"A masterpiece of modern horror."
The Shining - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
Throughout the film, cans of Calumet Baking Powder, which feature a prominent image of a Native American chief in headdress, are visible in the Overlook's pantry.
This detail is often cited by proponents of the theory that the film is an allegory for the genocide of Native Americans. A "calumet" is a ceremonial peace pipe, adding a layer of bitter irony to the violent events taking place in a hotel built on an "Indian burial ground."
In one scene, Danny Torrance is seen wearing a sweater with a large graphic of the Apollo 11 rocket.
This has become a cornerstone of the conspiracy theory that Kubrick used the film to secretly confess to helping NASA fake the 1969 moon landing. Theorists claim Room 237 represents the soundstage where the landing was allegedly filmed, as the moon is approximately 237,000 miles from Earth.
The architecture of the Overlook Hotel is filled with spatial impossibilities. For example, the manager's office has a window to the outside, even though its location on the floor plan shows it should be surrounded by interior corridors.
These impossible designs are believed to be deliberate choices by Kubrick to create a sense of disorientation and unease in the viewer, contributing to the hotel's uncanny and supernatural atmosphere. It makes the Overlook a physically irrational space, mirroring the psychological breakdown occurring within it.
Jack is seen reading a Playgirl magazine in the hotel lobby shortly before Danny arrives with bruises on his neck.
An article in that specific issue of Playgirl discusses incest. This subtle detail is seen by some analysts as a dark insinuation about the nature of the abuse within the family or the historical depravity of the hotel itself.