*What should I cover next?! ... Give me your biggest recommendation!* ... Also, share your thoughts on 1408 below!! The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/ryanhollinger07211
What no one talks about regarding this film: John Cusack's performance. I would argue it was his last good film, and with that, his best performance to date, hands down. He is so compelling you actually forget you are watching a one man play that takes place in a single room. That is powerhouse acting, and the way he flips from anger to remorse is heartbreakingly accurate.
@@TheSlammurai Yeah I have to give Jackson credit, too. He didn't come across as hammy, he really drove home that the room should NOT be fucked with, and he was used perfectly also IMO.
I don't want to agree because I'm still patiently awaiting Cusack's big comeback role. Unlikely? Yes. But I know he's got one more masterpiece left in him.
1408 is in this middle ground between a popcorn movie and a psychological movie. 1408 is not a popcorn horror like Final Destination, and nor is it fully a heavy psychological horror like Jacob’s Ladder.
Valid. I loved Final Destination and my mind was blown by Jacob's Ladder although it was not as fun as I wished it to be, but 1408 really is a perfect middle ground between the two.
I feel like I watched Jacob's Ladder too late. It's inspired to many other movies that going back to the original feels unoriginal, but that's because it's the original and other movies were inspired by it so seeing those movies first robs the impact of Jacob's Ladder, whereas if I'd seen it first then that would be different. Kinda like how I don't like the original Halloween movie for the same reason. I seen so many slasher movies with cool new ideas and concepts that seeing the now very basic slasher film that is Halloween doesn't do anything for me, whereas if I'd seen Halloween first, I think it would be different for me...
To be honest, I didn't know this WASN'T considered a great film - I genuinely didn't know that it wasn't "well received". I saw 1408 in theaters, and while walking out everyone was talking to their group about how amazing it was/how much they enjoyed it. When I was a college sophomore, my dorm routinely held movie night; about 3 years + a few months ago the selection was 1408, and pre-movie everyone was chatting about how much they loved the movie and how excited they were to see it again. It's actually kind of *weird* to realize that not everyone feels that way.
I didn't like it when I first saw it albeit as like a 13 year old because I expected it to be "scarier" in all the cliche areas. Movies with psychological themes and twists just did not click with me as a young horror/thriller fan for some reason cuz somehow I twisted my mind into thinking THEY were the lazy cash grab films as opposed to the run of the mill slashers and creature features I liked as a kid. (Just for a better example, I fkn hated Shutter Island when it first came out cuz I was like "no I actually want it to be a secret horrific American Nazi experiment camp, cuz that's 'cooler'😡" meanwhile for years I would've told you that jeepers creepers was the scariest movie ever made lmfao) As an adult now tho it is easily one of my favorite movies regardless of genre. As is shutter island lol.
Love this film. Favorite line? "Want a drink?" "'Course, I just said I was a writer didnt i" John Cusack is great in this, one of my favorite roles of his
A trope is something that a certain type of character profession or trait is used seemingly over and over again, in all works of art… this one in particular is that being a Writer or novelist etc is usually associated with them being heavy drinkers. There are many many many types of tropes. But this one line in particular points it out in the movie itself. Hope this helps bud.
@@jayboy2kay7 I wished I made my original comment more clearer. I know what a trope is but I was just asking how this particular situation a trope in anyway. Thanks for telling tho.
My favourite line has to be $14 dollars for beer nuts, this room is evil :D - the amount may be incorrect, it's been a while, but still a great performance.
This is truly one of the great underrated King films. Given it’s mainly 1 man onscreen throughout most of the runtime, you need a good talent to carry the story on his shoulders & Cusack delivers (one of my city’s native sons). I do like that Samuel L. gets to be more subtle here with his limited screen-time. He’s the harbinger who of course is ignored by the protagonist, but he sells the haunted tale of room 1408 well without being a cartoon or being too overly dramatic
To me, this was the last truly captivating horror movie I've ever seen. It's easy to make a scary gory horror movie (they're more disgusting than scary to me, but to each their own) but making a scary one without needing to cut/skin/stab and blast blood all over the screen is truly masterful and a testament to the writer/s' skills. If you know of similar non-gory horror movies please recommend some to me!
I think this movie and short story is like what if the shining was shrunk down in a room instead of an entire hotel. I think it's an extremely effective psychological horror that gets better upon rewatch
Regarding the endings, maybe I’m a softie but I usually prefer “better” endings. Not necessarily “the protagonist has to live,” but I always think about what one of the directors or producers of The Exorcist said about its own ending, “I don’t want people to think that the devil won.” Even if it’s bittersweet or sad, I tend to favor endings that make you think “sacrifices were made, but we did it. We won.”
I prefer endings that serve the theme and feel earned. I also think there is a problem if films are constantly making the protagonists "win." Not that I'm against those endings, but I also like when films reflect that...you can try your best and not win, because people are often trying their best too to achieve the contrary. More optimistic endings have their place but I think having movies like that as the majority can condition people to believe in the 'just world" fallacy. We shouldn't do the right thing because it works out in the end, we should do the right thing because it's right, and movies that reflect that are necessary too, I think
If you want a different ending read the book, it might be a better outcome that you're talking about. It's short story in the book Everything's Eventual, which has a bunch of great Steven King short stories
@@saaaaltydaaalty310 I get where you're coming from, but to me it feels like like it's sending the exact opposite of it's intended message. "This is what doing the right thing really gets you, so don't bother. Just focus on maximizing your own selfish profit." Then again, I'm also the guy that thought films like Carrie (not necessarily Carrie, but films like it) accidentally sent the message of "keep the quiet kids down lest they rise up against you" rather than the intended "don't bully other people", so maybe my perspective isn't the best one to take into account.
Legitimately one of the best King adaptations ever made. The I WAS OUT scene has always freaked me out. I also can’t listen to “It’s only just begun” anymore, I just shut that shit off. However, I prefer the theatrical version ending much more. Great video, Ryan!
Me too! "It's only just begun" is permanently etched into my brain to always remind me of this movie, and you can bet my middle school self was FLOORED when the post office was torn apart to reveal the hotel room underneath. In all seriousness though, the concept of believing you've escaped a seemingly-endless nightmare, only for it to be stripped away as an intricate illusion without warning? To me, that's true horror. 👏
@@DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose I can't recommend Limmy enough.....if you can understand the accent lol, he's my *favourite* - he streams on twitch, and on a channel 'benny harvey' there are loads of his twitch streams and clips, and he has his own channel with a ton of stuff as well, I hope you like it, oh, there's a show too, think it's on UA-cam, it's just called 'Limmys Show', it's all sketches and characters and surreal stuff 😂👌🏻✌🏻
I like the theatre cut as well. The scene where he plays the recorder to his wife, is one of the most disturbing scenes in a movie if you really think about it. I mean it implies that the room forced his dead daughter soul to help in psychological torture whose end goal is have him commit suicide or that he actually is still trapped in the room and he just believes that he escaped.
Those implications are exactly why my mom hates that ending lol. I like it better than the other but it's funny how you both landed on that. She complained it made it even more depressing. Like is his daughter still there? Yeesh.
But was it really his daughter? Or was it his memory of his daughter that the room used to torture him, like Pazazu imitating voices to mess with the priests? It works either way and makes even more sense if he's still trapped there.
