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What are those round metal objects that Jack Torrance is throwing to the floor in this scene in The Shining?

angry jack nicholson

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    If this wasn't made in 1980, I would swear that that ring flying out of shot top right was CG.
    – Peter
    Commented Nov 19, 2015 at 17:30
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    They're convenient kitchen-related items that make lots of noise and probably aren't particularly dangerous when hurled. Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 2:42

3 Answers 3

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Aluminium plate rings, used for separating dinner plates between plating up & serving; keeps the food warmer for longer.

Plate rings have a characteristic bottom lip which will 'hook' over the plate beneath, & sloped or slightly curving sides, to meet the moulded ring on the underside of the plate stacked above, preventing slippage.
They may have lids, though more usually another empty plate would be placed on top.

enter image description here

For serving - room service etc - a version with an integral lid would be used instead.

enter image description here

Here's a blow-up of the best frame I can find showing 2 of the rings - sloping sides, curved top, external bottom lip; precludes the possibility of cooking ring, baking tin or pie-dish upside down.

enter image description here

For comparison to the most likely alternatives…
Baking tins or pie dishes would have a flat lip on the inside, to provide stability for the flat base insert. A cooking or mousse ring would have no lip at all & also have parallel sides to enable the food to slip out more easily.

Sandwich [cake] tin - flat lip to keep the insert stable

enter image description here

cooking or mousse ring - parallel sides, no lip, edges bent & formed to the outside to keep the inner face as clean as possible.

enter image description here

Samples from :
https://www.brakesce.co.uk/pid_35798/500099/aluminium-plate-ring-20cm.aspx#.Vkwl7oSoIUE
https://www.brakesce.co.uk/pid_35803/578622/Aluminium-Plate-Cover-20cm.aspx#.Vkwnt4SoIUE

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    Those look delicate. He must be mad.
    – Gusdor
    Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 10:37
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    Bow to the winner.
    – cde
    Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 20:15
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    Definitely plate rings, nice find!
    – Mast
    Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 10:00
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    Thank you - I used to live above a hotel kitchen, my partner was a chef. They were immediately recognisable, having seen so many of them in my time :)
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 10:05
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The script refers to them as "rings"

CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL - KITCHEN - M.L.S.

JACK moves forward in kitchen. He sweeps coffee pot off table onto floor. CAMERA TRACKS BACK before him. He kicks coffee pots on floor, then sweeps rings off stove onto floor. He kicks rings as he leaves kitchen, moving into corridor. CAMERA TRACKS BACK before him. He stops and looks ahead.

Cooking Rings are used for a variety of tasks, in this instance (e.g. within a large hotel environment) presumably to assist with plating-up. They may also be used for cooking cakes, pies, omelettes or muffins

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  • I inlined the cooking rings pic, for better immediacy. Hope you don't mind
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 8:38
  • @Tetsujin - Not in the least :-)
    – user7812
    Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 8:43
  • It seems bizarre to me that the script specified the precise things that were on the benchtop, and the he both sweeps and kicks them. I wonder why the writers felt that there should be "rings" and not just plates or something else more ubiquitous! Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 9:08
  • Aluminium rings are still good for take 2 ;) & actually, that many plates would be too heavy to sweep off so spectacularly.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 9:09
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    Er, also, look at the title in the script link. This is a post production script, describing scenes that were already filmed. [Also, the rings kinda look like film cans, just to fuel yet another wild Kubrick theory ;)]
    – Walt
    Commented Nov 18, 2015 at 9:32
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Since it's in the kitchen/pantry area, it's likely the ring section of drop bottom pie/cake tins/pans:

enter image description here

Or oddly large muffin or omelet rings. Typical cooking/baking supplies.

The Overlook Hotel is a very large resort/vacation area, with a large ball room, and likely caters to a crowd of hundreds. Drop bottom pans would be essential for serving a neat looking pie.

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