In 1966, Stanley Kubrick told a friend that he wanted to make “the scariest movie of all time.” Years later, Stephen King’s The Shining landed on his desk — the beginning of a cinematic masterpiece. This definitive compendium gathers hundreds of previously unpublished photographs and original documents from the Kubrick archives alongside extensive new interviews with the cast and crew behind one of the landmark achievements of horror cinema.

The volume offers a revealing portrait of Kubrick’s complex genius and unprecedented insight into the creation of his film masterpiece. Drawn from hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews with actors and crew members, the most compelling passages have been carefully assembled to cast the 1980 classic in an entirely new light. Step through the back entrance of the Overlook Hotel and discover the mechanics behind the infamous “blood elevator,” Kubrick’s groundbreaking use of the Steadicam, and the technical innovations that reshaped modern filmmaking. Explore the mystery surrounding the unexplained fires that broke out during production at Elstree Studios, and follow the endless script revisions and countless takes demanded by Kubrick’s relentless pursuit of perfection.

The volume is edited by Academy Award-winning director Lee Unkrich, described by The Hollywood Reporter as “the world’s leading Shining expert.” Accompanied by an additional text contribution from bestselling author J. W. Rinzler, this is the ultimate study of Kubrick’s horror landmark.

The two-volume collection includes hundreds of unpublished behind-the-scenes and production photographs, rare original documents, Kubrick’s private correspondence, and production design materials sourced from the Stanley Kubrick Archive and the personal archives of cast and crew members.

THE SHINING and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s22).