguely British Accents=Choke-To-Death-On-Your-Own-Fear-Scary.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratty View Post

I've always maintained that ghostly figures/menaces standing completely still is always way more terrifying than something actively chasing you.  See also, many scenes of Michael Myers in Halloween or the thing in the church in Prince of Darkness. 


Not to mention they're TWINS. The idea of 2 identical people, speaking the same and looking the same and potentially thinking the same. 2 X the creepy. There's a pair twins at my work who look identical. WHen they talk to each other (they sound alike) and OVER each other in hushed tones, it gives me the willies.

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post #23 of 31
2/18/11 at 7:27am

The scene that always got the biggest scare out of me was the sudden cut to Jack frozen in the snow. It's a pretty funny shot on its own, but in the context of the film it almost gave me a heart attack on my first viewing.

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post #24 of 31
2/18/11 at 1:50pm

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpg

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattioli View Post

Can you show us this picture, Miyuki?  Purely for academic purposes, you understand.

 

Sure just copy this link and you will see how creepy it is   

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post #25 of 31
2/18/11 at 1:52pm

[img http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpg][/img]

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post #26 of 31
2/18/11 at 1:53pm

[IMG]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EvZpbzRkMLk/TT_8h4Jm8YI/AAAAAAAAATg/H5fAuR7kQFU/s1600/TWINS.jpg [/IMG]

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post #27 of 31
11/8/12 at 8:01pm

Dead eyes.

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post #28 of 31
11/11/12 at 6:43am

It's all about the Penderecki.

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post #29 of 31
11/11/12 at 6:51am

Its because, not only do they speak in a dead pan British accents, they do it in unison.

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post #30 of 31
12/19/12 at 9:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad R View Post

Something about their foreheads always disturbed me. Too much forehead?

 

Exactly.  They don't have foreheads.  They have eight-heads.  Two of them.  Sixteenheads.

 

Allow me to introduce you to the O.G. Creepy Little Girls, courtesy of Italy.

 

The ghost girl from Mario Bava's Kill, Baby... Kill! (1966), who peers into windows and makes people commit suicide when they see her.

 

 

10001000

 

And soon after, the great Fellini borrowed Bava's idea for his segment of the anthology horror movie Spirits Of The Dead (1968).  In "Toby Dammit", Terence Stamp is convinced The Devil has taken the form of a little girl with a white ball, coming to claim his soul.

 

 

1000


Edited by Doc Phibes - 12/20/12 at 4:57am
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post #31 of 31
12/19/12 at 9:45pm

A big part of it is definitely the mise-en-scene. For a start, there's something naturally unsettling about framing a subject that's meant to be the sole focus of the image in a tiny part of it. We know that the composition is lying to us, and that the subject's importance is far and above the space it takes in the frame, it reflects on the subject's intentions - makes us feel something deceptive is going on with them, suggesting a greater power it's lazily trying to hide but will soon be revealed. It's a simple but hugely effective way of elicitiing ominousness and dread.

Also, it's a hallway - the massive amount of negative space in the frame belies the fact that it's confined. What Doc said about hallways being 'connnecting' places is a good point, but it also follows that it's a place to channel you in one direction. Having the hallway dominate the frame establishes that Danny is being funnelled in one direction and has no control over his situation; the only direction he can go in is straight into the bosom of the ghostly terror. This is also backed up by the clever editing of the sequence, which makes what should be a bunch of dull corridors into Danny getting drawn inexorably into the spirits' grasp.

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