Mite - What Happens In The Underbelly Of "The Shining's" Hotel?

Directed by Walter Volbers, Mite is a really interesting short that walks a fine line between a tribute and an original short all it's own. Opening up with a shot of the dark halls of the Overlook Hotel present in Kubrick's The Shining, we're eventually thrust into the iconic patterned carpet into a gorgeous alien world inhabited by microscopic organisms unaffected by the horrors above.

The short took a total of ten years of on and off work to complete, which is reasonable considering that Volbers used it as an opportunity to transition out of more traditional cell animation into CG, using the now discontinued Softimage XSI modeling software to accomplish his curious vision.

The Shining - 8 Bit Style

The folks at Cinefix have continued to evolve their awesome 8-bit cinema segment, and the latest installment is one of their best yet, translating The Shining into a graphic adventure game similar to retro point and click games like Day of the Tentacle and Manic Mansion. Jack's downward spiral is captured perfectly in this wonderfully retro tribute to Kubrick's excellent horror movie.

Kubrick's "The Shining" Analysis - Fake Moon Landings And More

Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining is one of the most widely interpreted works of film in the last few decades, spawning countless theories,documentaries and articles attempting to decipher the countless implied themes present in that ominous Overlook hotel. Netflix just recently added Room 237, a feature length documentary with various analysis touching upon theories ranging from the implied Native American Genocide aspect, imperialism, and even supposed clues to the supposed faking of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

The infamous Apollo 11 shirt - Fuel on the fire.

The insanely meticulous, detail oriented nature of Kubrick helped create that strange aura of mystique around his films (I still get chills thinking about the implied themes of Eyes Wide Shut), which were always packed to the brim with strange visual clues that never quite seemed incidental. This recently unearthed documentary offers one such angle, breaking down The Shining as a facade implying Kubrick's involvement with faking moon landings, rumored to have been filmed at the same time as the film. I'm no conspiracy theorist, but I have to say they definitely make a very compelling case...Was it all just a coincidence? Be the judge, and don't forget to check out Room 237 on Netflix for more Kubrick-conspiracy goodness.

Stanley Kubrick's One-Point Perspective

In this compilation of famed director Stanley Kubrick's most notable films (including The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut, Full Metal Jacket, and so forth...), we see a rather interesting edit showcasing his filming technique. As one commenter suggested, the sense of symmetry creates a sense of discomfort and unease, which is arguably a Kubrick trademark. Even when nothing bad is happening, the scene creates a sense of dread in the viewer. As a film tactic, it definitely accomplishes it's psychological purpose.

Stanley Kubrick - The Cinemagraph Collection

That iconic Clockwork Orange stare (Via)

I've once again stumbled into the new form of art that could have only come out of the internet age: Cinemagraphs. Cinemagraphs are still photographs in which a minor and repeated movement action occurs. The term 'cinemagraph' was coined by U.S. photographers Kevin Burg and Jamie Beck, who used the technique to animate their fashion and news photographs in their Fleeting Moments series, which we covered late last year.

Some of the movements are very subtle, and when used to animate scenes from one of the most visually interesting Directors of all time, Stanley Kubrick, create an amazing effect that just looks stunning. The technique just suits his visual style. Check out my personal favorites after the break!