YouTuber Ctrl Shift Face releases two deepfake videos that replace Jack Nicholson with Jim Carrey in the 1980 classic The Shining. Deepfake technology involves a facial scan algorithm than can be applied to existing video content.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, The Shining is based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name. Nicholson stars as Jack Torrance, a writer who relocates his family to the Overlook Hotel in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. As cabin fever sets in, Jack and his family members experience hallucinations, with Kubrick incorporating numerous themes to keep the audience guessing about the film’s true meaning. Rodney Ascher’s 2012 documentary Room 237 explores The Shining’s legacy through numerous fan interpretations. Kubrick’s film was famously panned upon its release, but ultimately became regarded a seminal film of the psychological horror subgenre, and arguably one of the best films ever made. The grounding force is Nicholson’s off-kilter performance, one that shifts from small moments of comedy to complete rage. Mike Flanagan’s upcoming 2019 film Doctor Sleep picks up 40 years after the events depicted in The Shining, with Ewan McGregor starring as Jack Torrance’s son, Dan, a character from the original adaptation.
On YouTube, Ctrl Shift Face released two deepfake video that unnervingly replace Nicholson with Carrey in The Shining. In the first video, “Concentration” - released on July 8 - Ctrl Shift Face sets the tone with Kubrick’s famous typewriter scene. A wide shot shows Jack typing away, followed by a facial close-up that reveals the celebrity deepfake. The character’s hairstyle remains the same, but the face itself is a focused Carrey, seamlessly integrated into the film. When Shelley Duvall’s Wendy Torrance appears, the deepfake becomes even more bizarre with Carrey’s expressive face bringing the character’s words to life. In the second video, “The Bat" - released on July 10 - Ctrl Shift Face uses Kubrick’s iconic staircase scene for an even more disturbing deepfake. Jack Torrance has taken a turn for the worse, and Nicholson’s cadence and mannerisms perfectly apply to Carrey’s style of performance and celebrity impression background. Check out Ctrl Shift Face’s deepfake videos below.
Just as Nicholson has infused comedy into dramatic roles over the past several decades, Carrey has similarly done the same with films like The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In the mid-90s, however, Carrey rose to fame with traditional comedies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber, and Liar Liar, to name a few. Prior to his breakout performances, Carrey toured on the stand-up comedy circuit, delivering jaw-dropping celebrity impressions of actors like James Dean, Clint Eastwood, and the aforementioned Nicholson.
For those familiar with Carrey’s Nicholson impressions, the new deepfake videos may seem oddly familiar. But there’s a huge difference between a real-life impression and artificial intelligence facial reconstruction. Ctrl Shift Face has released several deepfake videos over the past month, all of which involve celebrity mashups. Moving forward, the dangers of the technology will undoubtedly be a popular topic of discussion, certainly as Ctrl Shift Face continues his deepfake series involving The Shining.
Source: Ctrl Shift Face
