No one can accuse the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures of being all work with no fun: The first commercial for the museum, which premiered during the Oscars, was a fake ad for the Overlook Museum, site of Jack Nicholson’s horrific meltdown in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.”
After a series of scenes that included a custodian cleaning up the word “Redrum,” the ad invited Oscars viewers to call 833-888-0237.
Those who called the number spent six-minutes on hold for the hotel, while a recording played a loop of “Shining” in-jokes. The recording ends by inviting patient listeners to visit AcademyMuseum.org. The museum will open next year.
“Welcome to the historic Overlook Hotel’s reservation line,” the recording begins. “Someone will be with you shortly.”
Spoiler alert: No one picks up. You’re trapped in time, just like Jack Torrance (played by Nicholson) and his unfortunate family.
The recording continues by inviting you to book the “world-famous Gold Ballroom” for your next event — helpfully adding that it can hold 300.