Binary System Podcast – Watch Party #7 – The Shining

It’s time yet again to Social Distance the heck out of this epidemic and watch a movie together while still staying in three different states: North Carolina, Florida, and California. Next up for the Tri-State Watch Party, we’re going with The Shining. (With multiple references to the Simpsons’ version too.)

The Netflix Watch Party app ended up being a little complicated, so we just set a time to hit “play” and then chatted through instant messenger. Click the jump to read some highlights from the conversation.

The Players: Elizabeth, Hannah, Kathryn, Nathan, and the parents (Parents represented here by Marian, because Dad would chisel a message in a stone tablet before typing anything on a phone.)

Hannah
Eep, 2.5 hours. Strap in

Elizabeth
Ready when yall are 

Hannah
We’re here

Elizabeth
I recently watched the Simpson’s version, this’ll be fun 

Hannah
SHH D’YEH WANT TO GET SUED

Elizabeth

LaughingSquintyEyesEmoji 1

Nathan

Kathryn
No beer and no TV make Homer something something.

Elizabeth
Go crazy?

Hannah
DON’T MIND IF I DO

Nathan
Ready if y’all are.

Elizabeth
Ready!

Hannah
Yep ready

Elizabeth
Hitting play!

Kathryn
Playing

Hannah

Nathan

Kathryn
Ooo, I don’t remember the creepy zoom over the wilderness here.

Elizabeth
Very Kubrick

Nathan
Who here’s read the book?

Elizabeth
Me me

Kathryn
Me!

Elizabeth
Movie has the better ending ????

Kathryn
Nathan was just saying that Nicholson comes across as way more maniacal here than the character is in the book.

Elizabeth
I was okay with this as a choice this week, but now I’m really getting hyped up ????

Kathryn
I think this is probably the most respectable Jack’s looked in a long time.

Nathan
Could you imagine being stuck somewhere with Jack Nicholson for several months? ????

Elizabeth
. shivers .

Hannah
Sounds like Kubrick was the bigger nightmare…

Elizabeth
Agreed

Nathan
Apparently, Kubrick was horrible to Shelley Duval, deliberately, in order to get the right level of anxiety and helplessness for her role.

Hannah
Yeah, they talked about that on Best Pick

Elizabeth
God forbid he should’ve just let her act

Nathan
I believe he also only fed Nicholson egg salad sandwiches, which he hates, in order to keep him on edge. ????

Hannah
Give us the Monkees biopic with Jack as Mickey Dolenz you cowards!

Elizabeth
hahaha

Kathryn
I already have to suspend my disbelief that anyone would look at Jack and those eyebrows and not see a dangerous lunatic.

Nathan

Hannah
Hahaha indeed

Product placement: This scene sponsored by Stuart Ullman LLC

Elizabeth
Any relation to Tracey?

Nathan

LaughingSquintyEyesEmoji 1

Hannah
Out of curiosity, does anyone ever just put one barrel of the shotgun in their mouth?

Pretty sure only one shoots at a time, but still…

Elizabeth
Trick shot? (…sorry..)

Hannah
HAH

CREEPY FUCKING KID

Kathryn
Just knowing that elevator shot existed kept me from seeing this movie for YEARS.

Hannah
That’s odd, the blood usually gets off at the second floor…

Elizabeth
I was JUST GOING TO SAY THAT

Kathryn
Danny just fainted and he has an imaginary person who hides in his stomach. But it’s completely normal. Sure.

Hannah
She looks SO MUCH like a British voice actor I follow (who coincidentally writes for Tracy Ullman)

Elizabeth
This so carefully constructed story about the arm

Kathryn
If this story Wendy’s telling was in a scene in a movie nowadays, it would be the start of her courageous story of LEAVING HER HUSBAND.

Nathan
In the days before child safety seats.

Hannah

Nathan
Wow! That’s a strong likeness.

Elizabeth
I thought that WAS her, wow

Hannah
DONER, PARTY OF SIX

Kathryn
GOOD GOD JACK STOP SMILING.

