1408 Sucessfully
Translates Stephen King to The Big Screen.
In 1408 The Haunted Hotel
storyline is made effective by strong acting, eerie visuals and Karen
Carpenter.
Written by BHM Contributor Horror Queen June
22, 2007
Release:
June 22,
2007 Directed by: Mikael Håfström Written by: Stephen King (short story), Matt
Greenberg, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
Starring:
John Cusack as Mike Enslin Mary McCormack as Lily Enslin Jasmine Jessica Anthony as Katie Tony Shalhoub as Sam Farrell Samuel L. Jackson as Gerald Olin
When I heard about the film 1408, based on Stephen
King’s short story that I read a few years back, I was both
excited and curious to see how the tale would be expanded into a
full-length feature film. King is such a mastermind that his novels
sometimes lose something in the translation to the big screen, but
combining a simple yet horrific portrayal of the “haunted
hotel room” with the talent of actors John Cusak and Samuel
L. Jackson? Let’s just say I sped to see Mikael
Hafstrom’s 1408 and it would have been worth the driving
ticket.
As our movie opens we meet Mike Enslin (played by Cusak), a likeable
yet cynical and slightly arrogant surfer and career writer-investigator
of the paranormal. He makes his way from Hermosa Beach to various
locations around the world where he is welcomed by ghost-lovers with
open arms. That is until he ends up at The Dolphin Hotel in New York
City by way of an anonymous postcard mysteriously referencing the
hotel’s “Room 1408”.
Apparently
the hotel doesn’t want our dear friend – or anyone
else for that matter – setting foot in that room. In fact
it’s been unoccupied for years, relays a hotel operator that
finally hangs up on Mike as he tries to make a reservation.
The reservation resistance coupled with the ghastly tales of suicides
and strange happenings found in researching the hotel seems to be just
the motivation our hero needs. Mike immediately packs up and heads to
The Dolphin Hotel after his agent Tony (played amusing by Sam Farrell
of “Monk” fame) finds a legal loophole that forces
the hotel to rent him Room 1408.
Although The Dolphin Hotel doesn’t hold a candle to the
sinister lodge in Kubrick’s version from Stephen
King’s The
Shining, it does have a turn of the century
eeriness about it. Subtle things like the old-fashioned baby carriage
moving in slow motion and the muffled sounds of a baby’s
cries. Who can forget the similar images in Potemkin
or Rosemary’s
Baby? I guess anyone who has not seen Potemkin
or Rosemary’s Baby.
Enter Gerald Olin (played by Jackson), the bold yet refined hotel
manager who requests a private meeting with Mike before he checks into
his room. You guessed the surprise - here Olin attempts to persuade
Mike not to stay in Room 1408. And let me just say that it really is a
tribute to Mike’s stupidity and determination that he would
actually proceed to that room after hearing Olin’s counsel.
Forget the fact that no one has stayed in Room 1408 for almost thirty
years and that twelve people had committed suicide there. Nearly thirty
more had died of natural causes. So, forty-two people dead in one room
over sixty-eight years - you do the math. I did the math but Mike did
not, and off he goes to the room…
Without
giving away too much (Horror Queen hates to ruin plots), the scary
stuff starts happening almost immediately as Mike enters Room 1408.
Doors won’t open, ghosts appear and my special favorite
– the Carpenter’s tune “We’ve
Only Just Begun” suddenly plays on the radio over and over. I
think I will always be creeped out when I hear that song now. Oh wait,
I always was.
Through all this Mike tries to document what is happening on his hand
held tape recorder. It’s interesting to watch his cynicism
and disbelief give way to
the horror of what is happening as he goes
from “Is it the booze?” to “Am I having a
nightmare?” to “It’s just an evil
#&@* Room!” Oh and in the room we get to meet
Mike’s deceased father, his daughter Katie who passed away
due to illness a few years back, and his ex-wife Lily. Apparently Mike
left Lily because she resembled Katie and it made him sad. How ironic
life’s choices suddenly become when we’re being
chased by a zombie in an air duct. Seriously.
So despite Mike’s mantra “We don’t
rattle, do we?” the answer is in fact, we do. And just as
he’s about to succumb to the fire and brimstone of Room
1408…
That’s all I can tell you. It was not Stephen
King’s original intent to put an ending on this story but he
was so seduced by it that he did. Oh and one more thing…add
the numbers in Room 1408.
Horror Movie Freaks
is the FREE eZine from Best-Horror-Movies.com
that will give you the new horror releases, the new horror news and the
new horror reviews that you CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT!!
Subscribing is easy, painless and free.
Do it NOW!!
ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS:BlinkDel.icio.usDigg FurlGoogleSimpySpurlTechnoratiY!
MyWeb
to
the horror of what is happening as he goes
from “Is it the booze?” to “Am I having a
nightmare?” to “It’s just an evil
#&@* Room!” Oh and in the room we get to meet
Mike’s deceased father, his daughter Katie who passed away
due to illness a few years back, and his ex-wife Lily. Apparently Mike
left Lily because she resembled Katie and it made him sad. How ironic
life’s choices suddenly become when we’re being
chased by a zombie in an air duct. Seriously.
Blink
Del.icio.us
Digg
Furl
Google
Simpy
Spurl
Technorati
Y!
MyWeb