Non gore SUPER spooky and suspenseful !

For every 10 thrillers made today, 5 stink, 4 are average and 1 is real good. THIS ONE IS REAL GOOD!

Mike Enslin (John Cusack), who once wrote a well-regarded but unsuccessful novel about a tormented surfer, now hacks out quickie books about haunted places and despises the readers who ignore his strenuous debunking and continue to believe in spirits. His psyche is lousy with his fizzling career, miserable childhood and failed marriage to Lilly (Mary McCormack), whom he abruptly abandoned after their little daughter's death. The disillusioned ghost writer is wallowing in sun-washed California squalor, catching a few waves and drowning his sorrows the time-honored way while trying to finish "Ten Haunted Hotel Rooms" when a mysterious postcard washes up in his P.O. box. Do not enter room 1408 of Manhattan's Dolphin Hotel, it warns! Enslin goes through the motions: 1+4+0+8=13. Spooky! Reports abound of guests checking in and then checking out via razor, rope or window. But the clincher is when Dolphin manager Mr. Olin (Samuel L. Jackson) curtly informs him that 1408 is "not available." Not next week, not next month, not ever. Convinced the room is the last chapter he's been looking for, Enslin packs his spook-catching gear, forces Olin to rent him the "evil f---ing room" (were it not for the film's teen-friendly PG-13 rating, Jackson would no doubt want the motherf---ing ghosts out of his motherf---ing hotel) and waits for the scary stuff to start. The minute it does, the movie starts a precipitous decline into flashy special effects, psychodrama and multiple "gotcha!" endings that make it feel almost as long as the one-hour eternity Enslin spends trying to escape slime-oozing walls, extremes of heat and cold, and sundry malevolent apparitions. Good story line, Super Cast! Great effects.

Positives:An excellent story, likeable characters (even Cusack as Enslin who becomes more and more likeable as the film goes on). Great scares, and some very great visual effects.

Negatives:The overall jist of the movie can be taken in different ways. After seeing this film, you'll probably see the situation from three different perspectives, and Mike Ensline as either a good or bad man. Or maybe a little in between. I felt the ending should've been more clear and resolute than the way it did end.

Overall:I'm not sure how well this movie did but I'd pay to see it in a theatre house. It's a slow, steady build up with terrifying and interesting plots. "1408" might go over the head of most audiences looking for explosions and high body counts in their horror films. But hopefully people will give this one a chance, if not for the A list STRONG cast alone.

Definitly get the movie !!

Heebie-jeebies are guaranteed

John Cusack checks into Room 1408 at Manhattan's posh Dolphin Hotel and finds that the joint is jumpin' with ghosts who will do their damnedest to make sure the dude will not get out alive.
It's a hellish premise, just the wicked mastery you expect from Stephen King, whose short story gives this mindbender its spine. King's recent work has been royally botched onscreen (hello, Secret Window, Needful Things and Dreamcatcher). Not this time. For that all praise to Cusack, who brings his welcome smartass savvy to the role of Mike Enslin, the author of bestsellers that debunk the idea of things that go bump in the night. Mike has his own demons, notably the death of his daughter (Jasmine Jessica Anthony), a tragic event that shattered his marriage to Lily (Mary McCormack).

He makes Mike's cynicism palpable as he checks into Room 1408 despite the objections of hotel manager Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson), who informs him that more than fifty people have died trying to spend the night there. Just to hear Jackson intone the line -- "it's an evil f**** room" -- is enough to shiver your timbers.

Swedish director Mikael Hafsrom, who scored with Evil in 2003 and fizzled badly with Derailed two years later, seems to have regained his footing. The mid-section of 1408 is saddled with tacky and needless special effects, but Hafstrom ratchets up the tension big time as Cusack pulls out all the stops in a performance way beyond frightfest duty.

The fact that 1408 is relatively free of gore has encouraged some critics to use it to attack what they call the torture porn of such directors as Hostel's Eli Roth. But Roth is a gifted filmmaker with his own goals and methods to achieve them. Hafstrom wisely takes the path King intended: to plumb the violence of the mind. Heebie-jeebies are guaranteed.

If you go out and buy this movie, you will not be disappointed! I just got this from blockbuster tonight!

Movie 1408

A film based on Kings writings.

Mike Enslin makes a living as an author, who specializes in the paranormal phenomenon. After receiving a postcard saying DO NOT STAY IN 1408, Mike becomes intrigued. After much hassle and waring from the hotel Manager, Mike finally makes it into the room. What at first seems to be a normal hotel room, turns into a horrific nightmare and Mike only has one hour to live.


Another john cusack movie but one that is different from most of his films. 1408 is not your typical horror flick in stead its a room from hell with vented vengence untill it meets its match and this is where the tables turn as the a normal hotel room goes postal on jhon things heat up and there is a twisted ending that all will never be the same.

If you like horror with a twist of action and drama the unfolds a great story then this film is for you. I bought this movie for the fact i enjoyed watching on the big screen and once owned it before.

So what are you waiting for run out and buy this dvd and enjoy what movies were made for good entertainment like this film gives you.

Decent Mikael Hafstrom Film....

This was a pretty decent movie. Cusack & Samuel L. played their parts very well. I would call this film a "Metaphysical Mind-Bender" I keeps you guessing and praying that something like this will never and could never ever happen to you! If you get a chance buy it... I collect Horror/Suspense films so Of Course I had to buy it.

The two disc set comes with 5 post cards from the Dolphin Hotel. The first disc has the film, John Cusack on 1408, Inside room 1408, & the theatrical trailer. Disc 2 has the Extended Directors Cut with Alternate Ending, Feature Commentary by Mikael Hofstrom (director) Scott Alexander (writer) & Larry Karaszewski (writer), The secrets of 1408, & Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary. The film is PG-13 rated and is 112 min..

Great Movie

I wasn't really to into seeing this movie. I was at the movie store, happened to see it on the shelf and rented it. I mostly gave in because John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson where in it. It was a little slow start but once Cusacks character gets to the hotel where the room 1408, it really starts to pick up and become interesting.

This is based off of a Stephen King short story (which I didn't know until the movie started and I saw the credits). I have never read the short story this is based off so I can't compair the two together. The movie though, was wonderful. The plot of the story was what you think is going to be the same old "haunted place" story, but it wasn't. The twist through out keep you guessing as to how the movie will end.

The acters so a wonderful job, but mostly you see Cusack through the movie. Though Jacksons part is not very big, he still delivers awsome lines that no one else could have pulled off. My hubby doesn't like horror movies, but really enjoyed this one. It isn't filled with gore and blood. It takes a step back in time almost, to when not seeing something can be more scary and those small special effects like a turning key in a lock can give you chills.

This is a really great movie all around. A++ :).