<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/the-shining-filming-location-overlook-stanley-hotel-everything-to-know-history-explainer/a6c1a7a2-645f-4a99-beab-9c5f1ea9de05" rel="" target="" title="classic horror film The Shining"><span>classic horror film </span><em><span>The Shining</span></em></a><span>, starring Jack Nicholson and directed by Stanley Kubrick, was released to American cinemas on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-may-23-what-happened-on-this-day/b2dc260f-2489-488f-80c5-4ea169d0c2bd#4" rel="" target="" title="May 23, 1980"><span>May 23, 1980</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Based on the Stephen King book, the psychological thriller is considered one of the scariest films of all time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This was all unknown to child star Danny Lloyd, who throughout production thought he was making a drama movie.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-may-15-what-happened-on-this-day-larry-bader-fritz-johnson/dc94547b-999d-4a04-a841-f700bda23f37" target="" title=""><strong><span>TV presenter's secret past not even he knew about</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><a href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/shelley-duvall-death-the-shining-role-behind-the-scenes-reality-stanley-kubrick/0f125f56-b421-4e91-bbd5-db33f39044fb" rel="" target="" title="horror elements of the film"><span>horror elements of the film</span></a><span> were kept secret from Lloyd, with director Stanley Kubrick fiercely protective of the young actor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lloyd would not watch the movie until five years after it was released.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He did not pursue a career in acting and is now a biology professor.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-may-23-what-happened-on-this-day/5bd5ced7-5153-4ce1-9ffc-735365876346" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While Kubrick was kind to Lloyd, he was </span><a href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/what-happened-to-the-shining-actress-shelley-duvall-explainer/797b4280-3bd8-4f58-9e44-8b0e83eb02bf" rel="" target="" title="famously cruel to actress Shelley Duvall"><span>famously cruel to actress Shelley Duvall</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Duvall would be forced to endure intensely long days in which she would be required to stay in a state of terror and hysteria.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One shot required 127 takes of Duvall, a Guinness World Record.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/today-in-history-may-13-what-happened-on-this-day-ben-carlin/96d8cca3-9989-4b73-a5e8-c744954b1795"><strong><span>Australian adventurer circumnavigates the globe in a modified Ford</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Co-star Jack Nicholson said Kubrick would be "a different director" around Duvall. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite its current reputation, </span><em><span>The Shining</span></em><span> was a critical flop, receiving Razzie nominations for Worst Director and Worst Actress.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It opened the same week as another highly anticipated movie about a tense and eventually violent relationship between a father and son, </span><em><span>The Empire Strikes Back</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While the </span><em><span>Star Wars</span></em><span> sequel was a colossal hit, </span><em><span>The Shining</span></em><span> actually sold more tickets in its opening weekend on a per-theatre average.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/the-greatest-movies-of-all-time-top-20-definitive-list/aa3d91c2-532f-4078-a1ab-922904ccd0b7" rel="" target="" title="The top 20 greatest movies of all time, ranked"><strong><span>The top 20 greatest movies of all time, ranked</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" target="" title="For more from our Today in History archive, click here."><strong><span>For more from our Today in History archive, click here</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div 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