The theatrical ending is best. I remember being so mad when I tried to show this movie to my friends and the DVD had the other ending and I didn’t realize. I was like, “NO I PROMISE IT ENDS WAY BETTER THAN THIS!”
Dani Obregon-I had a similar reaction when I saw the movie the second time & it was the directors cut ending instead of the theatrical cut ending, i was all confused & I remember saying to my mum & my brother that that wasn't the ending I saw when I first saw the movie in the movie theatre. The theatrical ending works so much better, that moment when John Cusack & his wife hear their daughters voice on the tape recording from his night in that room is still one of the eeriest movie endings i've ever seen.
That ending where he’s playing the tape to his wife…and the absolute shock on her face and him just sitting there…is just SO perfect. It gives me chills, hearing her hear that. The other ending is ok…it makes sense I guess but it feels like a cliche or generic route to go….I dunno, just standard and dull. The tape recorder one is POWERFUL.
The short story was always one of the more unnerving of King's for me. Something about the nauseating, orangey-yellow light and the way the room seems to move and tilt around him and the effect it had on him physically really got to me. Maybe it's because I get really bad motion sickness, but I knew exactly the sick feeling it was describing. I remember thinking the movie did a pretty good job of conveying that feeling, and since that was the part of the story that stuck with me, I liked the adaptation.
i agree with how the book seems to tell you how the room gets to your head faster making it more of a nauseating horror quirk then eventually playing with you by making you think the supernatural is happening. I like the film more cause it expands on what the initial idea is and how it can be played greatly. The short storys ending however is my least favorite of all stephen kings endings.
Personally… I didn’t really like the short story. It seemed brash and pushed to hard with the Stephen King quirks… I didn’t need supernatural but somehow the events in the short story had me constantly detaching. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie though.
"We've Only Just Begun" is my scariest song in film because of this film; so overtly threatening yet buried under beige sweetness, just like the hotel room itself.
Also, Karen Carpenter of the brother/sister duo fought a life long losing battle with anorexia. Its sad that when she tried to go solo with an album that contained "suggestive" lyrics her brother was furious. He feared the album would damage the wholesome image of their duo act. It makes her solo song "Touch Me When We're Dancing" all the more poignant and sad. To me, the poor woman was in a cage.
The first time I saw it was crazy. I was like "yes he made it out!" then those guys destroyed the post office and he was right back and I felt just as defeated as Mike
Mike: "What happened to the room?" Gerald: "It all started when they Hotel guests said however while he stayed in the room." Mike: "So." Gerald: "It's pronounced 'HOYEVER."
Honestly, I also prefer the theatrical ending - not only due to the psychological implications, but also because it more closely resembles the Stephen King-short story. And I'm almost always in favor of a movie adaptation, that doesn't alter important things like the ending compared to the source material.
Ya know. I really liked this movie, and I really like most of the King I've read. Especially his short story collections from back in the day. Still haven't read 1408. Really should.
I don't know why people don't do adaptations of bad books with good concepts, and actually make a good movie that explores the concepts way better than the book...
@@jamez6398 I think the reason good books get adaptations has less to do with artistic integrity and more to do with having a built in fanbase/ audience. Good investment
I love this movie. John Cusack was terrific. My favorite part was when he went to the post about office only for the employees to break it apart and he finds out he is still in 1408.
Absolutely. I was so revealed when I was younger that Mike had actually escaped in the end despite the familiar set-up of his wife Lily being by his bedside, so imagine how pissed I was when I caught the film again on Syfy years later & saw a different ending where he died. I was legitimately left wondering if my memory was lying to me because I *swore* Mike had survived; thankfully, it was only an *alternate* ending so I wasn't crazy, but its usage on TV annoyed me regardless. 😒
I just recently bought this movie on Itunes and it pisses me off that the ending they went with is the director's cut ending where he dies. I love the theatrical ending so much more. At least my dvd copy has the theatrical one.
I'd say this is probably the most underrated king film of them all. It has a strong cult following nowadays which is great but you don't hear it come up nearly as often as you hear about the big ones like The Mist, Pet Sematary, The Shining, etc and in my opinion it can go toe to toe with a lot of those
Am I the only one that thinks King adaptations friggin SUCK? King had very little to do with 1408, and it shows. His writing technique is second to none, but it should stay on paper! Jesus, did anyone see 'Odd Thomas'? Even though it was based on Dean Koontz, it captured absolutely none of his talent. The King films are much the same (except The Shining, which was in all actuality a Stanley Kubrick film). 1408 may have been mistaken for a Kubrick film in some other world, I think, but they'll never get it right until they sacrifice details for messages.
Hell yes! "Unique" is bang on Ryan. This movie, and Cusack's acting chops are both underrated imo. It was so creative and relatively sophisticated I kinda forgot I was watching a horror movie at times.
Completely agree about the ending. The catharsis of someone being able to validate and overcome their inner demons is so much more uplifting than the typical hero must die ending. It just sends the worst message to people who relate to those characters. For every mentally ill or depressed character who does at the end I just roll over and scream. What is the point of the journey if all roads lead to death?
To be stuck in the house for months with writer's block is just as terrifying as being stuck in 1408 ...well not really but is definitely frustrating and I did enjoy how different this movie was at the time but it helps that it's a Steven King story and no matter what's in at the time they will green light something from him.
As an aspiring writer who just went through quarantine and has had ideas in her head for her own movie reviews/analysis but couldn't quite figure out how to put them down on paper in a structural fashion I can confirm yes, it is *very* frustrating. 😉🙃
Yeah, Mike surviving is definitely the ending I prefer. It's one of the rare times a horror movie not only does a "happy ending" but actually more than earns it as Mike isn't horrible person you're rooting against but a character you sympathize and empathize with. He's such an active protagonist on top of that, he doesn't just sit there and let the scares come on but actively fights against the room.
when I first saw 1408, my sister was in the hospital with several severe issues and thankfully she's much better now but the movie portrayed the feelings I had at the time. I was overwhelmed, guilty, angry and the movie really captured those feelings. It was the first movie that I ever emotionally connected to.
What i love about the movie, is its not so much about the possible evil's of the world as most horror try to do, but the possible "evils" of one's own mind. More so ther movie can be seen as a sort of lesson with dealing with mental health and things we dont want to confront about ourselves or how we fell that others have hurt us.
@Darryl Jack -- It's like when the female Protagonist (Kate) says to everyone in the adventure into the LARP (live action Role playing game) in the film, Mazes and Monsters (starring Tom Hanks), when she holds a dim lantern above her head in the dark tunnel caverns...."It's scarier now, because the truly REAL Monsters are the ones we make up in our minds!" (actress: Wendy Crewson). The movie is a really under rated film of psychological genious, as we (audience) get to see and try to understand the slow development of what makes Tom Hank's character, Robbie, start losing his sanity and start sinking into his immersive character personality until sinking into the "fantasy proneness" of the live acting out of a table top fantasy adventure game. Until he is completely lost to all his family and friends in his own world of heroic fantasy where he (in his mind) can finally FEEL that in some ways HE CAN and does make a difference by acting as a hero, and being Somehow "In Control" of some type of aspects of his life. It's a great movie. You tube has it here. But, I first watched it when it came out as the tv movie in 1982, and then (in the olden days! LOL) They would broadcast it on network tv every 2 years after that...Until people stated crying about it only promoted the sales of Dark magic, satanism, and the sales of the game Dungeons and dragons; even a few Christian tv networks got involved in wanting it banned entirely.
