Snowbound movies
The blizzard has me thinking about my favorite snowbound movies. Of course, Kubrick's "The Shining" has to be at the top of the list.
Stephen King didn't do Colorado tourism any favors with that one. It's kind of a crazy idea that there would be a mountain resort hotel (it was modeled after The Stanley in Estes Park) that gets snowed in for months at a time.
Man, that was a creepy movie.
Yes, the book was better, but that's true of all King adaptations.
Can you guys think of any other great snowbound movies?
posted by Warren Epstein @ 12:37 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Warren
Ice Station Zebra, of course.
Cheers, Julian
Don't wanna sound like a big dork - I'm a big time King fan - and correct you, but... King got the inspiration for the novel, and actually wrote parts of it while staying at The Stanley up in Estes Park. The exterior shots of the hotel in the film come from The Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, Oregon. All the interior shots were done on a stage at Elstree Studios (same one George Lucas used for the Star Wars films) in London, England.
Now, the 1997 4+ hour mini-series (directed by Mick Garris) and written by King (King absolutely DETESTED Kubrick's film bastardization of his book) did in fact take place at The Stanley. Minus the big ole hedge maze from Kubrick's version of course. Now THAT was good!
Eli,
When I was talking about King's inspiration being the Stanley, I wasn't talking about where the Kubrick film was shot. I'm equally dorky about this. I've read every King novel (except the new one) and stayed at The Stanley a couple of times, and seen the shrine to "The Shining," along with props from the miniseries.
I appreciated the miniseries for being more faithful to the book, but it just wasn't as scary as Kubrick's version.
The biggest problem with Kubrick's version was also its greatest asset: Nicholson. He's supposed to be this orginary guy who goes wacko/gets possessed. But from the minute you meet Nicholson's Jack, you just know he's got that mass-murderer look.
Still, come on, you gotta love "Heeere's Johnny!"
Aaaah... gotcha. My bad! ;)
Absolutely agreed! Nicholson rocked that movie. I like it as a movie on it's own accord, and tend not to even think of it as King related. ;) The mini-series was really good though, at least for us King nuts! And as you pointed out... most of King's books-to-movie (not unlike the ending to a great many of his novels) - suck.
The wife and I have been up to The Stanley for the tour (not to mention the great beer over at the Estes Park Brewery). We wanted to go up there and stay the night for their Halloween Costume ball thingy, but the price they were charging for that shindig was more than I was willing to part with.
Oh, I can't believe no one mentioned "The Thing" ~ Hellooo? How much more snowbound can you get? (And it scared the crap outta me!)
Good "Snowbound" movies...Day After Tomorrow, Eight Below, Fargo, Mystery Alaska and not as good but still a snowbound movie...Whiteout. I LOVE snowbound movies!!
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