1408 Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Based on the short Stephen King horror story of the same name, 1408 surrounds supernatural writer Mike Enslin, an author of two hit books focusing on supernatural phenomena. As research for his latest book, Enslin is determined to check out the notorious room 1408 in a New York City hotel by personally staying as a guest in the fabled room. With the intention that 1408 is just a myth perpetuated by stories and rumor that Enslin has collected for his past works. However, hotel manager Mr. Olin has strong objections to Enslin's stay and only warns him of possible danger to come. But Enslin is determined to go through and convinced that the horrific past of 1408 is just mere coincidence and a myth. But what Mike Enslin is about to experience is no myth, as 1408 truly is a room where the guests don't check out by noon.
| John Cusack | Mike Enslin |
| Samuel L. Jackson | Mr. Olin |
| Mary McCormack | Lilly |
| Chris Carey | Fireman #1 |
| Len Cariou | Father |
| Peter Conboy | Couple coming out of Dolphin Hotel |
| Walter Lewis | Patrick |
| Noah Lee Margetts | Bellboy |
| Thomas A. McMahon | NYPD cop #1 |
| Jessica Cail | Surfer |
| Ike Ononye | Hotel Guest |
| Andrew Lee Potts | Jackson |
| Drew Powell | Assistant Hotel Manager |
| Jasmine Jessica Anthony | Gracie |
| Mikael Håfström |
7.20 out of 10 (0 votes)
Visitor Reviews
general obs.
posted on 24 Aug 2009i watched this originally as a copy with the alternate ending rather then the official one and i have to say i enjoyed that much more! though it is quite close to the novel the little developments made it just different enough not to be compared- favourably or otherwise- to the book. john cusack was perfect as mike enslin and casting Samuel l Jackson in a secondary role worked amazingly as i was afraid that S.L.J would change the tone of the film, or at least the tone of Olin's character but his performance was succinct and understated. the addition of the daughter and the "other life" juxtaposed well with the terror occurring in room 1408.
A very effective psychological horror.
posted on 22 Aug 2009The start of the movie until entering the Dolphin hotel could have been more effective in my opinion. I found John Cusack's character a bit overacted and unrealistic until this point, but it wasn't too distracting.Samuel L. Jackson provided a short and nice buildup to elevate the tension before entering the room.I thought the first half of the hotel room experience was very good but somewhere along the way the movie lost its focus and the scary touch for the most part.In the end I thought it was an enjoyable movie. 7/10
Why this movie sucks...
posted on 22 Aug 2009This is my first whatever so bare with me...Of the bat, I loved the beginning! It's the rest I really couldn't stand. It starts of pretty good, with the typical "We're gonna scare you", you all know what I mean (I know what you did last "Scream nr X")! Then I got kinda confused before I realized what was actually happening. But by then it was time to bring in the big guns, which in my vocabulary reads something like this: "We're gonna do something that has never been done before" ... "Let's do that again!" I know I'm flaming it, but it doesn't really deserve any better! Look, I'm all about scary movies, but this one, - it's worth a look - it's been done a thousand times before! To sum it up; Mellow ! "Right at your door" on the other hand......
Enter the room to 1408!
posted on 18 Aug 2009Stephen King's stories are all scary. Never bad. This one, is not an exception. 1408 is a great movie for all, actually no one under 13 should see it though. It has VERY startling scenes and some very suspenseful scenes as well.This movie has an interesting story. A man loses his daughter and then goes on a paranormal search to see if ghosts are really real, the reason for his daughter's death is unknown. Then he gets the deal to get into room 1408 in the Dolphin hotel. I don't want to spoil the funny argument between Cusak and Jackson but i will only say, its hilarious, until the pictures of dead people come up.1408 is not boring at all, and keeps you interested at ALL times and you see the wear and tear on Cusak's characters mind as the room 1408 f's with his mind as it tries to convince him to kill himself.IN the end 1408 is very good movie with a nice twist at the end, which will keep you wondering...was that real?
