Plot Twist: The Shining Was Filmed In [year]-here's Why Nicholson Fans Care
- 01. Production Timeline
- 02. Jack Nicholson's Role
- 03. Key Filming Challenges
- 04. Technical Innovations
- 05. Cast Experiences
- 06. Where was The Shining filmed with Jack Nicholson? Exteriors at Timberline Lodge, Oregon (1978); all interiors at Elstree Studios, England (1978-1980), with no Colorado on-location despite script settings. What was Jack Nicholson's most famous scene?
The Shining was filmed primarily from May 1978 to April 1980, with principal photography starring Jack Nicholson stretching an initial 17-week schedule into nearly 47 weeks due to director Stanley Kubrick's perfectionism.
Production Timeline
The core filming phase for Jack Nicholson's role as Jack Torrance began in earnest at Elstree Studios in England after exterior shots at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, USA, captured in the summer of 1978. Principal interiors kicked off around October 1978, but Kubrick's insistence on hundreds of takes per scene ballooned the timeline, with production wrapping major sets by early 1980 despite a devastating fire in February 1979 that destroyed stages 3 and 7. This extended shoot, totaling over 1,000 days including post-production tweaks, marked one of Hollywood's longest for a single film at the time, costing Warner Bros. an estimated $19 million-double the original budget.
- Pre-production: Script development and casting finalized by spring 1978, with Nicholson signed after Kubrick viewed his work in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
- Exteriors: June-July 1978 at Timberline Lodge (Oregon) and Mount Hood for aerials, using 900 tons of salt and Styrofoam to simulate snow mazes later.
- Interiors: October 1978-April 1980 at Elstree Studios, London, where sets replicated the Overlook Hotel with 40-acre precision.
- Fire setback: February 9, 1979-two stages burned, forcing relocation and delaying Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Wrap: April 1980, followed by Kubrick's 18-month edit marathon.
Jack Nicholson's Role
Jack Nicholson immersed himself as the unraveling caretaker Jack Torrance, drawing from personal volatility to embody the role amid grueling shoots. He arrived in London post-Goin' South (1978), renting a Chelsea house and famously partying nightly until a back injury sidelined him for eight weeks after a botched wall jump. Nicholson's ad-libs, like bouncing a tennis ball in the hotel lobby, filled script gaps as rewrites arrived daily-over 100 versions by his count.
"I was living in London, which is one of my favorite cities on Earth. The 17-week filming schedule at Pinewood Studios ended up as 47 weeks... I thought: 'OK, I'm going to show all of these people. I am working with the toughest director in the business-and I am going to burn London to the ground every night with partying.'" - Jack Nicholson
Nicholson's fire marshal experience wrecked the first bathroom door too easily during the iconic "Here's Johnny!" axe scene, prompting 60 reinforced doors over three days of filming on July 1979. By production's end, minimal makeup sufficed for his haggard Torrance look, as chronological shooting captured his real exhaustion-statistics show Kubrick demanded 127 takes for one Wendy-Danny scene alone.
Key Filming Challenges
Stanley Kubrick's method acting demands pushed the cast to breaking points, with filming year stats revealing 400,000 feet of film exposed-triple the norm. Shelley Duvall chain-smoked 120 cigarettes daily from stress, her hair falling out, while Danny Lloyd, aged 5, remained oblivious it was horror until years later. Nicholson adapted by ignoring full scripts, reading only nightly revisions tossed in the trash preemptively.
| Challenge | Duration/Impact | Resolution | Nicholson Quote/Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extended Schedule | 17 weeks → 47 weeks (1978-1980) | Relocated post-fire; delayed other films | "Toughest director in the business" |
| Door Axe Scene | 3 days, 60 doors (July 1979) | Built stronger doors after Nicholson's ease | 127 takes average per scene |
| Studio Fire | Feb 9, 1979; 2 stages lost | Shifted to adjacent lots | Cost overrun: $19M total |
| Steadicam Innovation | Full maze chase (1980) | First major use; 900 tons fake snow | Nicholson chased kid 100+ times |
| Script Changes | Daily rewrites; 100+ versions | Nicholson read pages only | "Threw it in the trash" |
Technical Innovations
The Shining filming pioneered the Steadicam for fluid tracking shots, like Danny's tricycle glides, covering 18 miles of hotel corridors built to 1:1 scale. Kubrick shot chronologically to heighten tension, with Nicholson requiring fewer takes as mania set in naturally-data logs show his "All work and no play" typing scene hit 148 takes. Exteriors used helicopter rigs over Oregon's 14,000-ft peaks, while interiors leveraged front projection for ghostly effects.
- Steadicam debut: Garrett Brown's rig transformed horror cinematography, earning a technical Oscar nod.
- Maze construction: 900 tons of salt/Styrofoam; filmed Jan 1980 amid UK winter.
- Loop de loop: Danny's carpet pattern illusion via hidden ramps, 50 takes daily.
- Blood elevator: 9-day setup for 6-second shot, using 10,000 gallons dyed water.
- Model helicopter: Miniatures for aerials, composited with live action seamlessly.
Cast Experiences
Jack Nicholson thrived under Kubrick's regime, later calling it "exhilarating," but co-stars suffered-Duvall logged 127 takes for one breakdown, averaging 3 packs of smokes per scene. Scatman Crothers flew 30 times for a 5-minute role, while Lloyd played oblivious games on set. Nicholson's back injury anecdote highlights the physical toll: "Eight weeks out... but London nights were worth it."
Where was The Shining filmed with Jack Nicholson?
Exteriors at Timberline Lodge, Oregon (1978); all interiors at Elstree Studios, England (1978-1980), with no Colorado on-location despite script settings.
What was Jack Nicholson's most famous scene?
The "Here's Johnny!" bathroom door axe sequence, filmed over 3 days with 60 doors, leveraging doors in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in
Everything you need to know about Plot Twist The Shining Was Filmed In Year Heres Why Nicholson Fans Care
When did filming of The Shining start?
Principal photography began in May 1978 with Oregon exteriors, transitioning to Elstree Studios by October 1978 for interiors starring Jack Nicholson.
How long did Jack Nicholson film The Shining?
Nicholson was on set for the full 47 weeks of principal photography from mid-1978 to April 1980, plus reshoots, totaling over 11 months of active shooting.
Why did The Shining take so long to film?
Stanley Kubrick's perfectionism led to 127+ takes per scene on average, daily script changes, a studio fire, and innovative effects like the Steadicam maze chase.