Yeah I could definitely take it from Nicholson and Kubrick... But I might go into hiding and not act afterwards

There are people who think Shelley Duvall is a weak link in that film. Those people have squirrels living in their heads.

I think that's a false dichotomy. Shelley Duvall is a good actress, and would've been just as good without all the sadistic bullshit Kubrick put her through -- especially because Kubrick would have insisted on 200 takes of every scene regardless. The idea that it had to be "real" to get a good performance out of her is patronizing.

Sure. I assume it also means I get to actually whang Nicholson with a baseball bat. Y'know...for authenticity's sake.

I've read a lot about 2001: A Space Odyssey and it's apparent that Kubrick was a maniac who repeatedly endangered the actors lives and also took all the credit for work other people did. Watch that movie Filmworker if you want to see how his estate totally cut off his most devoted assistant.

It being "real" led to the 2nd greatest scream queen scene of all time: Veronica Cartwright in Alien. Is it patronizing to suggest it wouldn't have been as good if the cast knew what was coming?

If you need to jumpscare your actors to get a convincing shriek out of them, get better actors.

exactly

I think that's the last major Hollywood movie she did before she faded into obscurity