Jessica Stimely

ENG 329: The Gothic Tradition

Final Essay

The Gothic in Contemporary Film

A desolate and grand hotel incite violent thoughts into a father’s mind. A young man

fights for his life while meeting his girlfriend’s parents. Modern horror films and books have

taken many themes from traditional Gothic literature. Elements that were token to writers during

the Victorian era and beyond still exist in contemporary texts and films. Films such as “The

Shining” and “Get Out” are films that have incorporated Gothic elements by putting a focus on

setting, nature, disruption of borders and difficult to express issues.

Stephen King’s novel “The Shining” and subsequent film adaptation sets a Gothic tone by

emphasizing a foreboding setting. The introduction of the film shows vast, mountainous

landscapes and playing in the background is a mix of foreboding music. The camera angle is

downcast as it follows the small car around the twists and turns of the mountains. As the car

creeps into tunnels, it creates the feeling of distance and isolation. The panoramic and wide

angles emphasize the space to the point where the tiny car seems almost comical. Mr. Torrance

later announces he made the trip in 3 and a half hours. Later on, the manager of the Outlook

hotel admits the site was chosen for its seclusion. The tremendous sense of isolation is what the

manager warns of in his interview with Mr. Torrance, who is insistent the solitude and isolation

won’t be a problem, in fact for him it will be motivating for his writing. The manager also warns

of the “claustrophobic reaction” people have in places like The Overlook, and it’s blamed for the

tragedy of a the previous care taker killing his family. “The air feels so different. We must really

be high up” exclaims the mother as they make the drive up. The grand hotel, built on an Indian

burial ground, even features a 13 feet high hedge maze. All of these details adds to the isolated

feelings surrounding the novel and film’s setting.

Jessica Stimely
ENG 329: The Gothic Tradition
Final Essay

Another element of the Gothic theme that plays a role in “The Shining” is the element of

nature. The Torrance family is spending time at the hotel during the winter, as Mr. Torrance

takes the position of winter caretaker. For this mountainous hotel, winter would be the off season

when it closes down to visitors completely. The family is warned that they will have to endure

“fantastically cruel” winters, where heavy snow covers the main road. The elements take a toll

on the hotel’s functions and keeps people shut in for long periods of time. The mental breakdown

of the previous caretaker who later killed his family occurred during this time of year. The power

of winter and its brought-on isolation is emphasized in the recalling of the Donner party and how

they resorted to cannibalism to survive. The oncoming and unyielding power of winter adds to

the suspenseful buildup to the film’s climax.

The film also explores a disruption of borders. In this case, the novel and film pit illusion

against reality. The son, Danny, has an imaginary friend Tony (who lives in his mouth), who tells

him disturbing visions of the future. The imaginary friend is rationalized by the psychologist as a

“self-induced trance” brought on by emotional stress likely from adjusting to school. At the

hotel, the son continues to have visions of ghostly apparitions of the murdered Grady twin girls

in an iconic scene from the film. The “shining” telepathic gift of interacting with the nonliving is

a trait that’s shared between not only the son but the hotel’s chef. A quite literal example of the

illusion versus reality border disruption is the hedge maze on the hotel’s grounds that disorients

the family and guests as they walk along the massive labyrinth of walls.

Most importantly is the novel and film’s depiction of the family breakdown, a difficult to

express issue. From the very beginning, Mrs. Torrance downplays her husband’s anger

management and drinking problems. She admits in the beginning of the film her husband had

dislocated her son’s shoulder in a drunken fit. Throughout the film Mr. Torrance lashes out at his
Jessica Stimely
ENG 329: The Gothic Tradition
Final Essay

wife while he makes attempts at writing, exhibiting a loss of self-control. The mental

deterioration and possession of Mr. Torrance continues to unfold throughout the novel and film,

culminating into a suspenseful murderous chase of his wife and son. It’s up to the audience to

determine if the Overlook hotel had special, paranormal-like powers over its caretakers or if the

murderous rampage of the father is the result of his own mental breakdown. Either way, “The

Shining” features a husband and father who cannot be trusted, and instead of taking care of his

family, behaves quite the opposite.

Jordan Peele’s 2017 film “Get Out” similarly uses setting to set a foreboding tone that’s

typical of Gothic films and literature. The film’s main character, Chris, is invited to the house of

his girlfriend’s wealthy parents’. The drive out to the house is plagued by a strange occurrence in

which a deer jumps out at the car. The foreshadowing event gives a sense of unease. Early on in

the film Chris is immediately portrayed as an outsider to his girlfriend’s family, as he’s the first

African American that she has dated. Even though the film’s primary location doesn’t take place

in a castle that’s typical to a traditional Gothic setting, Peele uses the modern equivalent; a

wealthy, upscale house that is the opposite of inviting for a character like Chris.

Similar to how Mary Shelley portrays science in Frankenstein, Peele plays with the

manipulation of scientific intervention. In the film’s climax, the girlfriend’s parents use their

medical knowledge to manipulate the thoughts of Chris in order to change his internal

programming. Chris is treated as if he’s not human, and the mother tries to manipulate him with

hypnosis. Peele is pushing the boundaries in terms of how medical knowledge should be used

and performed, and the ethical implications of home practice. The ill intentions of the parents

toward Chris adds a layer of maliciousness and horror. The wicked scientific experiments the
Jessica Stimely
ENG 329: The Gothic Tradition
Final Essay

parents attempt to perform on Chris are done because of racial differences and tension, which

showcases another element of the Gothic that Peele incorporates into the film.

The film is acclaimed by contemporary audiences because of it’s difficult to express topic

of racial tensions. The film critiques biracial couples but tells the story of a biracial couple

through the lens of the African American boyfriend. The beginning of the film sets the scene by

showing the anxieties of an African American male walking in a neighborhood where he doesn’t

feel comfortable or welcome. The film portrays the boyfriend as if he’s being “hunted” by the

malicious parents. Although the peculiarities and difficulties of biracial couples have been the

depicted in films before, Peele’s film uniquely portrays Chris’s point of view.

Modern films mimic elements of traditional Gothic elements by translating modern

anxieties and displaying them to audiences. As changes in social structure have changed, so have

these anxieties. There are new boundaries being made and what society tolerates is consistently

changing. For example, women’s rights and women’s abilities to express their sexuality was a

taboo topic and presented a change in society. This is where the novel Dracula gets its inspiration

and attempts to push a boundary. The fear of female sexual expression is thus a theme expressed

in Dracula. Similarly, “The Shining” is written during a time when there’s a breakdown of the

traditional, nuclear family unit. Women were increasingly welcome to climb career ladders and

the traditional roles of husband and wife had to adapt. “The Shining” presents the case of a father

who struggles to protect his family, whether it be from external or internal threats. Similarly,

“Get Out” addresses the fears and concerns of contemporary audiences by making a statement

about racial tension. Civil rights and social equality is an evolving process, and in the 21st

century there is still ways to go before everyone can truly feel equal. “Get Out” attempts to

further the race discussion by offering the fears and anxieties of an African American male who
Jessica Stimely
ENG 329: The Gothic Tradition
Final Essay

doesn’t feel welcome or comfortable in a romantic relationship. In this way, both of these

contemporary films use the Gothic to display these modern social anxieties and fears.

The Gothic genre has played a pivotal role in inspiring the contemporary horror genre.

Modern productions borrow key elements of Gothic texts. Films such as ““The Shining”” and

““Get Out”” use the Gothic elements of setting, nature, disruption of borders, and difficult to

express issues to showcase the fears and anxieties of its audiences.