THE SHINING CHOSEN BY LEE UNKRICH
INT. OVERLOOK HOTEL LOBBY — DAY
Corrupted by the ghosts of the Overlook Hotel
in the Colorado mountains, novelist-turned-
caretaker Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) has
gone dangerously insane, and is now stalking
his terrified wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) through
the hotel’s lobby. Holding him at bay with
a baseball bat, she begins to back up the
grand staircase...
WENDY:I’m very confused. I just need a chance
to think things over.
JACK:You’ve had your whole fucking life to
think things over. What good’s a few minutes
more going to do you now?
WENDY: Stay away from me!
Jack, snarling, reaches out as if to grab her.WENDY:[swinging the bat] Please! Don’t hurt me.JACK:I’m not going to hurt you.WENDY:Stay away from me! Stay away!JACK: Wendy? Darling? Light of my life? I’m
not gonna hurt you. You didn’t let me finish my
sentence. I said I’m not gonna hurt you. I’m just
gonna bash your brains in. I’m gonna bash them
right the fuck in. [He giggles, maniacally]WENDY:Stay away from me. Don’t hurt me!JACK:I’m not gonna hurt ya...WENDY:Stay away from me!Stay away! Please!JACK:[matter-of-factly] Stop swinging the bat.WENDY:Stay away from me!JACK:Put the bat down, Wendy.WENDY:Stop it!JACK:Wendy. Give me the bat.WENDY: Please! Stay away!JACK:Give me the bat.WENDY:Stop it!JACK:Give me the bat.WENDY:Jack! Stay away from me!JACK:Stop swinging the bat.WENDY:Please stop!Now she’s almost reached the top of the stairs.JACK:Give me the bat, Wendy.WENDY:Stay away!JACK:Wendy... Give me the bat. Give me
the bat.He reaches out for her. She swings and hits
him on the right hand. He grabs it in pain
and shock.JACK:Ow! Goddamn—Wendy swings again and this time clocks Jack on
the top of the head. He falls back down the stairs
and lands in a crumpled heap. Wendy shrieks in
relief and terror.LEE UNKRICH: “Anybody who follows me
on Twitter knows that I loveThe Shining.It’s
my favourite movie. The scene where Jack
Nicholson is slowly backing Shelley Duvall
through the big Colorado lounge and she’s just
swinging her bat at him is just a great example
of a slow-burn. You don’t know where that
scene is going, but you feel such immense
dread the whole time.”