A very cool behind-the-scenes look at one very long Steadicam shot on the set of Scorsese’s Hugo. More info here. Though a lot of the technology has changed since its invention, the concept has stayed the same since it was first used in a major motion picture 32 years ago in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.
I had no idea the sets were destroyed by fire. How appropriate considering The Overlook explodes and burns to the ground in King’s book.
Late in the production of The Shining, as the crew filmed on the Lobby set, a small fire broke out on an adjacent sound stage. The fire quickly grew out of control, and by morning, the sound stages containing some of The Shining’s most massive sets: The Colorado Lounge, the Lobby, and the hallways containing the door to Room 237, were completely destroyed.
The next morning Stanley Kubrick surveyed the damage, and still photographer Murray Close captured this image of Kubrick laughing in the face of disaster – surrounded by twisted girders and the smoldering wreckage of his sets.
“Camera Mapping” technique allows us to enter two-dimensional stills from The Shining, courtesy artist Topi Kauppinen.
Really, really cool.
Vintage photos of The Overlook hotel, circa 1921. Inscribed “J. Torrance”
Artist: Wm. Anthony
My “found” vintage photos of the Overlook Hotel was re-blogged by Lee Unkrich (Director of PIXAR’s Toy Story 3) on his amazingly thorough blog dedicated solely to The Shining. Check it out. Some incredible exclusive ephemera there.
Thanks Mr. Unkrich!
Come and Play With Us
Actual hallway at Timberline Lodge on Mt. hood, Ore. (Click for bigger. © William Anthony)
The infamous wide-angle hallways from the film The Shining were actually on a sound stage at Elstree Studios in England. Only the exterior establishing shots of Timberline Lodge were used in the film.
Behind-the-scenes photograph of director Stanley Kubrick standing on the set of the hedge maze during production of The Shining.
(photo by Murray Close. Close, who is now an internationally renowned photographer, began his career on The Shining.)
Portraits on the Moon
As envisioned by Kubrick in 1968.
Realized by Hasselblad in 1969.
At this moment, there are 12 Hasselblad cameras on the moon, left there to make room for a payload of moon rocks. The most valuable Hassies in existence are baking in raw sunshine, covered in a powder-fine gray dust, waiting patiently to be retrieved.
Check out the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal to see the entire catalog of Apollo photographs, organized by film magazine.
Photos by J. Torrance?
“Overlook Hotel. The apartment July ‘21 ~ J. Torrance”
(Click for bigger. © William Anthony)
So, while staying at the ‘Overlook Hotel,’ I found an envelope in a cabinet in my room containing these photographs. Amazing how little the place has changed in 90 years. I don’t recognize the photographers name. They look like maintenance shots. Perhaps these were taken by the hotel’s caretaker?
“Overlook Hotel. South view July ‘21 ~ J. Torrance”
(Click for bigger. © William Anthony)
“Overlook Hotel. View from Maze July ‘21 ~ J. Torrance”
(Click for bigger. © William Anthony)
