At the recent Oscar nominee luncheon, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and director Paul Thomas Anderson posed to imitate the famous group photo from the conclusion of the 1980 film The Shining. This gesture, involving del Toro’s distinctive “jazz hands” pose, paid homage to the legendary image featuring Jack Nicholson, one of the film’s central figures.
Recreating a Legendary Image from The Shining
The original snapshot in question is the film’s enigmatic final shot, showing partygoers at a 1921 celebration at the Overlook Hotel. In the photo, Nicholson’s character raises his right arm while a mustachioed man rests his hand on it. Del Toro confirmed the inspiration behind their luncheon photo when responding to a post that digitally inserted them into the iconic scene. He stated,
“You got it! PTA and I said: Let’s do the Shining pose and we tried,”
referring to Paul Thomas Anderson by his initials.
Origins of the Photo in The Shining
Investigations into the source of this image, led by New York Times reporter Aric Toler alongside British academic Alasdair Spark in 2025, revealed that the photo is actually an altered version of a much older picture. Director Stanley Kubrick had sourced a photograph from the Hulton picture archive depicting a Valentine’s Day dance at the Royal Palace hotel in London in 1921. Nicholson’s face was superimposed over that of Santos Casani, a noted dance instructor, creating the disturbing yet memorable final shot.
Lasting Influence and Artistic Homage
By recreating this iconic pose at a prominent event like the Oscars, Guillermo del Toro and Paul Thomas Anderson honored Kubrick’s work and highlighted the enduring cultural impact of The Shining. This playful reenactment serves as a reminder of how deeply the film continues to resonate within the film community and among fans around the world.
Tou got it! PTA and I said: Let’s do the Shining pose and we tried https://t.co/vrMNd9ZZ7B
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) February 11, 2026
For about a year, I worked with a retired British academic named Alasdair Spark to solve a mystery: where did the original photo from the end of The Shining come from, and where/when was it captured?
Last week, we finally found the answer.https://t.co/IEIhey9iV2 pic.twitter.com/Z0gdPDAQlU— Aric Toler (@AricToler) April 5, 2025
