The French Newspaper Story That Inspired Kubrick’s The Shining (1922)

Before 'Here's Johnny' there was a Frenchman at the door

Stanley Kubrick’s version of Stephen King’s The Shining (1980) features many unforgettable scenes but arguably none more than when a drunk and deranged Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) breaks down the bathroom door with an axe intending to murder his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd).

 

The Shining

 

Creativity is a collaborative process. What did Kubrick see to inspire that image of the lunatic husband attacking his wife and child? Well, we’ve come across this cover of French newspaper Le Petit Journal Illustre, from March 19, 1922.

 

Le_Petit_journal_illustré__kubrick the shining

 

The Shining kubrick

 

Text:

The text Tragedy of Alcoholism, Woman shooting her alcoholic husband to protect her baby from his wrath.

The French wife was smarter than dear Wendy – she took a gun to a knife fight.

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