Is it a good idea to watch a sequel before watching the original movie? Will you lose the overall gist and the intended theme if you watch the sequel first?
There was no love loss between Stanley Kubrick’s film and Doctor Sleep’s sequel, written by Stephen King. This is well documented, and you should watch The Shining know the whole story and judge for yourself which is better.
Do You Need to Watch The Shining Before Doctor Sleep Reddit?
For purists, it’s a must to watch The Shining before Doctor Sleep. The Shining is a classic movie, and Stanly Kubrick’s wild imagination was something to behold.
However, some critiques on Reddit have a valid point. They say the two movies are only loosely intertwined, if at all.
According to Stephen King, his book and movie make The Shining look like a better movie.
Putting creative rivalries apart, you could take the view that Doctor Sleep is a sequel, and if that’s the case, you should see the first movie, The Shining, before watching the sequel, Doctor Sleep.
Do I Need to Read The Shining Before Reading Doctor Sleep?
An interesting question. Well, Danny (Jack Nicholson) is the main protagonist in The Shining, and without knowing his story and what he experienced at the Overlook hotel could or should make Doctor Sleep a little less gripping.
At times, The Shining is gripping and tense and well worth reading, but you shouldn’t forget they are two different authors that are unusual for a sequel.
However, In Typical Stephen King’s style, Doctor Sleep’s sequel is only loosely connected to the original The Shining.
It would be acceptable to read Doctor Sleep and maybe not ever set eyes on The Shining despite being a fantastic read.
Is Doctor Sleep a Sequel to The Shining?
To all intents and purposes, Doctor Sleep is the sequel to The Shining. But for some of you, the connection between the two stops at that point.
Having a sequel authored by a different writer is bound to see different incarnations and the development of the character in a different way from the original.
Is Stephen King’s incarnation any less worthy than Stanley Kubrick’s? It’s all down to preference at the end of the day.
This is why it is challenging to define Doctor Sleep as a true sequel. Yes, it’s set in the exact location, and it’s Danny’s son this time.
The truth is both books and movies have to share some DNA, and you can thread that DNA into both adaptations of the books.
The absolute bottom line is you should see or read The Shining, Kubrick was a master of his craft, and the movie has become a classic horror story with possibly some of the best actors of all time.
No one can dispute Stephen King’s accolades, and Doctor Sleep is a terrific movie and very enjoyable. Is it a sequel? You decide.
