No.16
No.16 is full of information: visually, contextually, and of course, through dialogue. Here we see The Kitchen, immediately reflecting No.9’s Donner Party mention, and creating a deeper level of fatalism.
Kubrick plays with our perception of space in a Scooby-Doo-esque way, shows products utilizing euphemism and idioms, color, and American History through messaging, and shows how Halloran also has Danny’s ability to communicate mentally.
American History/Culture
Having Wendy tour the kitchen but not Jack, speaks to the gendered knowledge of a woman’s place being in the kitchen. See: Wendy and food, Wendy as The Help.
America as a Bounty. Thanks to colonialism, wealthy America can boast resources beyond what the average person can relate to. Reflects the food wall hanging shown No.6
Danny is shown surrounded by danger, from standing under knives to the countless euphemisms showing harm. America’s history and culture absorbs and harms its young citizens through its greed and power-seeking behavior.
Showing items like Tang, Kool-Aid, and the abundance of Kellogg’s products all speak to references in American History. Tang is associated with space exploration and astronauts, Kool-aid is associated with the Jonestown massacre, and Kellogg is in reference to John Harvey Kellogg who invented corn flakes to prevent masturbation.
The inclusion of all of the Kellogg’s products speak to the man who created the brand and why: John Harvey Kellogg is best known for the invention of the famous breakfast cereal, Corn Flakes, in 1878. These Corn Flakes were invented as part of his health regimen to prevent masturbation. Kellogg worked on the rehabilitation of masturbators, often employing extreme measures, even mutilation, on both sexes. He was an advocate of circumcising young boys to curb masturbation and applying phenol to a young woman's clitoris.
The Calumet baking powder using a Native American chief on its packaging, and that package being head level with Halloran, Head Chef.
Showing Tang specifically, knowing its connection to Astronauts, create a deeper layer of connection with Danny wearing a space shuttle sweater during No.44.
Whether intentional or not, the products shown here are different than the ones shown during No.69, and it speaks to the difference in treatment and viewpoints for each character. White men get different access and viewpoints than black men and women and children.
Domestic abuse:
The instances around the Abuse narrative are subtle but consistent. The majority of them stem around cultural influence as abuse, disconnection within the Torrance family, Wendy as “The Help”
“Are you a Winnie or a Freddie?”
Reflects the Winnie The Pooh doll shown as Jack throws a tennis ball down a hallway, No.26, and when Wendy grabs the bat to confront Jack within The Colorado Lounge, No.62
Showing the same products within the hotel kitchen that are within the Torrance’s Boulder living space is both the maze and domestic abuse. It shows that the hotel is “the same” living arrangement.
The Maze:
This scene’s connection to The Maze is complex and varied. At once it is a literal maze, as the camera snakes through the depths of the kitchen, but thanks to Kubrick’s use of euphemism and manipulation, a lot can be missed.
Kubrick as Unreliable Narrator:
Fatalism/ False Fatalism:
“One thing’s for sure: you won’t have to worry about food”
Referencing No.9’s connection with The Donner Party, but signifying that the problems will come from some place else. False Fatalism.
The inclusion of the punch clock connects the foreboding energy with work, and most specifically: Jack’s work.
Entrances & Exits
Kubrick shows the characters entering a doorway on the right to view the walk-in freezer, but has the characters exit 3 doors down on the left side.
“This place is such an enormous maze”
Conceptually relates to Kubrick’s manipulation of space and narrative. See: The Overlook as Maze
“I feel like I have to leave a trail of breadcrumbs every time I come in”
A nod to fairy tales, fantasy, and the need to find your way out. Directly reflects No.82 and Danny’s maze sequence, but can also conceptually be applied to Wendy mentally finding her way to sanity.
The Overlook as Torrance’s Home
Showing the same products within the hotel kitchen that are within the Torrance’s Boulder living space is both the maze and domestic abuse. It shows that the hotel is “the same” living arrangement.