Not At All Impressed
posted on 16 Aug 2009Being a big Stephen King fan,and particularly of this short story, I was really looking forward to this movie. Yes, Cusack portrayed the cynical world-weary side of his character quite well, but his descent into mental instability while in room 1408 was like watching an old silent movie actor. Every action and emotion was exaggerated to the point of silliness, hasn't Hollywood heard of the phrase, 'less is more'? The over-the-top acting was combined with really cheesy effects - I mean, blood seeping through the walls? And coming out of the sink? What was with all the water? I thought at one point I was watching 'Titanic'! This film could have been done so, so much better. All the psychological subtleties of King's story seemed to have been abandoned in pursuit of shallow effects and un-shocking shocks.
No one should stay in Room 1408!
posted on 16 Aug 2009I like John Cusack. Once upon a time, I liked Stephen King. I really like Samuel Jackson and Tony Shalub who are very competent character actors. So despite, the fact that there were stacks of copies piled up at the local video store, I decided to give this a try even though the reviews were less than stellar.I am a human being, and therefore fallible and therefore capable of mistakes and I accept that and I accept that I made one when I paid five bucks to watch this thing. Then I made another when I actually watched it. So, to make amends for my error, and like Samuel Jackson, I am here to warn you to stay in another hotel room, do not go into 1408.I haven't read the original story, but the thing bears enough resemblance to the Shining (which in turn was a clone of Richard Matheson's Hell House) that one can now conclude that Mr. King is now "recycling" himself instead of previous horror writers.John Cusack is perversely fascinating to watch. He looks pudgy and burned out and apathetic throughout and that in turn is truly a horrifying thing to see for a guy who had such early promise. He is truly the haunted man searching for his lost career. I kept calling out to the screen, John, John, run.... run... get out of the movie now....As for the visuals, no horror movie standby goes unused. Its all there, spooky noises, ghosts, the protagonist who does not believe in this stuff, blood and other gruesome stuff flowing inexplicably from nowhere, collapsing walls, weird hotel personnel, the long history of terrible events in the room and on and on and on until you completely lose track and ultimately, interest. If there was a point to it all, it got lost in the special effects.I agree with the film's promotional material, you don't want to visit room 1408.
Handy Movie Reviews @ Blogspot
posted on 14 Aug 2009I start off my review with a warning. If you don't like to think about your movies, and review them over in your head trying to construct a conclusion on exactly what you just saw, skip this movie completely.The movie starts out informing you about what the central character, Mike Enslin (John Cusack), does for a living. While it doesn't give you too much information about Enslin in the beginning, you gradually learn more about him as the movie goes on.Mike Enslin is a writer who has focused mainly on informational books about haunted houses, lighthouses, forts, etc. As he looks for a hotel to complete his stories in his latest book, he is sent a postcard informing him to "Do not enter 1408". Once the reverse psychology sets in, Enslin is on his way to the Dolphin Hotel, where the Manager (Samuel L. Jackson) is bent on forbidding him to enter 1408, where previously many deaths has occurred.From there on to the end of the movie, John Cusack shows a fantastic one man performance with many twists and turns along the way. This movie shows the true acting power of Cusack as well as the uniquely eerie style of Samuel L. Jackson.If you are a fan of Stephen King's short book "1408", you will not be disappointed by this movie. While some drastic changes are made from the book to this movie, they still fit smoothly in with the rest of the original story. "1408" seems just as creepy and ingenious as the book.So all in all, this movie is not for the absent, small, or thoughtless minded. While it is spooky at some parts, and a few things might startle you, the only thing you will want to do after this movie is think, "Wow." "1408" is the movie for you, if you can enjoy a good conversation afterwards.
Great!
