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1408
R3 - Hong Kong - Deltamac Review written by and copyright: Stevie McCleary & Noor Razzak (2nd March 2008). |
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The Film
 John Cusack has long been one of my favourite actors, ever since I saw "Grosse Point Blank" (1997). His presence and comic timing entertain me greatly. But the interesting career choices he’s made over the years has left me with a less than wholesome taste in my mouth. Same goes for Samuel L. Jackson; in the way that even starring in movies like "The Man" (2005) will not erase the good he’s done…although it comes close. Now, when it comes to storytelling, Stephen King was the first major author I ever read and I fell in love with his storytelling. Horror is my favourite genre and I absorbed much of it at an early age. Many books and really bad movie adaptations later I began to wonder what the heck was going on. Can nothing this man writes be translated into a worthwhile film? We’re about to find out. "1408" is the story of Mike Enslin (Cusack) who, after suffering a tragic loss, becomes a literary paranormal investigator making a living writing about (and then debunking) some of the supposed most haunted places in the world. But when he receives a postcard telling him not to enter room 1408 at the New York Dolphin Hotel, Mike can’t resist checking in…especially when they try everything to keep him out. Quickly Mike discovers that the room’s grisly reputation is based in fact. According to the hotel's manager Gerald Olin (Jackson) this room has been the site of over fifty deaths that have been kept out of the papers due to the fact they suffered death via natural causes (natural doesn’t sell)…if you can call drowning in a hotel room ‘natural’. The most chilling warning is also offered to Mike: nobody that enters room 1408 lasts more than an hour. But Mike is a total skeptic and shrugs it all off. "We don't rattle," he tells his trusty voice recorder. His tune changes quickly, as does ours once The Carpenters’ classic track “We’ve Only Just Begun” echoes from an unplugged alarm clock. An alarm clock counting down from one hour… The story that "1408" is adapted from is very, very short and not enough to fill out even an hour of television. Which means this is reliant of good casting, strong actors and competent direction and storytelling (with that last one being of utmost importance). Which, shocking as it may seem for a King adaptation, they do have here. The whole fleshed out package is an eclectic mix of drama and horror that is distinctively King, yet in motion. It most certainly looks like the King curse has been broken. The pace is deliberate with a psychological air to it as they roll through the first act, which was by far my favourite. From there it does delve into the realm of the absurd, however not in a way that is laughable…this is a rather chilling tale that I foolishly watched in an empty house. No, "1408" takes you on a surreal journey that hits the mark far more often than it misses. This is largely thanks to the brilliant strength of performance shown by Cusack, who is in the inevitable position of having to mostly act against himself. It is an impressive performance by someone that always gives it their all. It is Mike’s story that drives the film and it never loses sight of that, which was a fear of mine about halfway through. When the special effects began to kick in I wondered if the plot would be thrown by the wayside but this was luckily not the case. When all was said and done and that clock counts down…it was a satisfying experience and a pleasant surprise. We get two endings as well with the DVD release, the theatrical cut and an alternate. On the copy I watched the theatrical cut was in with the extras. It’s hard to decide which is better in regards to the film…good thing that you don’t have to! They both contain much goodness and suit the story that preceded it. "1408" is a captivating film. What they have done here is capture what makes horror great. It’s not just about effects and big scares. It’s about fear, the human fear of the unknown. And unknown hotel rooms as well, apparently. I know I’ll never willingly stay in a hotel room with that number…well, maybe just for an hour.
Video
Presented in the film's original theatrical ratio of 2.35:1 this anamorphic transfer is excellent, the image is sharp and detailed. The image is crisp including the colors which hold up well, black levels are deep and bold and skin tones appear natural. There's some light grain in darker shots but this is never a bother, no compression artefacts or edge-enhancement was noticed in this otherwise solid presentation.
Audio
Two audio tracks are included in English DTS ES 6.1 (Discrete) as well as English Dolby Digital 5.1 EX. For the purposes of this review I chose to view the film with its DTS ES track. This is one active sound track, the film has a lot going for it, ambient noise that creates a mood plus the many various ghostly set pieces that make excellent use of the surrounds and the bass channel adding further depth. Dialogue is clean and free from distortion and the film's music comes across very well. As far as DTS ES tracks go this one is a winner. Optional subtitles are included in both English and Simplified Chinese.
Extras
Deltamac has ported over some extras from the Region 1 release this inludes an alternate ending, a series of deleted scenes, some featurettes and the film's theatrical trailer. Below is a closer look at these supplements. First up is the "Theatrical version ending" this alternate ending runs for 3 minutes 16 seconds, in this ending Mike is rescued from the room and months later he discovers his recorder whcih has a recording of his dead daughter made while he was in the room. Next are a series of 5 deleted scenes these play in a reel that runs for 11 minutes 21 seconds, these scenes are mainly extensions to scenes from the film, here we have "Contacting Lily" in which Mike tries to get in touch with Lily over the webcam of his laptop. "Wrought With Guilt" Mike is guilty about his daughter's death and argues with Lily. "I Warned You About 1408" Olin appears in a hallucination at the post office. "Tilting Room & Lily Pleads At Door" Mike tries to answer the door as Lily tries to get in. "Arriving At The Dolphin" which is a travel montage. Following that are 4 featurettes that include: - "The Characters" runs for 7 minutes 59 seconds, the cast and crew comment about the film, the room being a character, their characters and working with each other. - "The Director" runs for 5 minutes 14 seconds, the cast and crew comment on the director and how great he is and how gifted he is, another fluff piece that tells us more about how wonderful the filmmakers are and skip anything about the actual making of the film. - "The Production Design" runs for 5 minutes 24 seconds and focuses on the design elements of the film, especially the room itself as well get a look at the process of creating an ordinary room that reveals itself as the film progresses. The participants comment on how the room is as much a character in this film as the actors are. - "The Physical Effects" runs for 4 minutes 17 seconds, here we get a look at the use of the underwater stage at Pinewood to flood the room as well as the tilting of the room. Rounding out the extras is the film's original theatrical trailer which runs for 2 minutes 26 seconds.
Packaging
Packaged in an amaray case housed in a cardboard slip-case.
Overall
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