Movies
Stephen King’s The Shine Explained
Welcome back to Horror Press’s Horror 101, a series of articles where we explain horror movie legends and their lore. For beginners, the confused, or just those who need a refresher, these articles are for you. Today we’ll be reaching into The Dead Zone of our minds, making Firestarter from our brain matter, and taking a trip across Stephen King’s sprawling works. Or at least I am, I have to write the article. Of course, we’re talking about “the shine,” the versatile psychic power shared by many Stephen King characters but mastered by few. Who has it, why, and what exactly is it?
Spoilers ahead for: The Shining, Doctor Sleep, The Dark Tower Series, Black House, and the Mr. Mercedes trilogy.
What is The Shining in the Stephen King Universe?
Not to be pedantic, but technically it’s just called “shine” or “the shine.” Though Dick Halloran says his grandmother called it “the shining” in the book, he uses it interchangeably with shine, and most other sources like Doctor Sleep also call it shine.
Fine. What is The Shine?
Shine is a wide set of powers, mainly psychic abilities, possessed by a number of the characters in Stephen King’s novels and short stories. Despite their radically different manifestations of shine, the likes of Carrie White from Carrie, John Coffey from The Green Mile, and Ted Brautigan from the Hearts in Atlantis all share the ability. Called by different names like “the Touch” or given no name in certain cases, the interconnected nature of Stephen King’s writings means its all shine.
Rather than an energy field people tap into, shine is almost definitively a limited resource users are born with. We know that it’s finite, as Doctor Sleep details that people with the shine also have a certain amount of “steam,” a ghostly psychic vapor released when they die painful deaths. Steam is directly proportional to the strength of their shine and degrades over time (which is why the True Knot feeds on young shine users), implying shine is expendable.
Shine is not purely mental and is influenced by the physical body, placing it on the border between tangible and intangible. Steam and by extension shine can carry disease, which transfers to the people who inhale it like the psychic vampires of the True Knot.
What Can The Shine Do?
Practically anything if you put your mind to it.
Get it? Mind? Because they’re psychic powers.
…Anyways.
The versatility of shine is unbounded, with it manifesting in its users in a number of ways. Its telepathic applications can transcend time and space, as Danny Torrance is able to speak into the past to a younger version of himself under the guise of his imaginary friend Tony.
Its telekinetic applications are devastating on both a small and large scale, as shown in the book Carrie, in which the title character destroys buildings, spreads fire across town through her psychic rage, and summons meteorites localized entirely on the White residence.
Other abilities like pyrokinesis, precognition, and mind control were less common, but just the tip of the iceberg for what those who possessed them could do. Shine could even heal the sick and possibly resurrect the dead, as shown with John Coffey from The Green Mile.
Despite how dangerous some of these abilities are, the most devastating instance of using shine would have to be what it’s capable of in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series: destroying the multiverse. The Dark Tower’s primary antagonist (and the overarching antagonist of almost all Stephen King stories), The Crimson King channels the powers of those with shine, whom he dubs “breakers”. Their purpose? To shatter the “beams” that hold up the anchor point of all realities, the eponymous Dark Tower.
Shine’s limitless potential means the infinite potential to destroy as well.
Where Does The Shine Come From?
There are very few straightforward explanations for the origin of the Shine, but we can assume it originated with the creator of the multiverse, Gan. I’m not going to explain The Dark Tower’s cosmology until the Mike Flanagan series comes around since it’s a lot of metaphysical stuff to go over, and we don’t have enough time. Just know, shine as an energy could have originated with him, or the primordial soup he formed out of.
Even if it isn’t that old, shine has likely existed for as long as humans have. Dick Halloran claims that the psychic vampires of the True Knot and other clans have existed since early human history as some of the first nomads. Grampa Flick, the oldest of the True Knot, claims to have been around since early humans in Europe were still “[worshipping] trees,” meaning shine was present from the outset.
Who Has The Shine in the Stephen King Books?
Any living being can have the shine, and based on what Dick Halloran says everybody might, just to differing degrees.
Dick mentions in The Shining that especially intuitive or lucky people are implied to subconsciously shine, as Dick says he knew about 50 or 60 people who used it and “[didn’t] even know it,” while he had met 12 who could shine on purpose. Dick also implied that Wendy Torrance and all mothers could shine slightly in the form of motherly instincts. Even if everyone has the shine, however, the amount of shine most people can access is negligible.
We even learn in The Shining that places can have the shine, as Dick Halloran observes that The Overlook Hotel does in its own right. The Overlook was considered “greedy” by Dick and craved Danny’s shine. With its abilities, it could make inanimate objects like the topiary animals move and manifest the spirits of its victims.
How Do You Get The Shine?
There’s no reliable way to awaken the shine in people, but there is a common theme among many who have it: trauma. Something about being exposed to it allows victims to tap into their shine.