posted on 12 Aug 2009I really enjoyed watching this movie. John Cusack is such an amazing actor. He really fit his role. This movie is the one of the best movies I've seen this year. If you like true horror flicks and not those stupid gory ones, this movies is for you! Reminded me a bit of The Shining and Silent Hill 4. But not too much. I recommend 'King' lovers to see this movie. I jumped out of my skin a couple of times. (laughs) This movie will leave you freaked out. I'll be honest with you though. When I saw it at the movie theater a couple of people next to me said that is was a waste of time. BUT they didn't even watch the movie anyway. They were to busy talking to each other the WHOLE movie. So just don't talk through the WHOLE movie and you'll be fine. (laughs) But anyhow I thought this movie rocked! Check this movie out! :)
An old fashioned ghost story that will make your skin crawl
posted on 12 Aug 2009Mike Enslin is a writer who loathes the subject matter of his books. Jaded by the untimely death of his daughter, Enlsin puts no stock in anything broaching the religious or supernatural. To Mike, if he can't see it or touch it, it's not real and can't happen. Which is why this writer of haunted hotel travelogues views his chosen profession as just another means to a paycheck. He's not even remotely into his work because he views it as a dead end (pardon the pun) before it even starts.That is, until he receives a mysterious unsigned post card from New York's Dolphin Hotel with the singular cryptic message – "Don't stay in 1408". 1+4+8=13. With that Enslin's curiosity is piqued.Based on a short story by Stephen King, and capably directed by Swede Mikael Håfström, 1408 is a throwback to old fashioned haunted house movies like 1973's The Legend of Hell House, allowing the fear and tension to ratchet up in tiny increments, largely driven by small, out of place events, and things you don't actually see.Fans drawn by the presence of Samuel L. Jackson will be in for a letdown, however. Although he shares co-billing, Jackson's role is a relatively small one. This is John Cusack's (Enslin) movie, and it's pretty much a one actor show. Surprisingly, Cusack does a good job portraying a man who may or may not be the victim of his own inner ghosts, or, alternately, waging a one man war against a "truly evil f*****g room", as Jackson's hotel manager character describes it.Seeing as the horror genre is becoming increasingly populated with the gruesome torture porn of films like Hostel and Touristas, 1408, in all it's throwback glory, is a refreshing breath of fetid air.
John Cusack's One Man Show in a House of Horrors
posted on 12 Aug 2009In a world where film goers actually cough up $9.50 to see blood and guts for movies like "Hostel" and "Saw 4," the horror genre seems dead in the water by now. "Psycho" and "Jaws" seem like an urban legend, where imagination and true terror of the unknown reigned. People would rather watch basically a gruesome 90-minute episode of "Fear Factor" than to have a cold hand slowly massage your neck while breaking it at the same time, never really revealing the enemy and therefore making the (almost) loneliness unbearable. While "1408" will probably not become a classic like the Hitchcock or the Spielberg films and clearly invites comparison to the classic "The Shining," it does what very few horror films have done in years: given chills with the fewest of gore and blood. And then it goes where no horror film has gone before: it genuinely breaks your heart.Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is a paperback author who debunks "haunted" houses. When he receives a postcard warning him not to go in the eponymous room number, that only intrigues him even more. At the Dolphin Hotel, his interest is only raised when Mr. Olin (Samuel L. Jackson in a small role but, as always, stealing every scene he graces) tries ANYTHING to get him from going into that room, including bribes and revealing information about the room even the newspapers have never reported. But Enslin is even more stubborn than Olin, and gets the key to the room. Though initially cynical (aren't all writers?) and pessimistic about finding anything haunting about that room, he is soon proved wrong. A clock radio blasts a Carpenters song without any button pushed. Then it starts counting down from 1 hour. Just when Mike's realized he wants out of the room, he's trapped in his own hell in a room that would make the saloon of Satre's "No Exit" look like a cocktail party in Holly Golightly's apartment.To talk about the twists and spoilers would only ruin the effectiveness on-screen...and believe me, there are plenty, even if a handful are given away in the trailer for the film.The amazing glory of "1408" is that the amount of thrills are more than made up for in emotion. Though the trailer and poster advertise the Gothic tone and hellish roller coaster ride of the movie, the film will surprise you with the tears as often as the screams. We see through flashbacks/torture devices that at one point, Enslin wasn't always alone in a room. He once had a family, a wife and a daughter. He had promise as a novelist, as we see at a book signing. But then his young beloved daughter died and shattered his existence. Separated from his wife, Enslin is an emotionally closed-off human being. Instead of slowing down the pace of the story, it enhances it, in the way that "Batman Begins" nearly LOST its momentum when Bruce Wayne put on his costume and became Batman. The character development is nearly as interesting as the action.Everything I wrote above would mean nothing and produce no love or emotion had it not been in the hands of such an amazing actor as John Cusack, who has to carry the movie almost entirely on his back. Much as I adore Cusack ("Say Anything..." was my all-time favorite movie as a teenager), I haven't been impressed with his recent movies--I know he has to pay the water bills, but did we have to sit through a boring and clichéd 1/2 hour sitcom achingly stretched out to 90 minutes and then call it "Must Love Dogs"? But here he delivers far and away his best performance since "High Fidelity." Cusack literally screams and cries, but never once does it feel hammy or contrived. The nuances, subtleties and reactions of Enslin feel improvised and fresh. Cusack demands our attention, and boy does he earn it. He shows a versatility and a rainbow of emotions that he has never shown before, and finally is given a character with so many dimensions. There is a scene that I'm sure will be talked about, when he sees his daughter and has to re-experience her demise. Every angle of his face is full of pain, his body weak with longing and uncertainty. It's amazing to note that Cusack in real life is not a father. How could he have known?...Mikael Hafstrom made some amazing movies in Europe before, inevitably, making English films. His American debut "Derailed" would be forgettable had Jennifer Aniston not floundered in her first dramatic role. But he's a director to watch--his tone and atmosphere is dark, and somewhere Edgar Allen Poe must be smiling. He keeps his story moving at a nice pace. There is never a dull or predictable moment in "1408." You may walk into the theater and be expected to scream. You'll walk out scratching your head in confusion, with a screaming pulse, and just maybe a broken heart. That's something only an amazing movie can accomplish.
