Kevin Greutert's voice brims with enthusiasm as he vividly recalls the moment when he was introduced to "The Shining." He was a 14-year-old kid from the Los Angeles suburbs in early 1980, and like so many admirers of director Stanley Kubrick, Greutert's initial introduction to one of his classic movies took place inside a movie theater.
"Even as a very young boy, [Kubrick] was somebody whose films I really adored," Greutert recalled, ticking off "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "A Clockwork Orange" as among his favorites. "I remember I was at this theater at the Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia, California, and the teaser trailer showed these elevator doors opening in slow motion with all of this blood pouring out. I was like, 'What the hell is this?!' And then it's says, 'The Shining!'" Greutert described "The Shining" as "a perfect movie, and certainly the perfect horror film. Every time I make a movie, as part of getting ready to do it, I watch 'The Shining.' It's really just inspirational."