The most obvious trauma comes through abuse. After all, Danny Torrance was abused by his father Jack. Carrie White’s shine is genetic, apparently, in so far as all the women in her family had it. Still, given what the book and film show us, the White family dynamic is unhealthy for the women. They might have all just had access to it as a result of being abused and put through the wringer constantly.
In some cases, it’s physical trauma, as with Johnny Smith from The Dead Zone whose car accident subsequently unlocks his psychic abilities. Similarly, Brady Hartsfield from the Mr. Mercedes trilogy receives head trauma and is put into a similar state and accesses his own latent powers while hospitalized.
Many groups have tried to harness the power of shine and failed. Beyond the Crimson King’s forces, the clandestine government project The Shop from Firestarter and The Tommyknockers experiment with a drug named Lot-6 to force Charlie McGee’s parents to manifest their shine, which succeeds only in the short term.
In the book “The Institute”, the researchers studied the presence of the real-life BDNF protein, a high rate of which was apparently a common trait in those who possessed shine. Despite them trying to codify shine as science, it’s pretty evident that all attempts to reproduce and control it are borderline impossible.
It’s brain magic. What can you do?
Who Has The Strongest Shine?
This is obviously up for debate, but my personal answer? It’s a tie between Abra Stone from Doctor Sleep and Tyler Marshall from Black House.
Though Carrie’s telekinetic rampage and telepathic broadcast are powerful, and Charlie McGee’s explosive pyrokinesis is just as devastating, Tyler Marshall from the novel “Black House” is indicated multiple times to be the strongest breaker ever, with the potential to shatter the Dark Tower (the heart of the multiverse) by himself.
While this is impressive, it isn’t an endless supply of power impressive. Abra shines from an even younger age at considerable distances and with exceptional strength. We know her shine has to be among, if not the strongest shine ever, as Rose the Hat’s plan involves keeping Abra alive to bottle enough steam to feed the group indefinitely. At one point, she even dubs her the “Everest [of steam].” I wouldn’t be surprised if Abra’s upper limits of power are revealed to be nonexistent in a future Stephen King novel.
Is The Shine Good or Evil?
Technically, neither. It’s a neutral force that doesn’t have a sense of morality. It’s up to the user to decide what they do with it…
And that will be it for today’s Horror History 101 lesson. See you in the next class, and stay tuned to Horror Press’s social media feeds for more content concerning horror movies, television, and everything in between!
Netflix did not give me a lot to work with this month. I may have also zoomed through many of my favorite things on the platform these last few months. So, many of these are titles I have been meaning to check out, and I hope they are worth the wait. However, I cannot promise the carnage, chaos, and confusion I normally provide for this column. This means you’ll have to forgive me for having less razzle dazzle and a little more uncertainty while I list some stuff off the less beaten path. Gather around, and I’ll tell you what I am trying to get into this March!
Archive (2020)
In 20238, George Almore’s newest AI prototype is nearly complete. However, this humanesque machine is also hiding one of George’s secrets that must remain hidden. While I love some British sci-fi and believe we should watch as many of the 2020 movies that slid under our quarantined radar, I’m pulling up for another reason. I want to see Theo James in something that isn’t The Monkey. Literally. I didn’t enjoy that movie, and I seem to be the last person I know who was unfamiliar with James before that. So, I’m trying to rectify that and see what he can do in anything else. Hopefully, after catching this on Netflix, I will have a new movie that comes to mind when he is mentioned. Fingers crossed, friends!
Green Room (2016)
A punk rock band gets trapped in a venue where skinheads want to kill them. So many people have told me this movie is worth my time, but because it’s always too soon for violent racists in this decade, I keep putting it off. However, I am so curious to see what Patrick Stewart, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, and the late Anton Yelchin are doing in this movie. Green Room is also one of the few A24 horror movies that I have not seen, which makes it even more intriguing. While I doubt 2026 will calm down enough for this not feel too real, I think it’s time for me to be brave and cross this movie off my list already. So, I might have to grab a drink, a weighted blanket, and remote so I can open Netflix.
M3GAN 2.0 (2025)
Two years after M3GAN’s murder spree, she is rebuilt by her creator to take down a military-grade weapon made from her stolen tech. Is this movie as good as the original written by Akela Cooper? Obviously not. No one can do what Cooper does and we shouldn’t hold people to that very high bar. Is this movie way too damn long? Also, yes. However, was there still a lot of fun to be had along the way? I thought so. While M3GAN 2.0 isn’t the sequel we wanted, I’m happy to rewatch it for free at home. We lose a lot of the threads I loved in the first one, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t the new Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day anyway. In a perfect world, Akela Cooper will reopen the computer (after receiving a very large check from Blumhouse) and give us a third installment to bring our dancing diva back into the horror fold.
