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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:12 pm
by Leisher
John Cusack stars as a writer who travels the country searching for haunted destinations to put in his books when he is notified about a hotel room in New York's Dolphin hotel. The room number is 1408.
Sam Jackson is in the film as the hotel's manager, although I'd bet his total time on set was 1-2 days at most. Mainly, this is a Cusack story.
1408 is good. It's probably one of the better horror films I've seen in years. There are genuine scares here and best of all, there's some logic behind it all as well. No, not the kind of logic that explains a haunted hotel room, but the kind of logic that keeps the storyline together.
Unlike 28 Weeks Later's boring portrayal of a survival plot, there is a real one here and it's well done. It serves a purpose because the characters aren't hollow.
See the film. Especially with a date. It's a good "turn the lights off" film.
8 out of 10.
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:07 am
by GORDON
It was all right. Nothing seemed corny, which is what happens when the director tries too hard to scare you.
So who sent the post card?
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:16 am
by Leisher
Nothing seemed corny, which is what happens when the director tries too hard to scare you.
That's why I liked it. They really just let Cusack sell the movie on his acting. In fact, I only remember one good scare moment, which was excellent.
As for the postcard...great question.
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:00 am
by TheCatt
The same person who sent it in the short story.
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:07 am
by GORDON
I don't recall who that was.
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:34 am
by TheCatt
OK, I was kidding. I honestly don't remember a postcard in the short story. Not saying it wasn't there, I just don't recall. Been about 3-4 years since I read this.
Sounds like it was a device created for the movie to build audience suspense and explain its history, whereas in the book it was already a famous room and the author already knew about
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:24 pm
by Leisher
I like the postcard better. It adds a little bit of mystery.
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:31 pm
by GORDON
Yeah, beena couple years since I read it... "Everything's Eventual?"
In the movie remake House on Haunted Hill, the haunted insane asylum itself sent out emails to specific people inviting them to the party... I was getting that vibe from the post card.
Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 7:04 pm
by TheCatt
I watched this movie over two workouts. The first workout I was in a dark room, with only my laptop as light in the room.
I cannot remember the last time I jumped due to a movie.
I finished it tonight with a light on.
I don't like horror movies cuz they're almost always too predictable, and not scary at all. Dialogue and writing and acting are usually the suck.
The opposite was mostly the case (except for a predictable "twist").
8.5/10
On the aforementioned pie-cake scale, this is white cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:50 pm
by Leisher
The one scare involving the window and the room across the street is one of the best in movie history, IMHO.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:51 pm
by GORDON
I just watched this flick again on Showtime. It had a different ending.
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:37 am
by TheCatt
GORDON wrote:I just watched this flick again on Showtime. It had a different ending.
What was it?
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:41 am
by TheCatt
Holy crap - I just realized I never saw the original ending, I saw the alternate.
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:47 am
by TPRJones
Okay, now I can't remember what I saw ending-wise.
What is the regular ending? What is the alternate? Which one did GORDON see, or was it still another?
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:13 am
by TheCatt
Check Wikipedia, they explain all the endings well. There's actually 3 endings, but two are most common.
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:14 am
by TheCatt
*** SPOILERS ****
So, in the ending I saw, he died. Wikipedia describes what happens after that. I was sad to see him die, but I thought it was the most fitting ending to the movie. After reading about the other one, I think this was the much, much better ending. Kinda like I Am Legend.
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:25 pm
by GORDON
*spoilers*
I originally saw the one where he died. That ending never satisfied me much... his ghost seemed to become a fixture in 1408.
The other night I saw an ending where he survived the room fire... and at the end his wife heard his cassette tape with their daughter's voice on it and she's like HOLY FUCKING SHIT WTF... then it ends. I sort of like that ending better. Also, that ending had a little clip with Sam Jackson that sort of suggests he was part of the "presence" in the room. In cahoots, like.
Edited By GORDON on 1234923955
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:32 pm
by TheCatt
Well, I'll have to check that ending out. I thought, on reading, that the surviving was the normal ending.
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:10 am
by Leisher
I think I saw the ending that Gordo describes. I remember the wife and Samuel.