Elizabeth
Heath Ledger was great as the Joker but Jack Nicholson didn’t even have to pretend.

Nathan

Hannah
Did anybody ever see the CANNIBAL! movie from Trey Parker and Matt Stone?

Kathryn
No, is it worth a look?

Hannah
It was a college project in Colorado. Inspired by the Doner party

Haven’t seen it since TIP but I remember it was .quite. irreverent

It’s a musical

Kathryn
With a name like that it would have to be.

Hannah
I did not realize the hotel would be actually nice. I was thinking it was stodgier

NOPE NOPE NOPE

Elizabeth
I don’t think I’d seen Twin Peaks the first time I saw this, I didn’t know it would feel so similar

Kathryn
Creepy twin alert.

Hannah
This dude needs more rings

Kathryn
Darn it, I want to go to a hotel that has a hedge maze.

Hannah
No, that mattress is not firm enough

I’ll bet I could panic pretty quickly in a hedge maze

Elizabeth
Especially if it was snowy, but that may just be because of this movie

Hannah
(There’s an interesting recent ep of The Truth that has a corn maze)

Kathryn
Hey Elizabeth, it’s Jazz!

Elizabeth
Transformers fans pour one out for Scatman Crothers.

Hannah
Aw

Nice walk-and-talk, Stan

Kathryn
Would all of that frozen meat really still be good after seven months?

Elizabeth
FDA says meat that stays frozen is good “indefinitely.” I looked it up on account of a turkey I got for work.

Kathryn
Huh, didn’t know that

Hannah
But freezer burn is still a thing (I had the same thought)

Elizabeth
Yep, they said it might not TASTE as good, but it won’t kill ya ????

Hannah
Dried raisins?

Nathan
Isn’t that an oxymoron?

Hannah
Redundant at best

Kathryn
Was this before the concept of Stranger Danger really took hold? ‘Cause I’m not sure sending your child off with someone offering ice cream is an awesome idea.

Hannah
You’ve got that…shin…

Elizabeth
But it’s Scatman, I’d trust him anywhere

Hannah
Yeah, and he’s kind of already introduced himself to them

Although I dunno why this kid can’t tell his parents about Tony but can tell the stranger

Elizabeth
Maybe Tony told him it was okay?

Kathryn
Or he can tell this person is like him and won’t think he’s crazy.

Hannah
Yeah, that’s fair

Stephen King and hotel rooms automatically makes my hands sweat after 1408

Kathryn
Oh God, right?

Elizabeth
I love the tracking shot with the big wheel, partly because it’s a nice shot, partly because YES that would be fun

Hannah
EXACTLY!

Kathryn
I know I’d be freaked out because of this movie, but I also love the idea of getting a hotel to myself for a month or so.

Hannah
Did they have steady cam back then?

“Looks almost normal when his eyes are closed” says Ma

Elizabeth
heh

Hannah
Also I’m not trekking half a mile to deliver your damn breakfast.

Elizabeth
Mm. Bacon.

Hannah
NO WRITING BEFORE COFFEE

Nathan

Kathryn
Ahahaha!

Elizabeth
Hee

Nathan
She’s got a Polaroid!

Kathryn
No WAY would I be able to work with a whole ballroom looming over me.

Hannah
omg that gif

This is how my writing goes and I feel attacked

Elizabeth
Wow that maze is WAY BIGGER than I thought it was

Hannah
That is such a nope

Kathryn
AAA, title crash.

Elizabeth
The Simpsons nailed that one

Nathan
That’s a lot of fruit salad!

Hannah
Holy shit no kidding

Nathan
Why would a hotel room have double doors?

Elizabeth
Huh, I never noticed that.

Hannah
I like how he jump-started the big wheel with his hand there

Elizabeth
I like how he casually flips the paper over so she can’t see it

Kathryn
So in the book it took a while for him to lose it. But here it looks like he was nutso from the second he walked in the door of the hotel.

Elizabeth
It’s true, we went from the breakfast scene to this pretty quick

Droppin F bombs everywhere

Kathryn
We never really get the scrapbook history of the hotel here do we?