"What's the scariest thing that could happen to you tonight depending on your backstory?" In January 2020, my then-girlfriend, now friend, tried to commit suicide by overdose. There is not a single moment in my life where I was more terrified. Not a single one. That "evil fucking room" would probably make me relieve the fear I felt waiting for someone to get to her house, hearing her scared voice... By the way, she is doing so much better mentally and I am truly thankful for that. We may be just friends, but I still love her dearly and I still see her as family.
My dad isn't often one to get into movies, hell he hardly remembers anything about them right after they've ended. So when I came walking passed the living room while he was watching it one day and he excitedly told me to sit down and watch it with him not even halfway through, I knew I was in for a good ride.
Had no idea that there was a director's cut and after hearing about it here, I'm kind of glad I never saw it. This is one of my favorite films, for many of the reasons stated in this breakdown, and the DVD ending changes the way the film hits me.
faaar preferred the ending he survived - it still felt heavy enough hearing that voice recording, but gave us something positive to celebrate at the end - like you pointed out, the ending of the Mist was powerfully rough - and honestly, i didn't need to endings like that back to back Dx
Remember, this is just one man acting in the one room alone (yeah yeah, the ghosts, I know). And John makes us believe every second of it. Now that's awesome
I find it extremely hard to decide on which ending I prefer as I can appreciate both scenarios to the story's finale, However I think at times I actually lean more towards Mike's death being my preferred ending. I personally feel more power and conviction in this ending because to me it really cements in the line "I've lived my life a selfish man. I don't have to die like one" I feel like in that moment Mike giving his life to destroy this room so it can never hurt again aswell as admitting his faults and taking the ultimate sacrifice as a redemption arc really resides with me Love the videos Ryan big fan!
I remember watching this movie with my gf at the time. We were laying on the couch, watching it on my laptop. My gf was getting scared so she scooted closer to me so she was laying on my lap. Then the scene of the crazy guy with the hammer appearing behind him happened. It made me flinch so hard. I reminded it to watch it again. It was way less scary the second time. That first time though really got me. My gf had a good laugh about it. She joked that I made her head bounce a foot in the air.
When I watched this when it realeased, I was 18 and I thought the Director's Cut was better. Now, I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion that the Theatrical Cut is better, specifically for the reasons you gave. It's a better message all around, that humans, even at their most broken, can confront themselves and become better. That we can heal and move on.
For the movie to really have an ending, for it to really matter at all he has to make it out of the room If the goal was really just a kill him,it should have just given him a heart attack if it's already a evil magical warlock room.
I remember seeing this movie when it came out and I was 13. I remember it being one of the first horror movies to give me that true feeling of dread. For whatever reason I didn't exactly enjoy it so I've never thought to revisit the film. After watching this review however (and as a jaded 27 yr old writer myself c;) I'm definitely going to give it another watch tonight. Thanks, Ryan! You're probably the only horror review channel whose opinion I basically take as fact bc our tastes are so similar and you've never steered me wrong before.
I didn't really like this movie when I saw in theaters back in the day, but I was a teenager then, I think I'd like to check it out now as an adult and especially after this video.
Its about time someone talks about this movie more. 1408 is such a great and wacky journey. I mean I just lost my grandmother I definitely wouldn't go to that room as it seems both ready to mess with you but also make you confront your demons in your grief and anger, both of which I have been feeling so deeply these past few days (she's only been gone three days) . Also, I would like a video on perhaps IT Chapter 2? I loved your video on IT chapter 1 and also Rose Red another forgotten fun one.
The ending i saw was the "good" one, with him alive and finding the recording, and i think this is the best of the bunch. What i dont like in the "Dead" ending is the cheap jumpscare in the car, and the fact that you can get the idea that the eldritch horror of the room was not destroyed by his sacrifice, which is less meaningful.
This is gonna sound slightly unrelated and way too deep but I just need to say that I was shaken to the core when you said, “as though he is yelling for help only in his mind” because it never occurred to me why I found this movie so terrifying until you said that. I was doing that very thing through out part of my abusive childhood. I thought I was reaching out for help but every time it was a mirage. Like I was just doing it inside my mind. I’m like 🤯 right now.
I always loved the scene where he looks into the hole in the wall and hears growling. He can tell something is there but we never see what it is. Instead of some monster jumping out we just see him jump back and look worried. It's almost like he's looking into himself and seeing his anger and hate for the world manifested.
I love the Mike Survives ending. It feels more fleshed out because he started to want to experience life and it's obvious that he is enjoying life more, and the proof that he actually experienced it just gives more reason for him living and his closure.
Worked in a movie theater when this played, and you nailed it, particularly the themes of avoiding your issues versus confronting them and how both ultimately will bring you down if you don't confront them directly. The supernatural ability of the room is the ability to distort time and confront you with your past. Mike's character is a perfect test subject, but the point is those circumstances will make ANYONE insane - stick a man in a room, face him to confront his weaknesses until he can leave, and he will go berserk
@Cenestpasmapersonnalité Konami may have just been a fan in general, but The Room wouldn't be King inspired because it was a Silent Hill game because it was not originally supposed to be a Silent Hill game.
@Cenestpasmapersonnalité I'll correct anyone who spreads that rumor then. There are a lot of obvious influences on the games though, most notably Jacob's Ladder and, weirdly enough, Kindergarten Cop. Someone on the dev team probably had fun with that reference.
@Cenestpasmapersonnalité Konami is reportedly working on (or at least having different companies work on) new Castlevania, MGS and Silent Hill games, but after being burned by Silent Hills being cancelled, I refuse to get my hopes up.
Dude. I just rewatched it the other day after thinking over and over about the part when the walls of the post office were destroyed and brought mike back to the hotel room. Then a few days later your new video comes out about it! I agree totally with your observations. Good stuff. Thanks man!
I remember reading 1408 when I was ten or so, it was one of my first King's stories I read. It has always have a small place in my heart, I loved the pacing and how it creeped me out when I was younger. Thank you for this episode!
For the longest time I didn't know there were multiple endings until my friend in Canada watched this on Netflix and it had the director's cut. It freaked us both out for a sec because the DVD I have has the theatrical one haha also this movie always stirs something in me. Not sure if it's because I watched it a lot when I was going through some depression or what but it gives me the most unique feeling in my gut when I watch/talk about it. It's such an underrated gem and John Cusack's performance is really the best.
I could relate this movie to having to deal with chronic suicidal ideation. It feels like you’re trapped in a room that’s constantly trying to convince you to off yourself (much like the room tells John Cusack), and the difficulties of dealing with trauma (John Cusack’s daughter storyline), and how it can feel like you’re actively fighting trying to get out, and sometimes you don’t make it, or like in John Cusack’s case he faced his trauma & was able to move through it.
I always loved this movie and I had to show it to other people interested in horror movies too, people always seem to be captured by the story. It's not over the top with violence or visuals and it feels way more personal and engaging than many other horror movies. And I just love the theatrical ending. It will always have a special place in my heart. I would be interested what you think about the Secret Window, another favorite of mine. Awesome video Ryan, keep it up!
Great video! got to say though i love the ending where he sets fire to the room and dies, i feel like he is finally getting back to the room and making sure it cant do this to anyone else. like a true badass
i always felt the ending where his wife hears the recording and him giving her a look was ACTUALLY her being pulled into the room since thats what it wanted. also i would LOVE you to talk about the craft
this has been one of my favorite movies since i was a kid, thank you for sharing your wonderful analysis! theatrical cut all the way! the other ending is too disheartening, he needs to win this fight.