Those products are Kool-aid, Tang, Peanut butter, and Tony the tiger (a reference for Tony).
Frosted Flakes, Tony the Tiger
Tony the tiger is the cartoon ‘mascot’ for a Kellogg’s product, Frosted Flakes. It is represented across the film as the literal box, tiger figurines, or Tony’s presence.
Euphemism & Idiom
Much like his use of color and his use of dialogue, the products within the pantry create additional layers of meaning.
Tree Top Apple Juice
Idiom: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.kids are like their parents; a chip off the old block; like father, like son.
This has to deal with the multiple references to generations within the film, how Halloran is a spiritual father figure for Danny, but it is also a reference to the book’s back story that Jack was himself abused as a child, and so will repeat the patterns of abuse himself. Also metaphorical is the patriarchal society that is America and how that society “raises” (culturally defines) not only the genders but racial dynamics, along with how much violence, racism, greed.
See: Generations and what is passed down, Halloran as a spiritual father, Jack’s work
Fruit Salad
Euphemism: Slang for Army medals
This has to deal with the multiple references to military jargon, stances, patterns, and their casual nature in American culture.
See: Militarization, American History, American culture
Fruit Salad, additional
Euphemism: men’s genitals
This has to do with Jack’s bitterness towards his wife and son. How he defends all actions for the sake of his survival, how he blames Wendy for ‘interfering’ for his “actual work”.
See: Castration, gender dynamics, american history, american culture, domestic abuse
TEXSUN
Euphemism: Texan
Speaks to the history of American colonization which explains the vast majority of products now available to boast as enjoyment: either by decoration or in food
It also speaks to the romanticization of these things.
See: Cowboys & Indians, Colonalzation, Native American styling, American History, American Culture
Euphemism: Texan
This speaks to the yellow jacket Wendy wears, covered in Native American and Mexican imagery
Sliced/Diced/Minced/Chopped
Euphemism: cut, harm
A reference to the Grady girls death, Wendy attacking Jack with a knife, Jack attempting to kill Danny with an axe, and the knives Danny is shown standing near.
See: Chopped/Sliced
“Mince”
Idiom: “Mincing words”
A nod to the mitigating speech shown in Ullman talking about the tragedy of 1970, the hotel’s start from an Native American burial ground, Wendy’s version of The Incident, Jack’s version of The Incident, Grady’s justification of “doing his duty”
Kool-Aid
Idiom: “to drink the kool-aid”
This is in reference to the Jonestown massacre, which at the time of filming was the biggest United States tragedy. The idiom refers to the cult drinking cups of flavor-aid laced with poison.
Maxwell House (Coffee)
Idiom: sobering, additionally a legal drug
See: Jack’s alcoholism, Wendy’s Denial
Clams (combined with Ritz, Golden, Nugget)
Euphemism: Money
Relates to the Torrance’s status as lower middle class and Jack’s desire (and actions) to belong among the wealthy.
Clams, Tang
Euphemism: Vaginas
The dual usage of ‘clams’ in relation to money and vaginas create a message of ‘ownership’. That women, sex, and men’s access to it is paramount.
Combined with Tang links the sexualization in our society and how casual it is.
Ritz
Euphemism: Rich, Wealthy
Reflects The Gold room, the wealthy status of the guests, Jack’s desire to belong with them and the actions he takes in order to secure his place.
Golden Rey
Euphemism: Rich, Wealthy
Rey means King.
Reflects the way Jack is spoken to by the ghosts and the final image.
Ghost Story
The stacks of frozen meat reflects how The Grady girls have been shown No.6, No.38
The camera leads by backing away from the characters. The characters snake through the space much like Wendy and Jack in No.64.
The Overlook Kitchen
Halloran
Wendy
Danny
There is a high pitched sound overlayed as Halloran connects with Danny mentally. This is repeated in No.6, No.46, No.48