An impressive summer surprise!
posted on 10 Aug 2009The 2000s have not been a good to horror fans. While some people love torture porn such as the Saw and Hostel films, I find them to be utterly repulsive and pointless and this is coming from a guy who loves gore (when used correctly). The alternative to these snuff films is not much better. The political climate over the years has drifted to such a PC state that almost all other horror flicks have been neutered down to a PG-13 rating, cutting out all the elements fans want to see in the process. It was with that in mind that I went to see 1408, based on the Stephen King short story I'd read when it first came out though had mostly forgotten about by the time the feature went into production. My one reason for going was the fact the adaptation was co-written by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, the duo responsible for writing such smart and underrated classics like Man on the Moon and People vs. Larry Flynt. It was my hope that despite the PG-13 rating, there would still be a great story. As always, Alexander and Karaszewski (along with Matt Greenberg) came through. This is the first straightforward horror picture in years to have a story and characters worth giving a hoot about. The best part of 1408 is the set-up, taking up about half an hour in the beginning to establish the lead character well played by John Cusack. Director Mikael Håfström is able to build suspense and tension with these scenes long before the frights even begin. That takes talent. Håfström makes the rest of the film visually impressive. More importantly, he is able to do so with little to no CG work. Cinematographer Benoît Delhomme has done amazing job here. Although I doubt he'll be nominated, he definitely deserves an Oscar nomination for what he has accomplished. With a near perfect look and a solid story, 1408 is recommended watching for horror fans even if the PG-13 rating is a bit of a letdown. 8/10Director's Cut note: The extended director's cut contained on the two-disc DVD is a superior version with more depth and a much better ending. I give that version a 9 out of 10.
1408-Hell's Bedroom!!!!
posted on 08 Aug 2009There is only one word that comes to mind when I think of this movie....WHOA!!!!!I was stunned.The acting,WHOA!!!!The whole story line,WHOA!!!!The ending,WWWWHHOOOAAA!!!!!!!!!Everything about this movie was fantastic!!!John Cusack,not being one of my favorite actors,did amazingly good,and as for Samuel L. Jackson,he never fails me!!!Let me just say that you definitely do not want to stay in this room!!!All the events that took place almost were creepy enough to creep me out,but they didn't,and every twist and turn in the movie really gets your mind going,thinking about what's going to happen next.This is that good kind of thinking horror movie.I thought this film was positively.....WHOA!!!!!
1408 homage to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?
posted on 02 Aug 2009Being a huge fan of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I immediately noticed the line in 1408 "I can't express myself in this climate" because it was incongruous to the scene and because it closely mirrored the line "My blood is too thick for Nevada. I've never been able to properly express myself in this climate" which was uttered by Hunter S. Thompson / Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Was the director a fan, perhaps? Anyone else notice this, or do you think that such a line strange line could possibly be a coincidence in two separate movies? I thought it odd that it was so noteworthy to have jumped out at me like that.
