Doctor Sleep Director’s Cut (2019)
Bringing Doctor Sleep to the big screen is a tall order for any filmmaker. Yet director Mike Flanagan (who also wrote the screenplay) manages to tread boldly along this difficult cinematic path. He delivers not only a credible sequel to Kubrick’s unique movie but also manages to adapt Stephen King’s follow up book fairly coherently. Yes, compromises have been made as Kubrick’s version of The Shining strayed far from the source text and therefore trying to dovetail legacy lore into King’s multi-layered follow up novel is a difficult task. However, Flanagan manages to craft a thoughtful and character driven tale which advances the themes present in both the previous film and the source text of the original book and its follow up. Doctor Sleep is not a rollercoaster ride filled with jump scares and convenient gore. It is a slow burn that builds atmosphere and tension. It also offers a strong sense of continuity and fans of the previous instalment will enjoy the sense of nostalgia this new film provides with it’s litany of subtle homages and asides. It is not without flaws but it is an interesting example of a more cerebral horror movie.
It becomes apparent quite quickly while watching Doctor Sleep, that this isn't your run of the mill horror film. The standard of writing, performances and general tone of the film is far more nuanced than most genre outings. The screenplay doesn’t shy away from showing Dan Torrence (Ewan McGregor) hitting rock bottom, as he becomes an alcoholic to drown out the “shining”. A one night stand, in which he robs the woman he’s slept with, has far reaching consequences. Yet far from alienating audiences, the clever writing fosters a sense of sympathy as Dan subsequently moves to a new town and meets Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis), an ex-alcoholic who helps him turn his life around. As he embarks on a new voyage of self-discovery, Dan finds a positive use for his “gift” when he starts work in a Hospice. He comforts patients as they approach death, calming them with personal visions from their past.
Running in parallel with Dan Torrence’s story, is that of Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran). Abra has a similar “shining” ability to Dan but of a far greater magnitude. It frightens her parents and alienates her from her school friends. As she reaches out with her psychic abilities, she attracts the attention of Rose the Hat, who is the leader of the cult the True Knot. Rose (Rebecca Furguson) and her group are psychic vampires that feed upon “steam” or psychic essence. The group kidnap, torture and kill children to feast upon their steam, as it keeps them young and fuels their supernatural powers. Once aware of Abra’s presence, Rose sets her sights on her as a potential limitless food supply. Inevitably, Dan crosses path with both Rose the Hat and Abra, leading to a confrontation that can only be resolved by revisiting the now deserted Overlook Hotel. Perhaps the demons that await Dan there, can serve another purpose.
Doctor Sleep has certainly more highs than lows and focuses on being a disturbing character study with a building atmosphere, rather than a gorefest. Apart from one murder which is very disturbing by its very nature, rather than what is actually shown, the film is not overly reliant on violence. Performances are good and there is some very clever casting of actors who have a comparable style and appearance to Shelley Duvall, Jack Nicholson and Scatman Crothers. Some plot elements such as Dan’s struggle to not become his Father are explored well. Abra brings something more to the proceedings, rather than just the standard trope of a teenager with a supernatural power. Sadly, Rose the Hat is somewhat lacking as a villain. This has nothing to do with Rebecca Furguson per se but mainly the way the character is realised. Simply put Rose is not threatening enough and doesn’t exude sufficient malevolence, despite her penchance for child murder. Yet despite these minor shortcomings, there is sufficient depth to Doctor Sleep to keep discerning horror fans engaged.
I did not see the theatrical cut of Doctor Sleep upon its release in UK cinemas. I watched the Director’s Cut which adds an additional 30 minutes of character development to the film. This version is well paced, brooding and encompasses a broad spectrum of plot elements. However, even this extended version still leaves some themes and characters underdeveloped. Dan’s recovery from alcoholism is somewhat swift and his job as an orderly is shown but not fully explored. Bruce Greenwood has an interesting cameo as Dr. John Dalton and it would be nice to find out more about the man. But Stephen King is notorious for multiple characters in his books and that cannot always be easily accommodated in the confines of a mainstream film. All things considered, Mike Flanagan could have ended up falling between two stools while trying to to justice to King’s intricate work and riffing off Kubrick’s seminal movie. The results are not 100% perfect but Doctor Sleep strives to do justice to both groups of fans. The film offers a reassuring sense of familiarity to those wedded to Kubrick’s vision and manages to take the characters forward and allow them to grow and tell a new story, rather than just retread old ground. Popular consensus is that the extended version is the more successful of the two edits.
