On Sky Modern Greats tonight at 8pm
Tonight’s movie about a hotel that exerts an evil influence over its caretaker enjoys cult status as one of the best horror films in film history. Read more about it here.
The Overlook Hotel is the name of the creepy accommodation In Stanley Kubrick’s film (and the Stephen King novel it’s based on). It’s a fictional place, but inspired by the very real Stanley Hotel in Colorado.
Would you go and stay there? Apparently they show The Shining on a loop on a TV channel in all the rooms, and they also run ghost tours.
I don’t know about you, but I find the idea of a stay in this hotel a little daunting…
Here’s a list of ten other hotels that have provided the location or the inspiration for some great movies. Can you name the films?
1. Hotel del Coronado, San Diego, California
I’ll be talking about this film tomorrow
If you’re lost for an answer, click here
Can’t solve the mystery? Here’s the answer.
4. Ellangowan Hotel, Creetown, Scotland
Hmm, I wonder if the landlord has a daughter…
One of the rooms is named after this film.
6. The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York
There are loads of movies for this one. Click here to read about all the film references.
7. Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, LA
I wonder if they play Roy Orbison on the hotel radio.
8. The Tai Lake Palace, Lake Pichola, India
The clue is 007.
9. The Ritz, Piccadilly, London
A favourite with film stars apparently.
10. Vertigo Hotel, San Francisco
A little bit obvious this one.
I once lived in a block of flats in Highgate, London, that had long long corridors as it used to be a hotel. My then flatmate and fellow Film Studies student always said it looked just like the hotel in The Shining. I was like, yeah whatever, until I opened the door to leave one day and I found a kid on a creaky tricycle in the corridor coming towards me. Creeeeeepy!
This is why I do not watch horror films. They always come back to haunt you in real life.
Needless to say I moved out.