“1408”
Based upon the short story by Stephen King
Screenplay Written by Matt Greenberg and Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski
Directed by Mikael Hafstrom
“You can check out any time you like. But, you can never leave”
-Eagles “Hotel California” (1976)
Now it’s time for some fun!
For this new installment of “Savage Cinema Revisits,” I wanted to begin what will hopefully be a three-part Halloween Edition of this series. As I have stated many times, I am typically not a fan of the horror genre and defiantly possess no interest whatsoever in anything resembling torture porn. Frankly, aside from being subjected to buckets of gore and the cinematic version of “BOO!” via a shockingly loud digital sound system, I just do not enjoy the experience of being scared. Other forms of audio/visual intensity are just fine with me but the act of being frightened is just not a state I enjoy placing myself inside of. Usually…
With Director Mikael Hafstrom’s “1408,” a terrific adaptation of a Stephen King short story, we have a feature that slides right up my alley as it is an experience that is more suspenseful, more psychologically disturbing than violence ridden, and decidedly more character driven while also delivering the goods when it comes to a few legitimately jarring shocks and scares. Furthermore, “1408” features a performance from one of my favorite actors, Mr. John Cusack, which can be described as nothing less than a “tour de force.”
When “1408” was originally released in the summer of 2007, the film became a surprise critical and box office hit and yes, despite my trepidation with the horror genre, I knew I had to go and see what Cusack could with material that essentially forced him to carry an entire movie upon his shoulders. Thankfully, I was not disappointed in the least as the story and scares worked beautifully in tandem creating a richly intense experience that did not go overboard in all of the genre trappings I dislike. “1408” is a film I have returned to frequently and for this Halloween, I offer it as a cinematic suggestion if you are looking for a strong, intelligent, hugely entertaining and deliciously disturbing film to raise to effectively raise the hairs on the back of your neck.
John Cusack stars as Mike Enslin, a former novelist and current author of books which appraise the supernatural value of tourist locations, all the while completely disbelieving in anything otherworldly. After the release of his latest book and scarcely attended book signing, Mike receives an anonymous postcard from The Dolphin, an old yet posh New York hotel, warning him to not enter room 1408. Intrigued, Mike attempts to rent the room from The Dolphin but is briskly refused. After a bit of legal wheeling and dealing via the aid of Mike’s agent, Sam Farrell (sharply played by Tony Shaloub), Mike arrives at The Dolphin ready to check into 1408 but he must first pass the scrutiny and dark warnings of the hotel manager Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson).
Seated in Olin’s office, bobbing and weaving between bouts of duplicitous hospitality (including a tempting bribe of an $800 bottle of vintage liquor), Mike presses onwards into being allowed to stay in room 1408. Olin, in grave, matter-of-fact desperation, finally reveals the secret of the room that has claimed the lives of 56 people over the hotel’s 95-year history...
No one has survived in the room for more than one hour.
Completely undeterred and recklessly willing to tempt the fates, Mike Enslin takes the room key, rides the elevator upwards and enters 1408…
To reveal any more of what occurs during the course of “1408” would be of great disservice to those of you who have not seen the film. But, what I can tell you, dear readers, is the following. Besides not being able to hear The Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun” in the same way ever again, from this point onwards, “1408” is essentially a one-man show for John Cusack, as he is firmly stationed within the walls of his demonic hotel room along with the company of some nasty paranormal and, even worse, his own inner demons.
When I re-watched “1408” just a few nights ago, I had seriously intended to perhaps view only the first third, as the hour was late. But, all of those good intentions went flying out of the proverbial window because “1408” is just so damn compulsively watchable. I could not turn the thing off! The film is filled from start to finish with one great sequence after another, including one hair-raising one where Mike Enslin scales the tiny ledge outside of the 1408 hotel room, hoping for an escape from his solitary hell. Another involves a second escape attempt through the ventilation system, which of course houses a horrifying surprise. But, actually the sequence I possibly enjoyed the most was the scene just before Mike Enslin enters the hotel room—the one that pits the varying acting styles of Cusack and Jackson against each other thrillingly. The sequence inside of Gerald Olin's office is a tremendous one, not because of special effects (there are none) but through an excellent screenplay, sharp dialogue and two actors working at their peak of their powers. What a great sight it is just watching Cusack and Jackson parry and volley delicious dialogue back and forth, firmly establishing the menacing power of room 1408, a location we haven’t even seen in the film yet. And once we do arrive in 1408, what a sight it is.
Here is where the collaborative work of Hafstrom, Cusack and the entire creative team should be applauded most. Hafstrom exhibits a crisp, clean directorial style that firmly places story and character front and center, a quality that affords him quite a bit of mileage for his one location of room 1408, so much so that the room is elevated into being an additional character for Cusack to play off of. And what a marvel John Cusack is in this role!
One of Cusack’s finest qualities as an actor is his ability to exist as the person who is desperately attempting to remain in control even when situations are hopelessly spiraling out of control, whether external or internal. With the character of Mike Enslin, we, the audience, are blessed with both external and internal territories growing more unstable forcing Cusack to grow more unhinged.
When we first meet the character of Mike Enslin, we are given a sardonic, cynical, angry, melancholic skeptic with perhaps more than a few twinges of hard fought atheism caught in a state of mind and spirit that essentially dares the other side to make its presence forcefully known. What makes this character trait interesting and worthy of an emotional investment from the audience is the full backstory of Mike Enslin, which of course I will not reveal here, yet does indeed inject this film with much needed soul. Mike Enslin travels around the country from one supposedly spooky location to another solely to outrun his past and inner demons. Yet, once trapped inside of 1408, there is nowhere to run anymore and his deepest nightmares are now able to at last look for him!
What begins as a man’s nihilistic dance with the dark side becomes a crippling act of despair, grief and sorrow that, I believe, is presented in a fashion that can be relatable to many audience members of a certain age. John Cusack is equal to every single emotion he is given to play. To utilize a sports analogy, Cusack’s performance in “1408” is akin to that of a star basketball player. Every ball he is given, he makes a slam dunk every time. This film is his Michael Jordan moment!
All of these qualities elevate “1408” from simply being a “horror film” and into an experience that is wholly unique, entirely memorable and undeniably chilling. If you do heed my suggestion to seek out this film, whether for a repeat viewing or for the very first time, I urge you to watch the Director’s Cut version, which is slightly longer than the theatrical release and most importantly, contains the film’s original ending, which is much darker and to me, more honest with all of the material that has preceded it.
So, get your hotel room keys and turn out the lights for “1408”! It is a splendidly frightening ride that is consistently inventive conceptually, visually and thematically. It is also a playfully sinister experience designed to diabolically alter your perceptions.
And it just may want to make you sleep with the lights on for a night.
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