Mike Flanagan, writer, and director of the new Stephen King movie the Doctor Sleep attempt to syncretize the three incompatible texts of Stephen King’s novel The Shining(1977), novel Doctor Sleep (2013) and the Stanley Kubrick’s movie The Shining (1980).
Stephen King hated Kubrick’s movie as it was a lot more engrossing in ghosts version than in alcoholism. So King decided to make a sequel of The Shining, which was based on the original theme of his book. Now Mike Flanagan tries to make an attempt to make a movie that covers both the versions of the novel The Shining, including all the best & contradictory scenes from the previous films and plot points of the book.
So what are the variances Flangana is showing in his movie? Here are two significant changes he is bringing from the previous version of the film and the books.
- One of the most significant changes taken in the film is the adaptation of The Overlook Hotel. In both the previous versions of The Shining, Jack Torrance, occupied in as caretaker of The Overlook Hotel in winters, plunges into madness, tries to kill his son and wife, and adjured by the hungry ghosts of the hotel. Flanagan draws most of the elements from the book comprising of both the versions that Kubrick didn’t include. Flanagan also reveals that he is about to add a fun element to recreate the horrifying and violent acts from the original novel’s scenes.
- Abra Stone is a kid on which both the versions of Doctor Sleep movie revolves around. In the film, Abra has stronger psychic powers than Danny Torrance, whereas in the book, Abra’s family in a significant role. Flanagan, in his movie, has given a Abra’s family a diminished role according to the King’s book, which Kubrick didn’t.
