No.69
Grady wakes Jack as he sleeps from within The Pantry.
American History/Culture:
In the American History aspect, this scene deals with America’s usage of violence and control towards others’ in their goal to be “the best” country.
Kubrick creates these archetypes through Jack and Grady: Jack, a blue collar worker with a creative talent and a greed streak, and Grady—who used to be the in same blue collar worker position as Jack, now in a position of power - assumedly because he killed his wife and daughters.
It is strange that the character of Delbert Grady is British. That will always be a reference to American History—it brings in the message around British influence in colonialism and tricks used in the past centuries.
Having this conversation within The Pantry speaks to America as a Bounty. Thanks to colonialism, wealthy America can boast resources beyond what the average person can relate to.
Domestic abuse:
For Jack the promise of success, riches— or whatever is being promised by Grady— through violent gains is undeniable.
When Jack wakes up he anticipates it being Wendy, reflecting the pattern of men abusing their women and then when it’s over, expecting them to still be there.
The Maze:
Maybe the most clear aspect of The Maze would be the reflective surface of the metal door. Is it a direct mirror? No. Do you see Jack’s reflection gestured while he talks to Grady? Absolutely.
The Pantry is shown to have different products than the ones we see in No.16
Kubrick as Unreliable Narrator:
WHO LETS JACK OUT? That entirely depends on how you think we got here.
On one side, it could be ghosts, except Kubrick didn’t really believe in ghosts. It’s how we got all of this rich semiotic subtext to begin with.
On the other side, could be Jack’s mental stability has left the building. He could get himself out. Or a family member..for reasons unknown and think that it’s Grady.
Watch Jack’s face as the latch sound happens. That’s not a man whose faculties are in tact.
Fatalism/ False Fatalism:
Grady’s use of passive violence. We all know what he’s saying without it being said.
Doubling
Two sets of two jugs of apple juice in the left background.
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 the references to drinking/drunkeness.
Euphemism & Idiom:
Much like his use of color and his use of dialogue, the products within the pantry create additional layers of meaning.
For balls, breasts, or ass/butt cheeks:
unpeeled apricots
sweet cherries
peaches
tomatoes
For vagina:
tang
Tang is also a reference for the astronaut sweater in A44
For violence:
puree, stewed (tomatoes)
halves (apricots)
sliced (peaches)
cut (greens)[in the far right corner]
For drunkenness:
toasted, to the right and above Jack
References to drinking:
Cafe Vienna coffee- luxury, “specialty”, European (ww2, colonialism).
Coffee- sobering up
Pimiento pieces- drinking
corn nuts & peanuts - snacks while drinking
References to blood and violence:
Tomato Puree
Kelloggs and its relation to castration:
Rice krispies box in front, above it a jar of cut green vegetables.
Kubrick uses his ‘parallel and perpendicular’ composition approach.
References for wealth:
Golden Rey - both signifiers for the Gold Room and the status Jack seeks, King.
Peanuts can also be euphemistic, signifying “small” or “unimportant”.
Peanuts, peanut butter are references to Danny, children
A4:i98 they are eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
A7:i174, Danny is shown to have Peanuts (charlie brown) curtains & bed spread.
A53:i1072, drinking- Jack may be eating Peanuts
Color:
Red, White, and Blue:
Euphemistically represents America.
Red:
the cans of tomato ketchup on the left and the canned jars and cluster of red on the right.
Green:
the cans of sweet relish, dill relish, sweet gherkins, tree top box, bottom shelf has jarred green.
On the right, tree top boxes, cans featuring an olive label with a red stripe - same as Danny’s sweater No.71 until the end of the film.
Yellow:
As a sign of cowardice, “Haven’t gotten the belly for it”, Torrance Living Quarters
Pattern Reflection:
In A24:i494, there is floral and paisley-esque design on the blanket as Jack sleeps. in A69:i1573, the holly design on the salt is similar, and similarly placed under Jack.
Ghost Story:
Grady is real because he lets Jack out. Apparently there are also hordes of ghosts waiting to judge those who come in. All of that sits with a Ghost Story narrative viewing of this film.
Cabin Fever:
Jack’s mental health is so compromised he imagines a conversation where a ghost from the 1920’s gives peer pressure to kill his wife and son.
This scene is No.16’s Pantry portion in review, in a way. The camera starts on Jack, asleep in the far right side of The Pantry (Where the characters walk to in No.16).
The camera then pans behind the items from right to left, fixing on Jack standing at the door— same placement as where Danny stands in No.16, but Jack faces the door.
It is also important to note that the camera shows Jack’s reflection when he talks to Grady.
The Pantry is the only space we see.
The Pantry
No.16
No.65
No.74
Jack, within The Pantry
Delbert Grady, heard outside of it / off screen.
There is additional sounds applied to this scene in the form of wind. Sure, storms could be blustery outside, but it’s hard to imagine that we only hear it within the confines of the confines of The Pantry.
I think it speaks to what’s happening inside of Jack (because additional wind sounds are heard in No.47 as Jack sits down to the bar in The Gold Room).