One of the better King films. Not a fan of the ending in the director's cut, so stick with the theatrical cut. I can't believe both Cusack & Samuel Jackson worked on another King film Cell.....and it's awful and laughable. So stay away from that garbage and spend more time in room 1408.
Lol I remember being so surprised yet thrilled to see John & SLJ team-up for another SK adaptation after nine years but was bummed to learn that it was nowhere near the triumph of 1408. 😆
This was genuinely one of my favs growing up! Such a good film, I really liked the quote they used "As I was, you are. As I am, you will be." Always stuck with me. Also, the "It's Only Just Begun" song used to play at my work all the time. Always made me think of this movie 😊
I absolutely LOVE this film. I come back to it every couple of years. John Cusack's acting is on point and the especially eerie atmosphere. I like to theorize on interpretations like yours, about it symbolizing depression, self punishment and isolation
I've been waiting to see you do a video on this movie. I enjoy it, but I love the short story. Might be one of the scariest shorts I've ever read. The movie never seems to catch the dread I felt reading the short. The movie's focus on what you psychologically bring into the room is really an interesting direction. The short story is focused on a man confronted the unexplainable. A hungry force, that logically cant and shouldnt exist. Kinda wanted a bit more of that in the movie. Fun movie and I love your read on it. Will look into that review you recommended, thanks man.
Ok....bravo sir this video is amazing. I feel that u hit the nail right on the head with ur keem observations of the film and most importantly, ur preference in endings. Directors cut ending is a big cop out, especially for ppl who have lived with depression, doesn't give us a positive viewpoint. Theatrical cut was perfect, especially seeing Mike not be such an asshole, not giving up the "fight" that is depression. Hope that makes sense and if I've left out any words it's cos my brain moves faster than my fingers. Keep doing what you are doing, your videos offer great insight into films from a psychological viewpoint. Always enjoy your work. Have you covered "The Insider"??? My fave Russell Crowe film, amazing...AMAZING acting and writing in that one.
FINALLY! This is my favorite movie! I'm so glad you covered it! This movie perfectly gets the daily repetition and false hope that keep coming with depression. This movie touched me on a personal level.
i fucking love this movie. and in all the movies I've seen so far, this is the one where i liked the theatrical cut more than the director's cut. And only because it seemed so badass. I felt both the versions did justice to his character, he was a smug wise-ass till the very end, even if he died in the other ending he still fucked that room up
I tend to enjoy videos like these, where you seem very invested and put a piece of yourself / your own interpretation into the video the most. It makes them feel truly unique!
I know they never say it but I feel like his daughter had cancer and him smoking cigarettes gave her the cancer. Its morbid for me to say this but as a story I feel like it goes well with the movie. Especially with them not saying anything about it but leaving clues. Showing that he has more to be angry and sad about that the audience may or may not be aware of it. Nice layers.
I saw this when it came out in theaters and remember being PISSED when they pulled that fakeout escape and I haven't watched it since. I'll have to give it another go
I like the ending where he dies.. As someone who had battle depression, anxiety and suicide (actually dying and being resuscitated to then spend time in a mental hospital), it plays out as a clean demonstration as someone falling through the extremes until they hit that point of "well, the only thing left to end this anger, emptiness and self loathing is death"
@Johan Liebert Yes, which was my 'excuse' to commit suicide, was to save everyone else, I even worked out how much money I would be saving each tax payer in benefits if I did it. I know I didn't explain it particularly well in my original post tho
Check out Angel Heart sometime, I’d love ur take. It’s a1986 supernatural noir starring Mickey Rourke and Robert DeNiro. It’s like what would happen is Rosemary’s baby met Chinatown. It’s also super controversial and got Lisa bonet fired from the Cosby show for what I’ll call “the blood-banging scene”.
I watched it late at night when it came on randomly, I'm not sure why but it terrified me. I think the subtle heartbeat throughout the film had something to do with it. Made me very uneasy.
![The Terrifying Genius of [REC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/P2TapnfXnys/mqdefault.jpg)
*What should I cover next?! ... Give me your biggest recommendation!* ... Also, share your thoughts on 1408 below!!
The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/ryanhollinger07211
Can you maybe try reviewing Asian horror movies?
The void and the fear street movies.
i like the format of last videos @ryan Hollinger
Storm of the century
Ghost ship
Dream catcher
The happening
The villiage
Donnie and Samantha darko
I’d love to see a video about Mike Flanagan’s excellent adaptation of “Doctor Sleep” or perhaps the severely overlooked “Storm of the Century.”
What no one talks about regarding this film:
John Cusack's performance.
I would argue it was his last good film, and with that, his best performance to date, hands down.
He is so compelling you actually forget you are watching a one man play that takes place in a single room.
That is powerhouse acting, and the way he flips from anger to remorse is heartbreakingly accurate.
Definitely an amazing performance! I watched it because he was in it and he still exceeded my expectations.
I WAS OUT!!!
Even when he plays off Sam Jackson in their two scenes together he does great.
@@TheSlammurai Yeah I have to give Jackson credit, too. He didn't come across as hammy, he really drove home that the room should NOT be fucked with, and he was used perfectly also IMO.
I don't want to agree because I'm still patiently awaiting Cusack's big comeback role. Unlikely? Yes. But I know he's got one more masterpiece left in him.
1408 is in this middle ground between a popcorn movie and a psychological movie. 1408 is not a popcorn horror like Final Destination, and nor is it fully a heavy psychological horror like Jacob’s Ladder.
FIA Al fanatasy
Valid. I loved Final Destination and my mind was blown by Jacob's Ladder although it was not as fun as I wished it to be, but 1408 really is a perfect middle ground between the two.
Maybe that's why I didn't like in my first watch, but time has pass so I'll check it again
I feel like I watched Jacob's Ladder too late. It's inspired to many other movies that going back to the original feels unoriginal, but that's because it's the original and other movies were inspired by it so seeing those movies first robs the impact of Jacob's Ladder, whereas if I'd seen it first then that would be different. Kinda like how I don't like the original Halloween movie for the same reason. I seen so many slasher movies with cool new ideas and concepts that seeing the now very basic slasher film that is Halloween doesn't do anything for me, whereas if I'd seen Halloween first, I think it would be different for me...
@@jamez6398 Basic slashers got it’s ideas from Friday The 13th which was a direct ripoff. So you’re only half right.
To be honest, I didn't know this WASN'T considered a great film - I genuinely didn't know that it wasn't "well received". I saw 1408 in theaters, and while walking out everyone was talking to their group about how amazing it was/how much they enjoyed it. When I was a college sophomore, my dorm routinely held movie night; about 3 years + a few months ago the selection was 1408, and pre-movie everyone was chatting about how much they loved the movie and how excited they were to see it again. It's actually kind of *weird* to realize that not everyone feels that way.
I didn't like it because it's pretty different than the short story.
I didn't like it when I first saw it albeit as like a 13 year old because I expected it to be "scarier" in all the cliche areas. Movies with psychological themes and twists just did not click with me as a young horror/thriller fan for some reason cuz somehow I twisted my mind into thinking THEY were the lazy cash grab films as opposed to the run of the mill slashers and creature features I liked as a kid. (Just for a better example, I fkn hated Shutter Island when it first came out cuz I was like "no I actually want it to be a secret horrific American Nazi experiment camp, cuz that's 'cooler'😡" meanwhile for years I would've told you that jeepers creepers was the scariest movie ever made lmfao)
As an adult now tho it is easily one of my favorite movies regardless of genre. As is shutter island lol.