A film with a strong beginning that ends laying an egg
posted on 31 Jul 2009I guess 5/10 sounds like a cop-out, but its a fair rating for this film. It had so very much potential. The buildup during the first half hour or so had me completely drawn in, a 9 for sure, but then the over-the-top cinematic writhings and threadbare horror-house clichés taken to new Hollywood SPFx heights left me feeling as if I'd been had. What a shame. Cussak does a great job acting throughout, as does Jackson in what is a comparative bit role, but neither performance could rescue this film from what it is - an old fashioned horror flick that will doubtlessly blow the minds of adolescent audiences but will roll the eyes of more sophisticated film buffs.
Nothing special
posted on 27 Jul 2009This is the story of a cynical John Cusack, who travels the country visiting places that advertise in "spookiness" and then writes about them in books like "The Top 10 Haunted Hotels", but he doesn't personally believe in anything supernatural. One day he checks into room "1408" and all hell breaks loose.What he experiences in 1408 is a montage of your average horror flick scares, mixed with a bit of what's real and what's not and spiced up with a little dive into the depths of a tormented soul. Nothing too special though. Only a handful of original ideas, the rest is business as usual.The movie should have been 30 minutes shorter. The ending is, unsurprisingly for Stephen King, not satisfying. John Cusack is being just his usual self, you either like him or not. I do. As I liked Samuel L. Jacksons rather brief appearances.All in all, if you don't watch too many films or play lots of video games, it might strike you as original and refreshing and you'll maybe like it. Veterans of the psycho horror genre will probably be disappointed.I'm giving it 5/10: Average.
Sad (when compared to King's short story)
posted on 25 Jul 2009This is nowhere close to the story, not even in the vicinity of king-material. The story has been tweaked a little to fit into a movie. But that as not worked well. Samuel L Jackson as Olin was sad. His role was short, bot not as effective as the manager in the book. John Cusack was okay. I went to the cinema expecting a decent chiller and I got NOTHING. While the book got me sincerely PRAYING the night I read it, this movie wasn't close to it by a light-year!! I did wage a war within my mind (to my best) to get scared, all in vain. As a person who read the story, I think the movie is not even worth two pence.
"Relax," said the Nightman, "we are programmed to receive..."
posted on 21 Jul 2009"... you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave!"This movie might have been better had it ripped off more of that song. That's not to say that all of "1408" was a farce on "Hotel California": this was an original Stephen King story, after all, and there was no pink champagne on ice (rather a bottle of whisky)... and there were a lot less plot holes in the song. But in any case, if you substitute "Nightman" for "Creepy Voice on the Phone", you might end up with the basic plot of "1408".You can read the basic plot of the story anywhere: angsty, moody writer Mike Enslin (our fabulously miscasted John Cusack) forces the manager of the Dolphin Hotel (our fabulously casted Samuel L. Jackson) to rent him a "haunted" hotel room. The only way this story differs from any other predictable haunted-hotel-room tale is in the way backstory is used: we get to know a lot about Enslin and how he became obsessed with the occult, ghosts, and hauntings, more than in the original Stephen King story.However, the movie's fatal weaknesses are in (a) the main character himself, (b) gaping plot holes in the story, and (c) the fake plot twist halfway through.Mike Enslin might be a fairly engaging character to some--he's funny, intelligent, and cynical. But a few scenes, in particular, were heartwrenchingly beautiful, and we come to feel very deeply for the star of this horror flick in a way that is just fundamentally unfitting, and the worst part is that this feeling ends up being thrown out by the end. There's no denying that Cusack is a great actor: but it totally broke the pace of the movie to have a heart-wrenching memory scene of Enslin's dying daughter Katy, right in between an earthquake and a flood. It simply didn't fit, particularly when, ten minutes later, Enslin lies under a sofa and started maniacally laughing. Now, take "Identity", a 2003 horror film in which Cusack starred. His main character there was extraordinarily sympathetic, but that empathy didn't clash with the plot and action in the way this one did.The crucial problem was this movie had as many plot holes as Pennsylvania has deer, not to put too fine a point on it, and THAT was where the heart-wrenching just didn't work. No one survives more than an hour in the room, and yes, the clock does begin a countdown from sixty minutes--but not until Enslin has gone over the room with a fine-tooth comb and a UV lamp, and an electrician has fixed the thermostat. Sure, no electronics work in 1408--except Enslin's computer, which somehow manages to pick up wireless even when the rest of the building somehow disappears. Yes, the room is playing with Enslin's psyche and bringing his daughter into the mess--but then why drag in the one extremely short and pointless scene with his father? And though Jackson's line of "That is one evil f#@%!ng room," might suffice for Enslin and for most moviegoers, I would have been pretty happy to find out just what is ACTUALLY going on in 1408.I won't spoil the ending action, or even the stupidest fake plot twist to ever fakely twist a plot--go somewhere else in the movie comments for that. And I'm not going to lie: I really did like this movie as a noncommittal horror film, and I even enjoyed those heart-wrenching scenes between Enslin and Katy. (I can only hope they show up again in another Cusack film in the future.) But ultimately, the elements of fine acting and crappy horror just didn't mix well, and it really just became a noncommittal horror film, with no potential, and hopefully (oh God, please) no sequels.Besides, all that kept running through my head were the words to "Hotel California." "Last thing I remember, I was running for the door... I had to find the passage back to the place that I was before..."
