Hear Here Part 2: Hardly Anybody

In the film version of Stephen King's novel The Shining, Stanley Kubrick plays the role of Wendy.  Well, Shelley Duvall plays the role of Stanley Kubrick playing the role of Wendy.  Our first clue that this is the case is when the camera first pans in to the apartment complex where Wendy and Danny are eating breakfast.  The clue isn't obvious at first, especially upon an initial viewing of the film, but it is loud and clear, especially if you are able to listen to the film on headphones (I highly recommend listening to the entire film on headphones only; you will be amazed at the things you "see").  It is one of Kubrick's cruelest jokes as well.

As the camera pans in, we can hear, out of sight, but obviously present, the sound of a very crowded playground.  We hear the sounds of many children laughing and playing in the morning sun.  It would seem impossible that these children are unattended, so it is safe to assume that there are at least a few parents supervising the fun.  Most likely these are the children and parents who live in the same apartment complex of the Torrances.

As the camera makes it's journey indoors to the kitchen where Danny and Wendy are reading and watching, the dialogue addresses Danny's growing confusion about what the hell is going on, and, with the flattest of flat affects, Danny challenges his mother yet again with a completely false statement of fact.

          "Mom?"
          "Yeah…"
          "Do you really wanna go live in that hotel for the winter?"
          "Sure I do, it'll be lots of fun."
          "Yeah.  I guess so.  Anyway, there's hardly anybody to play with around here."
          "Yeah I know.  It always takes a little time to make new friends."

What bullshit.  Danny can not only hear what's going on outside his windows, he has probably driven by that playground full of kids many times.  His eyes and ears tell him that there are plenty of nice people having fun, plenty of friends to be made, but his mother, his protector, tells him no.  This perversion of reality is a confusing and bizarre game for a six year old child, let alone an adult, to endure.  The psychic stress of this discrepancy between reality and authority compels little Danny to look deeper, beyond the surface reality of his surroundings, in order to reconcile the "illusions" that are so damn confusing.

          "Yeah, I guess so."
          "What about Tony, he's looking forward to the hotel I bet."
          "No I aint missus Torrance."

Enter Tony.  Tony is the fractured part of Danny's personality, the only voice of reason who isn't afraid to speak the truth.  Tony exists to express the truth for Danny, as violence and or verbal abuse seem to be the consequence of choice for getting out of line.  But not for Tony.  Tony is imaginary.   When the shit hits the fan, Tony disappears before anyone can lay a hand on him.

It is curious that Tony speaks in slang, and not the proper grammar of a school teacher.  This introduces the first connection between Danny and Dick Halloran, who, one assumes, adopts a different mode of speaking when removed from the stilted confines of the Overlook Hotel, and who also knows the frustration of having one's personality fractured by a dishonest and repressive regime.

          "Do you know why I pulled you over Mr. Halloran?
          "No Officer, I don't."
          "Do you khow fast you were driving Mr. Halloran?"
          "Yes Officer, the speed limit is 55 mph and I was driving 55 mph."
          "Step out of the car Mr. Halloran."
          "I don't know why I have to-"
          "STEP OUT OF THE CAR."

Stanley Kubrick, in his role as Wendy, assures the audience that what they are about to watch is a movie version of Stephen King's best-selling novel, The Shining.  It has all the characters, it takes place in the same hotel, and it describes all of the frightfully spooky action of the book.  But the Danny's in the audience realized that Stanley was lying.  The smart ones saw through the Stephen King cover story.  And, like Danny, were probably shamed by popular opinion when expressing an alternative view.  Of course Stanley, like Wendy, knew the cover story was crap, but if given the choice between explaining the real horror of the situation, or telling a story, both Stan and Wendy protect the story at all costs.

Enter Room 237.  Rodney Ascher's documentary spotlights our imaginary friends, our Tony's.  Our truth telling weirdos, freaks, and nut jobs who aren't afraid to speak up, who have seen through the bullshit and are speaking up to defend the battered senses of the confused.  These brave voices, like Tony, strive to reveal something that we used to see and hear clearly, but have been battered and hammered and taught to ignore.