Stephen King’s The Shining is one of his most haunting novels, and it has the unique honor of being adapted twice for the screen, first as Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 classic and later as the 1997 TV miniseries, which King himself helped bring to life. Both versions tell the story of Jack Torrance, a struggling writer who takes his family to the isolated Overlook Hotel, only to spiral into madness as supernatural forces close in. But if you’ve seen both, you know they feel like completely different experiences. Let’s break down the major differences.
Tone and Style:
Kubrick’s 1980 film is famously cold, unsettling, and drenched in atmosphere. From the first moments of that ominous score, you feel the dread creeping in. Kubrick leaned heavily into ambiguity are the ghosts real, or is Jack just losing his mind?
The 1997 miniseries, on the other hand, sticks much closer to King’s original novel. It’s warmer at first, showing more of Jack’s love for his family before things unravel. The supernatural elements are front and center, leaving no doubt that the Overlook is a living, malevolent force.
Jack Torrance: Nicholson vs. Weber
Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance is unhinged from the start. His performance is iconic, but many fans (including King himself) argue that Nicholson never really felt like a man slipping into madness because he was already halfway there.
Steven Weber’s Jack in the 1997 miniseries starts off far more sympathetic. He’s a man genuinely trying to do better for his family, which makes his descent into violence more tragic and faithful to the book.
Wendy Torrance: Shelley Duvall vs. Rebecca De Mornay
Shelley Duvall’s Wendy is fragile, terrified, and almost constantly on edge. Kubrick’s take paints her as a victim trapped in Jack’s nightmare.
Rebecca De Mornay’s Wendy, in contrast, is stronger and closer to King’s vision. She challenges Jack more directly and has more agency in the story, giving her character greater depth.
Danny and the Supernatural
In Kubrick’s version, Danny’s “shining” ability is present but understated. The focus stays more on the psychological breakdown.
The miniseries leans heavily into Danny’s powers, the Overlook’s ghosts, and the hedge animals (which King fans will recognize from the novel but are absent in Kubrick’s film). The horror is more overt, less symbolic.
The Ending:
Perhaps the biggest difference is the ending. Kubrick’s film ends with Jack frozen in the hedge maze and a mysterious photograph hinting at the Overlook’s eternal grip. It’s ambiguous and haunting, but far removed from the novel.
The 1997 miniseries stays faithful to King’s original ending, with Jack sacrificing himself to destroy the boiler and bring down the Overlook. It’s more emotional, offering a sense of redemption rather than pure nihilism.
Which One Wins?
It depends on what you’re looking for. If you want atmospheric horror and one of the most iconic performances in film history, Kubrick’s The Shining is hard to top. But if you’re a King purist who wants the story as he intended—with its themes of addiction, redemption, and the Overlook as a truly evil entity—the 1997 miniseries might feel more satisfying.
In the end, both versions stand as fascinatingly different interpretations of the same terrifying tale, proving just how many ways a great story can haunt us.