Love this film. Favorite line?
"Want a drink?"
"'Course, I just said I was a writer didnt i"
John Cusack is great in this, one of my favorite roles of his
@Johan Liebert What's a "trope" and how is it one? What?!
A trope is something that a certain type of character profession or trait is used seemingly over and over again, in all works of art… this one in particular is that being a Writer or novelist etc is usually associated with them being heavy drinkers. There are many many many types of tropes. But this one line in particular points it out in the movie itself. Hope this helps bud.
@@jayboy2kay7 I wished I made my original comment more clearer. I know what a trope is but I was just asking how this particular situation a trope in anyway. Thanks for telling tho.
My favourite line has to be $14 dollars for beer nuts, this room is evil :D
- the amount may be incorrect, it's been a while, but still a great performance.
Sounds like something King would say In real life lol or a sentiment he’d reflect in his books through a character
This is truly one of the great underrated King films. Given it’s mainly 1 man onscreen throughout most of the runtime, you need a good talent to carry the story on his shoulders & Cusack delivers (one of my city’s native sons).
I do like that Samuel L. gets to be more subtle here with his limited screen-time. He’s the harbinger who of course is ignored by the protagonist, but he sells the haunted tale of room 1408 well without being a cartoon or being too overly dramatic
To me, this was the last truly captivating horror movie I've ever seen. It's easy to make a scary gory horror movie (they're more disgusting than scary to me, but to each their own) but making a scary one without needing to cut/skin/stab and blast blood all over the screen is truly masterful and a testament to the writer/s' skills.
If you know of similar non-gory horror movies please recommend some to me!
@@1SmokedTurkey1idk i thought devil (2010) was pretty good
I think this movie and short story is like what if the shining was shrunk down in a room instead of an entire hotel. I think it's an extremely effective psychological horror that gets better upon rewatch
Regarding the endings, maybe I’m a softie but I usually prefer “better” endings. Not necessarily “the protagonist has to live,” but I always think about what one of the directors or producers of The Exorcist said about its own ending, “I don’t want people to think that the devil won.” Even if it’s bittersweet or sad, I tend to favor endings that make you think “sacrifices were made, but we did it. We won.”
Same here. If the protagonist has to die, at least don't have it make the whole story feel pointless
I prefer endings that serve the theme and feel earned. I also think there is a problem if films are constantly making the protagonists "win." Not that I'm against those endings, but I also like when films reflect that...you can try your best and not win, because people are often trying their best too to achieve the contrary. More optimistic endings have their place but I think having movies like that as the majority can condition people to believe in the 'just world" fallacy. We shouldn't do the right thing because it works out in the end, we should do the right thing because it's right, and movies that reflect that are necessary too, I think
If you want a different ending read the book, it might be a better outcome that you're talking about. It's short story in the book Everything's Eventual, which has a bunch of great Steven King short stories
@@saaaaltydaaalty310 I get where you're coming from, but to me it feels like like it's sending the exact opposite of it's intended message. "This is what doing the right thing really gets you, so don't bother. Just focus on maximizing your own selfish profit."
Then again, I'm also the guy that thought films like Carrie (not necessarily Carrie, but films like it) accidentally sent the message of "keep the quiet kids down lest they rise up against you" rather than the intended "don't bully other people", so maybe my perspective isn't the best one to take into account.
Yea. Fully agree. I need hope wherever I can find it.
This movie scared me so bad when I first saw it as a kid. The thought of not getting out of a room is creepy to me
Fuck I'm adri k I can't read what I typed lol
Legitimately one of the best King adaptations ever made. The I WAS OUT scene has always freaked me out. I also can’t listen to “It’s only just begun” anymore, I just shut that shit off. However, I prefer the theatrical version ending much more. Great video, Ryan!
Me too! "It's only just begun" is permanently etched into my brain to always remind me of this movie, and you can bet my middle school self was FLOORED when the post office was torn apart to reveal the hotel room underneath.
In all seriousness though, the concept of believing you've escaped a seemingly-endless nightmare, only for it to be stripped away as an intricate illusion without warning? To me, that's true horror. 👏
Best adaptations because ıt's just 15-20 pages of short story. They adding so much things to movie and making changes.
@@DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose The Scottish comedian Limmy did a brilliant sketch about just this, 'Limmy - the nightmare' I think it's called,
@@Kazza_8240 Ooh, I'm intrigued, I'll have to check it out now thanks! 👍
@@DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose I can't recommend Limmy enough.....if you can understand the accent lol, he's my *favourite* - he streams on twitch, and on a channel 'benny harvey' there are loads of his twitch streams and clips, and he has his own channel with a ton of stuff as well, I hope you like it, oh, there's a show too, think it's on UA-cam, it's just called 'Limmys Show', it's all sketches and characters and surreal stuff 😂👌🏻✌🏻
I like the theatre cut as well. The scene where he plays the recorder to his wife, is one of the most disturbing scenes in a movie if you really think about it.
I mean it implies that the room forced his dead daughter soul to help in psychological torture whose end goal is have him commit suicide or that he actually is still trapped in the room and he just believes that he escaped.
Those implications are exactly why my mom hates that ending lol. I like it better than the other but it's funny how you both landed on that. She complained it made it even more depressing. Like is his daughter still there? Yeesh.
And that his wife is trapped too..
That’s precisely how I interpreted the ending, mikes wife is now trapped in the room, especially with the look on his face as the recording plays.
But was it really his daughter? Or was it his memory of his daughter that the room used to torture him, like Pazazu imitating voices to mess with the priests? It works either way and makes even more sense if he's still trapped there.
Didnt his daughter say "Daddy, you saved us," while the place is burning down and hes laughing?
The theatrical ending is best. I remember being so mad when I tried to show this movie to my friends and the DVD had the other ending and I didn’t realize. I was like, “NO I PROMISE IT ENDS WAY BETTER THAN THIS!”
Dani Obregon-I had a similar reaction when I saw the movie the second time & it was the directors cut ending instead of the theatrical cut ending, i was all confused & I remember saying to my mum & my brother that that wasn't the ending I saw when I first saw the movie in the movie theatre. The theatrical ending works so much better, that moment when John Cusack & his wife hear their daughters voice on the tape recording from his night in that room is still one of the eeriest movie endings i've ever seen.
That ending where he’s playing the tape to his wife…and the absolute shock on her face and him just sitting there…is just SO perfect. It gives me chills, hearing her hear that. The other ending is ok…it makes sense I guess but it feels like a cliche or generic route to go….I dunno, just standard and dull. The tape recorder one is POWERFUL.
The short story was always one of the more unnerving of King's for me. Something about the nauseating, orangey-yellow light and the way the room seems to move and tilt around him and the effect it had on him physically really got to me. Maybe it's because I get really bad motion sickness, but I knew exactly the sick feeling it was describing. I remember thinking the movie did a pretty good job of conveying that feeling, and since that was the part of the story that stuck with me, I liked the adaptation.
i agree with how the book seems to tell you how the room gets to your head faster making it more of a nauseating horror quirk then eventually playing with you by making you think the supernatural is happening. I like the film more cause it expands on what the initial idea is and how it can be played greatly. The short storys ending however is my least favorite of all stephen kings endings.
