Question: Are the ghosts real, or does Jack just imagine them?
Jukka Nurmi
29th Jun 2009
The Shining (1980)
Answer: Both Kubrick and King stated there were ghosts in interviews so as they are essentially the creators I would say there are.
In all fairness, Kubrick, unlike King, leaves the existence of ghosts somewhat questionable. The whole thing can just as well be just Jack succumbing to cabin fever: he loathes his family, and the long isolation just pushes him over the brink. Wendy witnesses the ghosts, too, yes, but she could also be suffering from cabin fever, not to mention the stress of her husband finally going insane, and trying to murder her and her child. In short, the whole existence of ghosts is a lot more ambiguous in the movie.
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Chosen answer: The ghosts are real.
raywest ★