Favorite part of the book.

Elizabeth
I have no memory of that. Time for a reread!

Hannah
He mentioned a little bit during the tour

Nathan
I need to read it, too. Been a long time.

Kathryn
“And the Red Death held sway over all.”

Hannah
“Oh, phew, thank God that’s over”

Elizabeth
“MY HUSBAND IS ON A MURDEROUS RAMPAGE, over.” “oh, whew, I’m glad that’s over, I was worried for a sec.”

Hannah
Hahaha

Elizabeth
Can you imagine Kubrick doing some location scouting and dancing in glee at this place?

I mean I’m sure some of it’s a set but..

Nathan

Elizabeth
Skin….crawling..

Yeah, that Mr Halloran thing with Tony, he liked him.

Hannah
That kid was born 5 days before you

Elizabeth
Oh no way!

Kathryn
Has he done anything else other than this?

Hannah
Just Dr. Sleep, apparently

Kathryn
Wait, he was in Doctor Sleep?

Nathan
They made a movie of that?

Elizabeth
Did he do Dr. Sleep? They got the same actor?

Came out last year I think, getting over 7 points on imdb so it apparently doesn’t suck

Nathan
Huh.

Hannah
No, he’s billed as “spectator”

Elizabeth
Ah, cameo.

Hannah
Yeah

Kathryn
Stunt casting. I like it.

Elizabeth
It would’ve been wrong to NOT put him in there somewhere.

Hannah
“Never” you mean “not again”

Elizabeth
Yeap

Hannah
Literally LOLed at the pep talk

Kathryn
Hotel hallways are inherently creepy, but this one goes to extremes.

Hannah
That Apollo 11 sweater would be great for Halloween

Elizabeth
In case Kathryn ever decides to give up crochet for knitting…

Kathryn
Ooo…

WHY AREN’T YOU RUNNING WENDY.

Elizabeth
Back slooowly away Wendy….

Marian
Phone was plugged in. Catching up. I read the book

Kathryn
Did this movie pretty much establish Nicholson’s career as “The guy you hire to play the crazy person”?

Hannah
I mean, Cuckoo’s Nest…

Elizabeth
I guess Cuckoo’s Nest would recommend him for this

Hannah
Ok so there is good reason behind Kubrick’s reputation as a filmmaker. These shots are amazing

Waste ya family I’ll give ya a drink

Elizabeth
Oh I’m happy, I’m very happy, La la la la la la la

“The ol sperm bank upstairs.” Ew ew ew.

Hannah
Eww indeed

I like how maybe As Good As It Gets is like if Jack Torrence grew old in NYC

Kathryn
Him looking around to see if anyone in the empty hotel is somehow even creepier than his conversation with the bartender who isn’t there.

Hannah
WHAT is that POSTER

Elizabeth
Scatman you old dog you

Kathryn
Pretty impressive fro, right?

Hannah
Pretty impressive… everything…

Okay that’s definitely bowling alley carpet

Nathan
Looks like peacock feathers.

Elizabeth
Anybody else think they’d totally eat it on a set of stairs inside a hotel room?

Hannah
I mean, I think I have done…

Kathryn
Ahhhhhh! Nope nope nope nope

Elizabeth
Rated R rating, earned.

Hannah
We have entered Act Bobbies

BOOBIES

Elizabeth
Bewbs

Kathryn
I have no memory of this.

Hannah
Bewbs n pewbs

Elizabeth
Someone get that chick a twinkie

Hannah
HI MOM

Kathryn

LaughingSquintyEyesEmoji 1

Elizabeth
hahaha

Hannah
Yeah, no, that’s not healthy

Elizabeth
YIPE

Hannah
She’s got an ass that quit during the Nixon administration

Hannah
ACK

Nathan
And that’s why you stay out of room 237!

Hannah
HOW IS THIS MOVIE FAMOUS AND I’VE NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE

Elizabeth
I must have watched a Network TV version I swear

Kathryn
Just going to suggest that.

Elizabeth
well the other explanation is YOU did it dude but NEVER MIND

Hannah
Just use that…shin… of yours

Can we pause at 10 for weewee?