Personally… I didn’t really like the short story. It seemed brash and pushed to hard with the Stephen King quirks…
I didn’t need supernatural but somehow the events in the short story had me constantly detaching. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie though.
Meanwhile I didn't like it because it wasn't enough like the short story LOL Not surreal enough.
"We've Only Just Begun" is my scariest song in film because of this film; so overtly threatening yet buried under beige sweetness, just like the hotel room itself.
Also, Karen Carpenter of the brother/sister duo fought a life long losing battle with anorexia.
Its sad that when she tried to go solo with an album that contained "suggestive" lyrics her brother was furious. He feared the album would damage the wholesome image of their duo act. It makes her solo song "Touch Me When We're Dancing" all the more poignant and sad. To me, the poor woman was in a cage.
Was just talking about this movie the other day, definitely a fave
The first time I saw it was crazy. I was like "yes he made it out!" then those guys destroyed the post office and he was right back and I felt just as defeated as Mike
Me too
@@bartholomewmiller that moment killed me
@@jackalope2302 it's honestly great. It's horror but still has meaning, good scares. And John Cusack is amazing
1408, "that Sam Neil movie? “
Mike: "What happened to the room?"
Gerald: "It all started when they Hotel guests said however while he stayed in the room."
Mike: "So."
Gerald: "It's pronounced 'HOYEVER."
Maybe a merch idea?
Honestly, I also prefer the theatrical ending - not only due to the psychological implications, but also because it more closely resembles the Stephen King-short story. And I'm almost always in favor of a movie adaptation, that doesn't alter important things like the ending compared to the source material.
Ya know. I really liked this movie, and I really like most of the King I've read. Especially his short story collections from back in the day.
Still haven't read 1408. Really should.
Same here. There was a lot more creepier implications with it depending on one's interpretation of the story.
I don't know why people don't do adaptations of bad books with good concepts, and actually make a good movie that explores the concepts way better than the book...
@@jamez6398 I think the reason good books get adaptations has less to do with artistic integrity and more to do with having a built in fanbase/ audience. Good investment
@@willkoestner4159
A shame, really. You'd hope indie filmmakers might have more artistic integrity than that but maybe they can't afford the rights.
I love this movie. John Cusack was terrific. My favorite part was when he went to the post about office only for the employees to break it apart and he finds out he is still in 1408.
For me personally, I like the theatrical version of mike surviving. I honestly feel like it just fits better overall with the movie.
Absolutely. I was so revealed when I was younger that Mike had actually escaped in the end despite the familiar set-up of his wife Lily being by his bedside, so imagine how pissed I was when I caught the film again on Syfy years later & saw a different ending where he died. I was legitimately left wondering if my memory was lying to me because I *swore* Mike had survived; thankfully, it was only an *alternate* ending so I wasn't crazy, but its usage on TV annoyed me regardless. 😒
I just recently bought this movie on Itunes and it pisses me off that the ending they went with is the director's cut ending where he dies. I love the theatrical ending so much more. At least my dvd copy has the theatrical one.
Also, the happier ending is truer to the Steven King ending in the book…..
I'd say this is probably the most underrated king film of them all. It has a strong cult following nowadays which is great but you don't hear it come up nearly as often as you hear about the big ones like The Mist, Pet Sematary, The Shining, etc and in my opinion it can go toe to toe with a lot of those
Am I the only one that thinks King adaptations friggin SUCK? King had very little to do with 1408, and it shows. His writing technique is second to none, but it should stay on paper! Jesus, did anyone see 'Odd Thomas'? Even though it was based on Dean Koontz, it captured absolutely none of his talent. The King films are much the same (except The Shining, which was in all actuality a Stanley Kubrick film). 1408 may have been mistaken for a Kubrick film in some other world, I think, but they'll never get it right until they sacrifice details for messages.
Hell yes! "Unique" is bang on Ryan. This movie, and Cusack's acting chops are both underrated imo. It was so creative and relatively sophisticated I kinda forgot I was watching a horror movie at times.
I watched this movie when I was like 10, was super confused, and then was freaked tf out by the ending jumpscare
I really appreciate your honesty in discussing mental illness.
Man, that scene where Mike 's daughter falls to ash is heart wrenching every time I see it.
When Ryan Hollinger uploads: *"It's only just begun..."*
Never have The Carpenters been more terrifying
Completely agree about the ending. The catharsis of someone being able to validate and overcome their inner demons is so much more uplifting than the typical hero must die ending. It just sends the worst message to people who relate to those characters. For every mentally ill or depressed character who does at the end I just roll over and scream. What is the point of the journey if all roads lead to death?
To be stuck in the house for months with writer's block is just as terrifying as being stuck in 1408 ...well not really but is definitely frustrating and I did enjoy how different this movie was at the time but it helps that it's a Steven King story and no matter what's in at the time they will green light something from him.
As an aspiring writer who just went through quarantine and has had ideas in her head for her own movie reviews/analysis but couldn't quite figure out how to put them down on paper in a structural fashion I can confirm yes, it is *very* frustrating. 😉🙃
@@DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose Happy to know so many of us were feeling the same way I'll finish something by December hopefully 😅🤞
This film left a huge impact on me as a kid, I saw glimpses at a family friends house and thought about it for so long till I actually watched it.
Yeah, Mike surviving is definitely the ending I prefer. It's one of the rare times a horror movie not only does a "happy ending" but actually more than earns it as Mike isn't horrible person you're rooting against but a character you sympathize and empathize with. He's such an active protagonist on top of that, he doesn't just sit there and let the scares come on but actively fights against the room.
when I first saw 1408, my sister was in the hospital with several severe issues and thankfully she's much better now but the movie portrayed the feelings I had at the time. I was overwhelmed, guilty, angry and the movie really captured those feelings. It was the first movie that I ever emotionally connected to.
It’s very underrated I agree. Such a cool mindfuck of a movie.
And John Cusack is such an underrated actor as well.
"Mindfuck" is an excellent description for the movie.
What i love about the movie, is its not so much about the possible evil's of the world as most horror try to do, but the possible "evils" of one's own mind.
More so ther movie can be seen as a sort of lesson with dealing with mental health and things we dont want to confront about ourselves or how we fell that others have hurt us.
@Darryl Jack -- It's like when the female Protagonist (Kate) says to everyone in the adventure into the LARP (live action Role playing game) in the film, Mazes and Monsters (starring Tom Hanks), when she holds a dim lantern above her head in the dark tunnel caverns...."It's scarier now, because the truly REAL Monsters are the ones we make up in our minds!" (actress: Wendy Crewson). The movie is a really under rated film of psychological genious, as we (audience) get to see and try to understand the slow development of what makes Tom Hank's character, Robbie, start losing his sanity and start sinking into his immersive character personality until sinking into the "fantasy proneness" of the live acting out of a table top fantasy adventure game. Until he is completely lost to all his family and friends in his own world of heroic fantasy where he (in his mind) can finally FEEL that in some ways HE CAN and does make a difference by acting as a hero, and being Somehow "In Control" of some type of aspects of his life. It's a great movie. You tube has it here. But, I first watched it when it came out as the tv movie in 1982, and then (in the olden days! LOL) They would broadcast it on network tv every 2 years after that...Until people stated crying about it only promoted the sales of Dark magic, satanism, and the sales of the game Dungeons and dragons; even a few Christian tv networks got involved in wanting it banned entirely.
