Room 237
A provocative cinephile documentary turns obsessive theories about The Shining into an entertaining maze of speculation, interpretation, and uncertainty.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- None
- mysterious
- provocative
- intense
- film club discussion
- kubrick marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the documentary mysterious, provocative, and fascinating as a portrait of obsessive cinephilia, despite its intentionally incoherent analyses.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film gives five theorists extended space to pursue increasingly elaborate readings of The Shining.
Voice-over theories, film clips, animation, and reenactments connect ideas through visual and verbal detours.
Theories build sweeping claims from individual shots, props, spatial arrangements, and recurring motifs in The Shining.
Extensive clips from The Shining are repeatedly paused, reframed, layered, and reinterpreted by the commentators.
Films like Room 237, and why
The Pervert's Guide to Cinema
experimental cinephile documentary built from obsessive close reading and competing interpretations of a canonical film
Hitchcock/Truffaut
provocative documentary examination of authorship, interpretation, and the cultural afterlife of influential cinema
The Five Obstructions
subjective essay film using archival material and personal interpretation to explore cinema's mysteries and meanings
Movie Details
- Director
- Rodney Ascher
- Release Date
- 2012-10-26
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (542)
Cast
- Bill Blakemore
- Geoffrey Cocks
- Juli Kearns
- John Fell Ryan
- Jay Weidner
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+, Shudder, Sundance Now, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Room 237 about?
- A provocative cinephile documentary turns obsessive theories about The Shining into an entertaining maze of speculation, interpretation, and uncertainty.
- What is Room 237 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Room 237 as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as dense.
- Is Room 237 violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Room 237.
- What did critics think of Room 237?
- Critics broadly found the documentary mysterious, provocative, and fascinating as a portrait of obsessive cinephilia, despite its intentionally incoherent analyses.
- Which films are like Room 237?
- Films with a similar feel include The Pervert's Guide to Cinema, Hitchcock/Truffaut, and The Five Obstructions.
- How long is Room 237?
- Room 237 runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch Room 237?
- In United States, Room 237 streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+, Shudder, Sundance Now, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV channel.