Nathan
Sure!

Marian
Yes

Kathryn
I always thought “Your money’s no good here” should imply they’re not allowed to buy anything, not that everything’s free of charge.

Elizabeth
I think it depends on tone

Hannah
Heh, me too, but I think that’s the joke maybe?

Marian
Nope. Means someone else is paying or it is on the house

Kathryn
That is a damn red bathroom there.

Hannah
Target flashbacks

Nathan
We should hold a fish & goose soiree!

Elizabeth
I was thinking I want to go to a big party that’s 20s themed with a Shining twist

Hannah
Okay, pause mid-wipedown?

Elizabeth
Pausing!

Nathan

What’s everyone’s time stamp? We seem to be a bit ahead of the rest of you.

Elizabeth
1:27:32

Kathryn
Huh, you’re ahead of us by about 15 secs.

Okay, now we’re caught up

Nathan
I’d paused it a bit ago. You must have overtaken us then.

Hannah
Hah, we were right along with Kathryn and Nathan

Elizabeth
I probably goofed it, I’d clicked the link to see if I knew Lloyd from anywhere else (I didn’t) which paused the video, so I jumped forward ten seconds to make up. Mistake, apparently

Kathryn
Are we all set?

Elizabeth
Ready!

Nathan

Hannah
Nope, mom got distracted

Elizabeth
hahaha

Kathryn
Hee.

Hannah
Ready!

Elizabeth
Ready!

Nathan


Kathryn

Playing!

It’s pretty bad when even your hallucinations think you’re crazy.

Elizabeth
Or drunk.

Nathan

LaughingSquintyEyesEmoji 1
LaughingSquintyEyesEmoji 1

Or both.

Hannah
Urinals are wired

Weird

Ffs

Elizabeth
“You’ve always been the caretaker.”

Hannah
I wonder if that actor is British or just fancy American

Elizabeth
Ack N WORD ALERT

Hannah
Eep

All of the colors amplify the mania

Nathan

Elizabeth
“Danny’s not here Mrs. Torrence.”

Kathryn
eep

Hannah
ACK

Elizabeth
Does Nathan have thoughts on the radio components?

Hannah
I was just gonna ask…

Nathan
Looks like an old tube unit. Not sure what he pulled out, though.

Elizabeth
I was totally pulling from the Simpsons for this, I had no idea he had to fly there.

Hannah
LOOK HOW BIG THOSE SEATS ARE

Elizabeth
hahah

Nathan
SERIOUSLY!

Elizabeth
Do not miss driving in the snow.

Hannah
I’d love a Durkin’s durnut right about now

Elizabeth
heh

Nathan

LaughingSquintyEyesEmoji 1
LaughingSquintyEyesEmoji 1

Elizabeth
Larry’s good people.

Marian
Which means he will be killed.

Elizabeth
Woof. Nice touch with a semi overturned on a car.

Hannah
Yikes

Right

Kathryn
How come we never heard the Road Runner theme song when we were growing up?

Nathan
I remember it!

Elizabeth
I don’t remember a Road Runner song at all!

I remember every other sound effect I hear though

Kathryn
Maybe the song was a couple of years before our time

Nathan
Only remember it being in one cartoon, but I definitely remember hearing it.

Elizabeth
The sticking-the-tongue-out “boing boing boing” is my favorite

Kathryn
“Feeling fine”

Elizabeth
“Well this is less encouraging.”

Nathan
You have to feel for the intern Kubrick made type all that out.

Hannah
This is so wonderfully filmed. Are there any other Kubrick movies that won’t upset me or bore me to tears?

Kathryn
I remember this bit really getting to me. The idea that he’s been crazy the ENTIRE TIME.

Nathan
Dr. Strangelove.

The Killing is another good one.

Also Paths of Glory.

Kathryn
I’m super impressed with the last ten minutes of 2001

Hannah
Oh and I don’t hate the first part of Full Metal Jacket

Nathan
I like 2001, but you’d be bored by it.

