Room 237
15
After the box office failure of Barry Lyndon, Stanley Kubrick decided to embark on a project that might have more commercial appeal. The Shining, Stephen King’s biggest critical and commercial success yet, seemed like a perfect vehicle. After an arduous production, Kubrick’s film received a wide release in the summer of 1980; the reviews were mixed, but the box office, after a slow start, eventually picked up. End of story? Hardly.
In the 30 years since the film’s release, a considerable cult of Shining devotees has emerged, fans who claim to have decoded the film’s secret messages addressing everything from the genocide of Native Americans to a range of government conspiracies. Rodney Ascher’s wry and provocative Room 237 fuses fact and fiction through interviews with cultists and scholars, creating a kaleidoscopic deconstruction of Kubrick’s still-controversial classic.
Selected by Dr. Jim Baxter from the IDEA Centre (University of Leeds), the film will be followed by a short talk from Jim, exploring some of the philosophical themes raised, before discussion is opened up to the audience.
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“A celebration of Kubrick, The Shining and the thrill of watching, analysing and loving film. It's the best movie about a movie we've seen in ages.”
Empire
“By capturing the giddy thrill that comes from decoding difficult films, Room 237 says something profound about being a cine-fanatic.”
Little White Lies
“Steadily, Room 237 becomes a rare kind of bird: a critical analysis that leans not on unquestionable authority but creative speculation.”
Time Out
“The effect of Room 237 is intense. It's a deep dive into the rabbit hole of semiotics, designed to train viewers to become alert to what they're really seeing.”
AV Club