1408

"You really don't want to go into that room"

Mike Enslin (Cusack) writes books about the most haunted placed in America. Staying over night, he gives them ratings out of ten for how scary they actually are but when he receives a mysterious postcard telling him not to stay in room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel in New York, Mike is instantly intrigued. Discovering that over fifty people have lost their lives in that room, Mike endeavours to stay in the room, much to the annoyance of hotel manager Gerald Olin (Jackson), who insists that no one stays in that room. As he enters, Mike realises that this is not a hoax and his worst nightmares are about to come true.

Movies based on Stephen King stories are a very mixed bag but can '1408' make a reservation in the good category?

The problem with Stephen King adaptations is that for every 'Green Mile', 'Stand by Me', 'The Shining', 'Misery' and 'Shawshank Redemption' you also get 'Dreamcatcher', 'Pet Cemetery', 'Sleepwalkers' and 'The Tommyknockers'. The fact that this is nothing to do with the author himself, it is filmmakers and studios adapting them for the silver screen that disappoints fans. When they get it right you have some of the best suspense, horror, supernatural and human stories to grace the silver screen but when they go wrong they are usually disastrous messes that really make fans of the author really upset. Unfortunately '1408' isn't going to win over fans of the author because this movie is a bit of a mess.

Based on one of his short stories, '1408' is about Mike Enslin an author who debunks haunted houses and other paranormal tales but when he hears of the Dolphin Hotel in New York and the room 1408. The is a room that over fifty people have died in, all under suspicious circumstances and because of this hotel manager Gerald Olin has closed the room to all visitors, that is until Mike Enslin uses his connections and forces Olin to let him stay in the room. As soon as he enters however, he realises that the room is in fact haunted by the spirits of those who have died and his worst nightmares are about to come true. This of course leads to some frightening apparitions and the boundaries between what is real and what is imagined become increasingly blurred but the problem with this is that it is neither original nor frightening.

What Stephen King movies do manage to attract a good cast and '1408' is no exception. In fact it is the saving grace of the movie. Leading the film into the room is the performance of John Cusack as Mike Enslin. Cusack has always been one of Hollywood's most watchable actors and someone who is extremely cool in anything he appears in. He is the everyman actor who everyone who like to be or meet. As the novelist and debunker, we follow him into his own insanity and he provides enough paranoia and doubt to draw you in at first but as the script gets more and more far fetched even Cusack's skill can't really save the movie. The support also does its best with the material with Mary McCormack and the always-cool Samuel L. Jackson standing out.

'1408' is another disappointing Stephen King adaptation that doesn't really create enough horror or suspense to really get you really terrified. While the performances are good and it is visual treat, the story is neither original nor horrifying enough to get you on the edge of your seat, never mind running out of the room.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is good.

BONUS FEATURES

John Cusack on 1408: A Webisode (2.33 mins)
The lead actor talks about his character, the story, Stephen King and the 56 deaths associated with room 1408.

Inside Room 1408: A Website (2.09 mins)
Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, special visual effects supervisor Paul Carbould and stars John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson talk about adapting the Stephen King short story and making and designing the Room.

Theatrical Trailer (2.28 mins)
Watch the trailer that previewed the movie in theatres and online.

Deleted Scenes (11.28 mins)
Entitled 'Contacting Lily', 'Thought with guilt', 'I warned you about 1408', 'Tilting room and Lily pleads at the door' and 'Arriving at the Dolphin (Director's cameo)', these deleted scenes have optional commentary by director Mikael Håfström and writers Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander.

Secrets of 1408
Director Mikael Håfström, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and stars John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson and Mary McCormack talk about the characters, the director, the physical effects and the production design on '1408'

Commentary
Director Mikael Håfström and writers Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander talk about the production of '1408'. The group talk about the construction of the plot, the characters, Stephen King's original story and the introduction of horror, as well as giving away many a behind the scenes story. This is a good track that fans will enjoy.

OVERALL

The DVD treatment for '1408' is a little run of the mill but the commentary track makes up for the average shortcomings. With enough behind the scenes footage and interviews the featurettes are your usual patting on the back type but there is enough here for fans to enjoy.

DVD

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2007