If you’ve seen the trailers for Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining, then you’re aware that there are scenes from the original in the new film. In fact, a young Danny Torrance riding his tricycle down the hallway on that distinct carpet is probably the most prominent shot in the advertising.
The scenes from the original look so realistic that one would assume director Mike Flanagan simply reused old footage from Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece and incorporated it into his new film. And as it turns out, you’d be right in assuming that. But the shots Flanagan took from the original aren’t the ones you might think.
During an interview with ScreenRant, the director revealed that they used three shots from The Shining, explaining the following:
It’s the shot of the island in the canyon, and the two shots after the car going up the canyon road. We made it nighttime, we added snow, and we changed the car. Those three shots are Kubrick’s shots, but that’s it.
Doctor Sleep is an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name and takes place nearly forty years after the events of The Shining. Now all grown up, Danny (Ewan McGregor) reluctantly uses his shining abilities to help a young girl who’s being targeted by a murderous cult.
The thought of continuing the story of such an iconic movie may seem daunting, but Flanagan is no stranger to the horror genre. He’s already made excellent films such as Hush, Oculus and another King adaptation, Gerald’s Game and he was also behind the superb Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House. As such, it’s safe to say that Doctor Sleep is in good hands.
As we already know, the movie features flashbacks to Danny and his experiences at the Overlook Hotel and Flanagan elected to recreate those scenes in great detail. Unlike last year’s Ready Player One though, which combined original footage from The Shining with visual effects, Flanagan wanted the real thing. This decision no doubt enhanced the performances of the actors working on the set and should make for a more enjoyable viewing experience.
We’ll find out if that’s indeed the case when Doctor Sleep opens on Friday.