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Here’s a closer look at how meticulous Stanley Kubrick is as he inverts the entire scene with Danny and the pediatrician. It’s from chapter 17 “The Doctor’s Office” in Stephen King’s novel and it’s easy to spot how even the smallest details are reversed.
- 1st off, in the novel Danny blacks out in their bathroom in The Overlook, Stanley Kubrick reverses this and now it’s the bathroom at their apartment in Boulder before they get to The Overlook.
- Tony tells Danny to lock himself in the bathroom. In the movie he doesn’t.
- Danny’s pediatrician has a name, Doctor Bill Edmonds where in the movie this is reversed and we have an unnamed female Doctor.
- The three have to go down to Sidewinder to see Doctor Edmonds in his office. In the movie this is reversed and the Doctor makes a house call.
- Danny is “Stripped to his underpants, lying on the examination table”. In the movie Danny wears his “Bugs Bunny, what’s up Doc” sweatshirt.
- Doctor Edmonds gives Danny a thorough examination with an EEG and TB test. In the movie the Doctor does the reverse and just asks him a few simple questions.
- Doctor Edmonds seems to know something about “Shining” as he asks Danny if he smelled, "a funny smell, maybe like oranges”. In the movie the Doctor seems to know nothing about “Shining”.
- Danny tells Doctor Edmonds all about Tony. In the movie this is reversed and he will not talk about Tony to the Doctor.
- Danny “Shines” and reads Doctor Edmonds’ mind. In the movie this doesn’t happen.
- Danny even tells Doctor Edmonds about “Redrum”. In the movie this is reversed and he doesn’t tell the Doctor or anyone else about “Redrum”.
- Jack discuss Danny with Doctor Edmonds. In the movie only Wendy does.
- Jack tells Doctor Edmonds the story about how Danny, “spilled some beer on a bunch of papers I was working on”. In the movie it’s Wendy who tells the Doctor that Danny, “had scattered some of his school papers all over the room”.
- Jack, “broke his arm turning him around to spank him”. In the movie he doesn't break his arm he, “dislocated his shoulder”.
- When they talk to Doctor Edmonds they both realize that Danny is able to read their minds as they never discussed “divorce” in front of him. In the movie this never happens and neither Wendy nor Jack has the faintest clue about his ability.
- Doctor Edmonds points out to Wendy and Jack why Danny’s imaginary friend is named Tony (his middle name). In the movie the Doctor doesn’t do this.
- Wendy knows that Danny has “second sight” and he demonstrates it to Doctor Edmonds. In the movie we have a total inversion as Wendy doesn’t know much and Danny doesn’t demonstrate anything to anyone.
- Doctor Edmonds says this, "Does the phrase 'the shining' mean anything to you?" In the movie the Doctor doesn't say anything about it as only Dick Hallorann knows about or utters that word.
- In the novel Jack tells Doctor Edmonds that he hasn’t had a drink in 3 months. In the movie Wendy tells the Doctor that Jack hasn’t had a drink in 5 months.
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