Skip this ridiculously lame PG-13 horror movie
posted on 21 Jul 2009With 1408 I was given the opportunity to watch a movie that I had no previous knowledge about. This is usually a rare blessing for me. However, after watching this whole film I now wish I had read a few reviews first.At first I was intrigued by the basic elements of this film. The plot revolved around a writer who travels about and rates supposedly haunted places. It seemed kind of interesting. However, before I could get too excited about the premise of this film, it caught a bad case of leprosy and began to simply fall apart.If you ever find yourself forgetting the meaning of "plot holes" simply rent this movie and be amazed at how many obvious details can be completely forgotten in the course of 2 hours. How come the question of who sent Mike Enslin (John Cusack) the postcard giving him the idea to go to Room 1408 in the first place never came up? Seriously, it was like watching a version of The Lord of the Rings that didn't explain the story of the one Ring . Sure, we got the idea that Room 1408 was evil, but we were never once explained why. When the movie itself asks questions during some point of the story, for the love of god answer them.I can't even begin to explain the lack of character exploration in this film. Everybody was a static character. No way would Stephen King write a story that didn't focus on the struggles of the people within it. As I recall, he did not appreciate the recreation of his character Jack in the movie The Shining. I can't imagine he was impressed at all by this awful movie.3 out of 10, baby. Skip this movie, please.
A Perplexing Torturous Trip!
posted on 21 Jul 2009This is as close to a one-man show as we can get. John Cusack really goes through the gamut of human attitudes and emotions in this one film. For me, it is a convincing tour-de-force acting performance. He really gets into the skin of his character and rides the storyline all the way through the roller coaster from hell, from its benign beginning to its heart-stopping twists and turns, up to its fiery end. He plays Mike Enslin, a writer who debunks popular haunted places. He gets challenged to stay at Rm. 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel in New York City by an anonymous postcard. He couldn't resist the dare, so he thwarted all efforts to stop him from staying for a night. Needless to say, his life turns 360 degrees after the manager leaves him in the fated room. The evil spirit of the room, along with ghosts of the room's past victims, as well as Enslin's own personal ghosts regarding his daughter who died of cancer, all join forces to torment him and torture him both physically, mentally and emotionally.After this movie, you will never hear "We've Only Just Begun" by the Carpenters the same way again. This sweet song actually became creepy! The movie never loses focus. Very exciting. Tight, very well-edited. There's a strange bit at the end with Samuel L. Jackson's hotel manager character in a perplexing scene. But then the whole movie is one big perplexing trip, you don't really notice.
Pretty Good Flick
posted on 30 Aug 2009The acting was good. The story was good (obviously- it's Stephen King). And the movie was well-executed. I have nothing negative to say about the film. It wasn't the best I've seen, but I can't really say anything bad about it. It's a simple ghost story with a fairly familiar plot... but it's weaved with enough creativity to make it work. It's not for the slasher film fan. It's a slow-moving, cerebral horror movie. It contains enough twists to keep you on your toes... possibly even confuse you. It doesn't dwell much on "whys". It's about the feeling of horror, not about a message. Like I said, it's Stephen King. If you like King, you'll like this movie.