Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film adaptation of "The Shining" features one of the most iconic final scenes in cinema history: a haunting photograph from the Overlook Hotel’s 1921 Fourth of July ball, prominently featuring Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson) who, in reality, had not yet been born. The original image used in the film had faded into obscurity until recently, when it was rediscovered 45 years after the film's release.

Retired University of Winchester academic Alasdair Spark shared the journey of locating the original photograph on Getty's Instagram. He detailed how facial recognition software identified the unknown man in the photo as Santos Casani, a London ballroom dancer. Spark revealed that the photograph was one of three taken by the Topical Press Agency at a St. Valentine's Day Ball on February 14, 1921, at the Empress Rooms in the Royal Palace Hotel, Kensington. The post included a new scan from the original glass-plate negative and supporting handwritten documents.

Spark, along with New York Times staffer Arick Toller and enthusiastic Redditors, embarked on a challenging search for the image. Initially, it seemed impossible as every cross-reference to Casani failed to match, and other suggested locations did not yield results. There was a fear that the photo might be lost forever.

This rediscovery is a delightful revelation for fans of "The Shining." Stephen King's novel, released in 1977, was adapted into Kubrick's iconic film and later into a more book-accurate 1997 miniseries directed by Mick Garris.