Life After Beth (2014)
A man discovers his dead girlfriend is back, and that might be for the worst. I never watched this horror comedy, but I’m sad and hoping Aubrey Plaza can change that. After all, if she can’t wake us up after a long winter, then who can? I also imagine Plaza as a zombie is kind of great. Along for the ride is Molly Shannon, so between the two of them, I expect some chuckles and guffaws. Maybe the powers that be at Netflix knew we could all use a laugh, and that’s why this is waiting for us on the other side of February. Or possibly they wanted to apologize for that last season of Stranger Things. Or maybe it’s just a wacky coincidence, and I’m looking for meaning where there is none. Either way, I have a date with this movie, and you might want to check it out too.
Teen Wolf (2011-2017)
Getting bitten by a werewolf turns life upside down for a high school student and his best friend. Hear me out! I doubt there is a world where I will watch all six seasons of this. Hell, I doubt I’ll even finish the first season. However, I skipped this MTV moment when it originally aired. Which is why I didn’t know who Dylan O’Brien was when Send Help was announced. So, I’m using this Netflix account to see where he started now that I have seen him in something. You can join me in this or mark your time as safe and watch something else. I don’t blame you either way, and I hope you’ll respect my privacy during this adventure.
That’s what I’m doing with my Netflix account this month. Here is hoping April gives us more scary movies because some of us deserve it. Most importantly, I deserve it.
Shudder is still that girl even in March. Our beloved streamer is adding classics like The Fog and Messiah of Evil. They are also adding a couple of films that are precious to my generation, like May. The app always has an eclectic lineup, but this month is an embarrassment of riches. At least if you are like me, and looking at a list of movies you have had on your watch list forever. That is why it took me a hot minute to figure out which five titles should be this month’s priority. However, I cracked the code and think I have something old, something new, and definitely at least a couple of things that will turn blue. Check out what I am trying to see on Shudder this month. Also, be sure to let me know if you are as geeked about these titles as I am.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
The Last Horror Film (1982)
A New York taxi driver stalks an actress during the Cannes Film Festival. I love 80s slashers and have been on a quest to watch them all. This one has eluded me for a couple of years, and I am so happy Shudder is finally letting me cross it off my list. I am not expecting this to break my top 1980s slashers. I’m not even counting on it to be one of the best movies about a stalked actress of that era. However, I’m excited to finally see it for myself with an adult beverage in hand.
You can watch The Last Horror Film on March 1st.
Fade to Black (1980)
A film fanatic begins murdering people who betray him while stalking his idol. I finally caught this on Shudder in the last couple of years and will be using its return as an excuse to rewatch it. Very few movies cater to the slasher kids and film nerds as well as this one. Fade to Black is the kind of psychological horror comedy that is the reason 1980s horror remains unmatched. The costumes, the obsession, and the kills are the most fun you can possibly have on a Shudder Saturday. Do yourself a favor and hit play immediately.
You can watch Fade to Black on March 9th.
Hostile Dimensions (2023)
Two filmmakers travel through alternate dimensions seeking out the truth about a missing graffiti artist. This found footage film has been on my list for years, and I am so grateful that Shudder is finally letting me see it. I have heard so many great things, and the FOMO was killing me. Hopefully, Hostile Dimensions lives up to the hype. Otherwise, I have to ask my nearest and dearest to explain themselves and then stop accepting recommendations from them. Will it scratch the found footage itch I have this month? There is only one way to find out, and that is why I will be sat the day this drops on the app.
You can watch Hostile Dimensions on March 9th.
1000 Women in Horror (2025)
Women have been an integral part of the genre since Mary Shelley started thinking about Frankenstein. However, we do not always get the credit and respect we deserve. Which is why I am thrilled 1000 Women in Horror is celebrating the badasses who revolutionized horror films. Not only is the documentary opening the libraries for us, but it’s also bringing current faves along for the ride. Akela Cooper, Toby Poser, and Jenn Wexler are just some of the names I know who are about to inspire so many women to get serious about making their movies. I cannot stress enough how happy I am that Shudder is adding this to its lineup.
You can watch 1000 Women in Horror on March 20th.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
College friends backpacking through Britain are attacked by a werewolf. As a werewolf film enthusiast, I know they are not all made equally. That is one of the many reasons why this is easily one of the best werewolf movies the genre has. The transformation alone is worth the price of a Shudder subscription. So, it shouldn’t come as a shock that this is one of the five titles I’m most excited to see this month. Hell, it’s probably in everyone’s top five to be completely honest. I cannot think of a better way to close this month out than with a top-tier werewolf flick.
You can watch An American Werewolf in London on March 31st.
I told you, Shudder is that girl. Whether you’re on spring break, taking a mental health day, or just dissociating, this app has got you covered. Make sure you dig into some of this sick, twisted, and cool cinema. As for me, I will see you next month with more recommendations.
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