"What's the scariest thing that could happen to you tonight depending on your backstory?"
In January 2020, my then-girlfriend, now friend, tried to commit suicide by overdose. There is not a single moment in my life where I was more terrified. Not a single one. That "evil fucking room" would probably make me relieve the fear I felt waiting for someone to get to her house, hearing her scared voice...
By the way, she is doing so much better mentally and I am truly thankful for that. We may be just friends, but I still love her dearly and I still see her as family.
I remember seeing it on Netflix while looking for something to put on the background, and then being surprised about how much I liked it
I'm sorryyy ma doy
which ending did you get on Netflix? The ending where Mike dies at the end or the ending where he lives at the end?
@@biguy617 the one in which he lives, which is the best in my opinion
My dad isn't often one to get into movies, hell he hardly remembers anything about them right after they've ended. So when I came walking passed the living room while he was watching it one day and he excitedly told me to sit down and watch it with him not even halfway through, I knew I was in for a good ride.
Had no idea that there was a director's cut and after hearing about it here, I'm kind of glad I never saw it. This is one of my favorite films, for many of the reasons stated in this breakdown, and the DVD ending changes the way the film hits me.
The daughter scene always make me cry
You can’t take her twice 😣
faaar preferred the ending he survived - it still felt heavy enough hearing that voice recording, but gave us something positive to celebrate at the end - like you pointed out, the ending of the Mist was powerfully rough - and honestly, i didn't need to endings like that back to back Dx
Remember, this is just one man acting in the one room alone (yeah yeah, the ghosts, I know). And John makes us believe every second of it.
Now that's awesome
I’m really half and half on the endings. Both work for different reasons
It really just depends on your mood I think
I find it extremely hard to decide on which ending I prefer as I can appreciate both scenarios to the story's finale, However I think at times I actually lean more towards Mike's death being my preferred ending.
I personally feel more power and conviction in this ending because to me it really cements in the line "I've lived my life a selfish man. I don't have to die like one"
I feel like in that moment Mike giving his life to destroy this room so it can never hurt again aswell as admitting his faults and taking the ultimate sacrifice as a redemption arc really resides with me
Love the videos Ryan big fan!
This is one of those movies I found myself putting off watching because I didn't know what to expect. Glad I finally watched it
Bro!! That weird afro lady with the hook!! That used to scare tf outta me 😭😭😭
You an allstar
I remember watching this movie with my gf at the time. We were laying on the couch, watching it on my laptop. My gf was getting scared so she scooted closer to me so she was laying on my lap. Then the scene of the crazy guy with the hammer appearing behind him happened. It made me flinch so hard. I reminded it to watch it again. It was way less scary the second time. That first time though really got me. My gf had a good laugh about it. She joked that I made her head bounce a foot in the air.
When I watched this when it realeased, I was 18 and I thought the Director's Cut was better. Now, I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion that the Theatrical Cut is better, specifically for the reasons you gave. It's a better message all around, that humans, even at their most broken, can confront themselves and become better. That we can heal and move on.
I totally thought you covered this movie already but realized I was thinking of Real Delusion Picture's incredible analysis
I absolutely love John Cusack. Even though he's in SO many movies, he still feels underrated
He's very unique. It almost feels like he's outside of himself. Him and his sister.
I love him in Identity and Runaway Jury and this movie 1408, those are all good movies.
For the movie to really have an ending, for it to really matter at all he has to make it out of the room
If the goal was really just a kill him,it should have just given him a heart attack if it's already a evil magical warlock room.
It was probably one of the last movies I bought in DVD...
Now I want to see it again.
I remember seeing this movie when it came out and I was 13. I remember it being one of the first horror movies to give me that true feeling of dread. For whatever reason I didn't exactly enjoy it so I've never thought to revisit the film.
After watching this review however (and as a jaded 27 yr old writer myself c;) I'm definitely going to give it another watch tonight. Thanks, Ryan! You're probably the only horror review channel whose opinion I basically take as fact bc our tastes are so similar and you've never steered me wrong before.
I didn't really like this movie when I saw in theaters back in the day, but I was a teenager then, I think I'd like to check it out now as an adult and especially after this video.
Thanks! agreed, nice review
Man this film is great, the acting in this film is phenomenal
Its about time someone talks about this movie more. 1408 is such a great and wacky journey. I mean I just lost my grandmother I definitely wouldn't go to that room as it seems both ready to mess with you but also make you confront your demons in your grief and anger, both of which I have been feeling so deeply these past few days (she's only been gone three days) .
Also, I would like a video on perhaps IT Chapter 2? I loved your video on IT chapter 1 and also Rose Red another forgotten fun one.
The chemistry between Samuel Jackson and John Cusack is incredible. I can watch the two of them talk about the room and the paranormal for hours.
The ending i saw was the "good" one, with him alive and finding the recording, and i think this is the best of the bunch.
What i dont like in the "Dead" ending is the cheap jumpscare in the car, and the fact that you can get the idea that the eldritch horror of the room was not destroyed by his sacrifice, which is less meaningful.
This is gonna sound slightly unrelated and way too deep but I just need to say that I was shaken to the core when you said, “as though he is yelling for help only in his mind” because it never occurred to me why I found this movie so terrifying until you said that. I was doing that very thing through out part of my abusive childhood. I thought I was reaching out for help but every time it was a mirage. Like I was just doing it inside my mind. I’m like 🤯 right now.
I always loved the scene where he looks into the hole in the wall and hears growling. He can tell something is there but we never see what it is. Instead of some monster jumping out we just see him jump back and look worried. It's almost like he's looking into himself and seeing his anger and hate for the world manifested.
Daughter on the recorder sends chills down my spine everytime. So that ending for sure.
I love the Mike Survives ending. It feels more fleshed out because he started to want to experience life and it's obvious that he is enjoying life more, and the proof that he actually experienced it just gives more reason for him living and his closure.
This movie is like being held underwater and the theatrical ending is the breath that we all desperately needed.
Worked in a movie theater when this played, and you nailed it, particularly the themes of avoiding your issues versus confronting them and how both ultimately will bring you down if you don't confront them directly.
The supernatural ability of the room is the ability to distort time and confront you with your past. Mike's character is a perfect test subject, but the point is those circumstances will make ANYONE insane - stick a man in a room, face him to confront his weaknesses until he can leave, and he will go berserk
This movie feels a lot like Silent Hill 4: The Room.
I think if team silent & konami asked King to wrote SH4, it will be like this....
Or silent hill: the room is an artistic adaptation of the book?
@Cenestpasmapersonnalité Konami may have just been a fan in general, but The Room wouldn't be King inspired because it was a Silent Hill game because it was not originally supposed to be a Silent Hill game.
@Cenestpasmapersonnalité I'll correct anyone who spreads that rumor then.
There are a lot of obvious influences on the games though, most notably Jacob's Ladder and, weirdly enough, Kindergarten Cop. Someone on the dev team probably had fun with that reference.
@Cenestpasmapersonnalité Konami is reportedly working on (or at least having different companies work on) new Castlevania, MGS and Silent Hill games, but after being burned by Silent Hills being cancelled, I refuse to get my hopes up.
Dude. I just rewatched it the other day after thinking over and over about the part when the walls of the post office were destroyed and brought mike back to the hotel room. Then a few days later your new video comes out about it! I agree totally with your observations. Good stuff. Thanks man!
