UNDERNEATH THE MASK

This scene in the bathroom is of critical importance to the film. Here we see the hotel is manipulating and controlling numerous personalities and identities (I can count at least 8 or 9 separate spirits) throughout the film. Each of these seems to have its own role and personality : the Grady Twins, Delbert Grady, Lloyd The Barman, Horace Derwent and the Dog-Man, The Jovial Party Goer, and The Old Lady, just to name a few.

Grady here takes the role of the old-fashioned, civilised hotel. Well spoken on the outside, but as seen in the use of the word �nigger�, a brutal, racist, ugly spirit that is merely well-dressed. (this is later also referred to in both �Full Metal Jacket� where the soldiers are dehumanised from people into killing machines, and �Eyes Wide Shut� where characters wear masks to conceal their respectable exterior from their debauched inner desires). Grady is the voice of the Old British Empire, conquering the natives brutally for its own ends. Just like the Native Indians were slaughtered by the colonists. Just like the occupants of The Overlook are ruined by hotel.

The imagery of this scene is particularly rich. There are four aspects to the hotel in this scene, Jack (and his role of The Caretaker),and Grady (Delbert and Charles) ; each of which is seen, especially as the hotel bathroom contains a full length mirror in the background (this imagery may be more apparent in the 1:66-1 ratio cinema projection of the film). In order to further emphasise the lack of a distinction between Grady / Jack (both being The Caretaker) Kubrick breaks the fourth wall and reverses their positions by shooting from opposite angles, so it is never clear or delineated which side of the wall - or of reality - they are on.

Several sequences are shortened here in the European cut. Notably, A scene where Danny repeats �redrum, redrum� and then tells Wendy that �Danny�s not here Mrs. Torrance� has been completely excised. This makes the later sequence less dramatic, as well as making reducing the effectiveness of the split personality imagery of Jack/Caretaker and Danny/Tony. Both of whom seem to have been absorbed entirely by their other selves. Like Jack, Danny has been subsumed by his other self - and at the films climax, the audience breathe a sigh of relief as Danny/Tony calls Wendy �Mummy� : Danny has returned, and Tony is the one who is no longer here.