The Stanley Hotel, known for its architecture, magnificent setting and famous visitors, may possibly be best known today for its inspirational role in Stephen King's novel "The Shining." The hotel has been featured as one of America's most haunted hotels and with the numerous storoeis from visitors and staff, the Stanley Hotel continues to "shine" today as it did in 1909 when first opened.
One of the most known aspects of the hotel is the author Stephen King and his novel, The Shining. Late in the summe rof 1973, Stephen King was ready for a change. His first novel, Carrie, had thrust him into national prominence, and his second novel, Salem's Lot, had been written. He moved his family to Colorado, renting a home in Boulder. He arrived in Estes Park at The Stanley Hotel and he spent time walking the long corridors. He could imagine the grand hotel cut off from the outside world ... snowbound. His plot thickened: a family hired as caretakers of the vast hotel until Spring; an innocent wife; a husband going mad; and their small son with a special gift - The Shining. The Stanley became a fictional hotel known as The Overlook, near a mountain town called Sidewinder. Stephen King left Colorado by the end of 1975 summer season, returning to Maine.
Motion picture rights were secured by Warner Brothers, who proceeded to acquire not only the renowned director Stanley Kubrick, but actors Jack Nicholson, Shelly Duvall, Danny Lloyd and Scatman Crothers. By June 1977, however, the idea of filming in Estes Park was given up: not enough snow, too close to town and inadequate power supplies. Instead, Kubrick chose exterior shots of Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, Oregon. He them moved to England where he built sets of a hotel interior, finding the hedge maze he wanted in England as well.
In 1996, Stephen King returned to The Stanley as Executive Producer and Screenplay Writer of a new Shining - a six-hour mini-series which was shown in spring of 1997. This film more closely follows his book and stars Steven Weber, Rebecca DeMornay, Melvin Van Peebles and Elliott Gould.