One of my fav horrorish movies of all time. Cusack's performance was next level stuff
I remember reading 1408 when I was ten or so, it was one of my first King's stories I read. It has always have a small place in my heart, I loved the pacing and how it creeped me out when I was younger. Thank you for this episode!
For the longest time I didn't know there were multiple endings until my friend in Canada watched this on Netflix and it had the director's cut. It freaked us both out for a sec because the DVD I have has the theatrical one haha also this movie always stirs something in me. Not sure if it's because I watched it a lot when I was going through some depression or what but it gives me the most unique feeling in my gut when I watch/talk about it. It's such an underrated gem and John Cusack's performance is really the best.
Kind of a cool idea. Revisiting a horror movie you know but the ending is suddenly much more dark and personal.
Finally, I have been waiting for you to talk about this film. I appreciate the shout out to Real Delusional Pictures's video.
Me starting this video: We've only just beguuuuuuun
I could relate this movie to having to deal with chronic suicidal ideation. It feels like you’re trapped in a room that’s constantly trying to convince you to off yourself (much like the room tells John Cusack), and the difficulties of dealing with trauma (John Cusack’s daughter storyline), and how it can feel like you’re actively fighting trying to get out, and sometimes you don’t make it, or like in John Cusack’s case he faced his trauma & was able to move through it.
The director's cut ending is silly because it's just a "ghost go boo" ending. Give me a break
Yes! 1408 is one of my all time fav horror movies, I'm so glad you covered it
I'm with you on the theatrical cut. The ending feels earned and it shows that you really shouldn't let the worse in your life win.
I always loved this movie and I had to show it to other people interested in horror movies too, people always seem to be captured by the story.
It's not over the top with violence or visuals and it feels way more personal and engaging than many other horror movies. And I just love the theatrical ending.
It will always have a special place in my heart.
I would be interested what you think about the Secret Window, another favorite of mine.
Awesome video Ryan, keep it up!
6:55 Not gonna lie. "Tortured by his inner peen." made the 5-year-old in me giggle.
Great video!
got to say though i love the ending where he sets fire to the room and dies, i feel like he is finally getting back to the room and making sure it cant do this to anyone else. like a true badass
i always felt the ending where his wife hears the recording and him giving her a look was ACTUALLY her being pulled into the room since thats what it wanted. also i would LOVE you to talk about the craft
this has been one of my favorite movies since i was a kid, thank you for sharing your wonderful analysis! theatrical cut all the way! the other ending is too disheartening, he needs to win this fight.
One of the better King films. Not a fan of the ending in the director's cut, so stick with the theatrical cut. I can't believe both Cusack & Samuel Jackson worked on another King film Cell.....and it's awful and laughable. So stay away from that garbage and spend more time in room 1408.
Cell is an experience.
@@RyanHollinger Oh it definitely is.
Lol I remember being so surprised yet thrilled to see John & SLJ team-up for another SK adaptation after nine years but was bummed to learn that it was nowhere near the triumph of 1408. 😆
Cell is soooo awful!! Hate that movie!!
I agree the theatrical cut is the best.
This was genuinely one of my favs growing up! Such a good film, I really liked the quote they used "As I was, you are. As I am, you will be." Always stuck with me.
Also, the "It's Only Just Begun" song used to play at my work all the time. Always made me think of this movie 😊
Legit one of the best written and performed HUMAN characters in film
I absolutely LOVE this film. I come back to it every couple of years. John Cusack's acting is on point and the especially eerie atmosphere. I like to theorize on interpretations like yours, about it symbolizing depression, self punishment and isolation
For me it's gotten better with time. I love this flick
I've been waiting to see you do a video on this movie. I enjoy it, but I love the short story.
Might be one of the scariest shorts I've ever read. The movie never seems to catch the dread I felt reading the short.
The movie's focus on what you psychologically bring into the room is really an interesting direction.
The short story is focused on a man confronted the unexplainable. A hungry force, that logically cant and shouldnt exist.
Kinda wanted a bit more of that in the movie.
Fun movie and I love your read on it. Will look into that review you recommended, thanks man.
Best King adaptation ever
I prefer the theatrical ending too btw
I'm not sure this _is_ a King adaptation. The same way I feel 'The Shining' is not a King adaptation.
Ok....bravo sir this video is amazing. I feel that u hit the nail right on the head with ur keem observations of the film and most importantly, ur preference in endings. Directors cut ending is a big cop out, especially for ppl who have lived with depression, doesn't give us a positive viewpoint. Theatrical cut was perfect, especially seeing Mike not be such an asshole, not giving up the "fight" that is depression. Hope that makes sense and if I've left out any words it's cos my brain moves faster than my fingers. Keep doing what you are doing, your videos offer great insight into films from a psychological viewpoint. Always enjoy your work.
Have you covered "The Insider"??? My fave Russell Crowe film, amazing...AMAZING acting and writing in that one.
This movie made me scared of hotel rooms for… an embarrassingly long time
FINALLY! This is my favorite movie! I'm so glad you covered it!
This movie perfectly gets the daily repetition and false hope that keep coming with depression. This movie touched me on a personal level.
i fucking love this movie. and in all the movies I've seen so far, this is the one where i liked the theatrical cut more than the director's cut. And only because it seemed so badass. I felt both the versions did justice to his character, he was a smug wise-ass till the very end, even if he died in the other ending he still fucked that room up
I tend to enjoy videos like these, where you seem very invested and put a piece of yourself / your own interpretation into the video the most. It makes them feel truly unique!
I know they never say it but I feel like his daughter had cancer and him smoking cigarettes gave her the cancer. Its morbid for me to say this but as a story I feel like it goes well with the movie. Especially with them not saying anything about it but leaving clues. Showing that he has more to be angry and sad about that the audience may or may not be aware of it. Nice layers.
I saw this when it came out in theaters and remember being PISSED when they pulled that fakeout escape and I haven't watched it since. I'll have to give it another go
Yo, so nostalgic. I had so much fear of hotel rooms cuz of this.
I was just recommending this to a group yesterday.I love this movie and have seen it at least 10 times. Cusack’s performance is exceptional.
I like the ending where he dies.. As someone who had battle depression, anxiety and suicide (actually dying and being resuscitated to then spend time in a mental hospital), it plays out as a clean demonstration as someone falling through the extremes until they hit that point of "well, the only thing left to end this anger, emptiness and self loathing is death"
Right there with you, hope you're doing better!
For some reason it's peaceful to me
@Johan Liebert Yes, which was my 'excuse' to commit suicide, was to save everyone else, I even worked out how much money I would be saving each tax payer in benefits if I did it.
I know I didn't explain it particularly well in my original post tho
I loved this movie so much, I'm so glad you drew the parallel to Coroline and articulated it so well! Thank you!
Check out Angel Heart sometime, I’d love ur take. It’s a1986 supernatural noir starring Mickey Rourke and Robert DeNiro. It’s like what would happen is Rosemary’s baby met Chinatown. It’s also super controversial and got Lisa bonet fired from the Cosby show for what I’ll call “the blood-banging scene”.
I watched it late at night when it came on randomly, I'm not sure why but it terrified me.
I think the subtle heartbeat throughout the film had something to do with it. Made me very uneasy.
THANK YOU for shouting out Real Delusional Pictures, I happy that the channel is getting some love for it's video essays
That good dog caption in the vid tho, instant like