DVD details for for
The Shining (1980)

Michel Hafner (17 September 2001):
The new DVD version of The Shining (1980) by WB is part of the new Kubrick collection, based on new transfers. The first collection got a lot of flack because it was shockingly bad and not at all up to today's standards and the director's reputation. I did not bother to look at it since the reviews made it very clear that it was junk. What about the new discs?
If this one is representative Kubrick now got what he deserves, pretty much state of the art transfers and DVDs.
The film master used is in very good shape with little film artifacts and steady as well (although not always rock steady).
Color and contrast rendition are first rate. Add to that excellent sharpness in most shots, good compression, little noise and grain and also no annoying video artifacts and you get picture quality that looks very film-like and will please on any kind of display for sure.
Is there really nothing to complain about? No, nothing major. But something minor. Digital noise reduction is evident in some scenes, causing a bit of flickering at times and a slightly processed look. The opening WB logo and the first scene are examples. The artifacts are minor and will go unnoticed unless you watch the DVD progressively on high quality equipment and don't sit too far away (~2-3 screen heights).
The image is full frame with 4:3 aspect ratio as intended by the director. No complaints since shot composition is fine that way and a big picture in this quality is quite a treat.
This DVD offers very good image quality, often approaching reference quality for an over 20 year old film. It's worth every penny and highly recommended. The documentary by Kubrick's daughter offers rare footage of the legendary director and is a big asset, although I would have preferred to get it on a second disc and use all bits for an unfiltered version of the main feature.
The new 5.1 soundtrack is very good, but extensive surround fields are not Kubrick's intention. He prefers mono, and that's how the film sounds most of the time: clean mono.

Experience the works of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time as never before with The Stanley Kubrick Collection, featuring new two-disc special editions of 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut, along with the deluxe edition of Full Metal Jacket and the documentary Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures. Each film in this ten-disc set has been digitally remastered, and all include commentaries as well as tons of extras. The Director's Series: Stanley Kubrick Collection includes 2001: A Space Odyssey (Two-Disc Special Edition); A Clockwork Orange (Two-Disc Special Edition); The Shining (Two-Disc Special Edition); Eyes Wide Shut (Two-Disc Special Edition); Full Metal Jacket (Deluxe Edition), and A Life in Pictures (documentary).