All throughout the country, people celebrated America’s birthday over the weekend, but for fans of ‘The Shining,’ the Fourth of July has a completely different meaning. 2021 marked 100 years past the date on the photo at the end of the film that read “Overlook Hotel July 4th Ball 1921,” and fans made sure to celebrate. While these celebrations didn’t include extravagant firework shows, they featured plenty of surprises.
The meaning of the photo at the end of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Steven King’s ‘The Shining’ has been debated by fans of the film for years. While some believe those featured in the photo were the victims of the hotel, others believe it means the character played by Jack Nicholson may have already been dead during the events of the film. According to The Wrap, the director himself even once commented on the debate saying that the photo “suggests the reincarnation of Jack.”
Despite the debate, many fans used this year’s Fourth of July as a way to celebrate both America and the film. A number of fans had ‘The Shining’ themed parties, while others used the film to inspire games, food and more. While most stick to the same themes for their celebrations, adding in the classic film definitely led to some excitement for this year’s holiday.