Elizabeth
I wish I liked 2001 but never could get past the pace.

Hannah
Also two spaces after the period makes Hannah an angry AP user

Elizabeth
hahahah

Kathryn
God if I was Wendy in this scene I’d just start flailing with the bat now and never stop.

Nathan
The kids facial expressions are spot on.

Hannah
Jabbing with the bat is the best technique

Kathryn
“Darling? LIGHT of my LIFE.”

Hannah
GIMME THE BAT, MARGE

Elizabeth
POW

Kathryn
Don’t stop hitting him NOW.

Hannah
Can’t murder. Eating.

That camera angle on Jack is… terrifying

Elizabeth
That snow scene outside the door too, yipe

Kathryn
The musical stings here are really reminiscent of 2001

Elizabeth
Lissen Homer, me and the other ghouls were talking..

Hannah
The Heinz product placement here is… intense

Elizabeth
Tang spotted on the shelf too!!

Kathryn
I just saw that!

Nathan
I’m suddenly having a craving for pimento pieces and sliced peaches.

Elizabeth
hahaha

Hannah
OREO

Country Time lemonade, too

Elizabeth
Nilla Wafers! No wait those are boring. TANG

Hannah
Go shovel the driveway, honey, mommy’s sleeping

Kathryn
How sore must this kid’s throat have been after this scene?

Hannah
SIXTY MINUTES

Elizabeth
Classic, this whole scene

Nathan

Kathryn
Flashback to seeing that face on the cover of a VCR tape every time we went to 7-11.

Hannah
That is a proper motherfucking axe right there

Elizabeth
AAAAAA

Huh, who knew that scene in Jurassic Park was an homage to this?

Hannah
Right?

Nathan
Never thought of that.

Hannah
Also my phone wants it to be Judaic Park. Go figure.

Elizabeth
Fitting

Kathryn
I’d watch that.

Nathan
Well, of course it does!

Hannah
THIS IS INDEED A DISTURBING TIMELINE

Elizabeth
Hee

Kathryn
Okay, I KNOW they needed Halloran here to bring the snowmobile and to have someone die who wasn’t Danny or Wendy.

Hannah
I love it when the Foley artists give them tap shoes

Kathryn
But to do it like that is just silly.

His character becomes useless this way. Insta-kill.

Elizabeth
OH I DON’T REMEMBER THIS EITHER

Hannah
WELP

Elizabeth
KNOCK IT OFF KUBRICK THAT’S JUST BEING WEIRD FOR WEIRD’S SAKE

Hannah
Chuckie Cheese Fellatio is my metal band

Kathryn
Really, anyone who hasn’t read the book or forgot the basis for that will be so lost.

Elizabeth
I read the book and have forgotten the basis for that, I’m lost.

Kathryn
It’s not even that big of a section in the book, not sure why Kubrick included it.

Elizabeth
Huh, props to him then, I thought he was just all “Ghost in dog mask fellating the staff WHY NOT”

Nice job Danny

Hannah
Composer: I dunno just give the strings meth?

Nathan
TENSION!!

Kathryn
And tape their fingers together.

Elizabeth
hahahaha

Hannah
Windy-ass maze

Kathryn
LESS HUGGING MORE RUNNING

Elizabeth
That article you found about freezing to death keeps jumping to mind…

Bad decisions that take too long…

Hannah
Getting warm from exercise…

Nathan
Ever read the Jack London story about a guy freezing to death?

Elizabeth
Ooo, no, never did.

Nathan
It’s good, but terrifying.

Kathryn
I have, yikes

Elizabeth
I forgot that you barely get ten seconds with that shot

Nathan
Supplemental viewing: 

It’s a documentary about various fan theories about the hidden meanings in this film.

There are some real whack jobs out there!

Ha! We could have had Robin Williams in The Shining! 

Elizabeth
That would’ve been….interesting…….

Hannah
Heh, Robin would not have tolerated egg sandwiches or abuse of his costars

It should be said, re: The Shining, that you do not need to explain the scary stuff

I’m no expert on horror, but that’s a hypothesis I continue to support

Nathan

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