Film Review: Room 237 (15), (U.S.A. 2012) (Director: Rodney Ascher), Sunday 28.10.2012 15:30, The Filmhouse, Screen Three, Edinburgh

This is a documentary film that gives voice to nine people's differing interpretations of what Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining' (1980) is actually about. The proposed allegories range from it being about the genocide of the native American Indians, to the Holocaust to Kubrick's admission to having been involved in faking footage of the moon landing. There are also other oddities noted about the film, including how the hotel has an impossible layout, etc.

The people speaking about what they see in the film admit their views have arisen from obsessive viewing, and in my mind too much time on their hands. Some of what is suggested is preposterous, though conveyed with such certainty, that it becomes intriguing rather than annoying. The film is highly amusing in parts and due to it's soundtrack is quite hypnotic.

The voices are played to footage of scenes being discussed, which seemed quite obvious, though it works very well and therefore also there is the added bonus of no talking heads. Clips from other Kubrick films are used in the background, along with clips from other well known films, all of this is used well to assist with understanding what the people are speaking about. Due to the footage used, I would say that I would expect that even if you had not seen 'The Shining', you may still enjoy this as a film about obsession and the absurd. Very enjoyable.

Rating: 08/10.