Doomed Room

Last updated: 15/01/2008 - 10:10

A noted sceptic and debunker of paranormal phenomena finds himself thrust into a world of terror, new to DVD.

1408 tells the chilling tale of Enslin - played by John Cusack (America's Sweethearts, Grosse Point Blank, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity) a debunker of paranormal occurrences, who upon entering a certain notorious hotel room finds himself thrust into a terror beyond his imagination...

Based on the short story of the same name by Stephen King, and co-starring Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, The 51st State, Snakes On A Plane), 1408 tells the chilling tale of Mike Enslin, a life-long debunker of paranormal occurrences, who upon checking into room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel finds himself - quite literally - up to his neck in horror!

Underwater Pinewood

Some of the most chilling scenes in 1408 were filmed at the purpose-built Underwater Stage at Pinewood Studios in its permanently-filled and heated tank.

Special effects supervisor Paul Corbould, was in control of flooding the hotel suite with water; ?It was immediately apparent that we would need the wide ranging facilities offered by the Pinewood Studios Underwater Stage and the unique experience and knowledge of Dave Shaw and his team at Diving Services UK?.

Paul Corbould?s team at Pinewood Studios built a moving rig on a gimble (pictured, left) within the tank at the Underwater Stage that supported the two room 1408 set. The moving rig allowed the set to move in and out of the tank to flood with water.

During the two week shoot the films special effects department used many lighting and other effects to simulate ice and snow with water tip tanks and water jets. Paul Corbould says; ?The stage was our only option for many reasons. It was deep enough to allow us to build a three sectioned sixteen tonne gimble, with the strength to carry the weight. This allowed it to pitch and roll as required for the sequence?.

Here's what some of the critics have made of 1408 so far:

"Swedish director Mikael Hafsrom, who scored with Evil in 2003 and fizzled badly with Derailed two years later, seems to have regained his footing." - Peter Travers (Rolling Stone magazine).

"A terrific performance from John Cusack..." - Nev Pierce (Total Film magazine).

"This isn?t a horror movie about... screams and yells, it?s more like chills and little moments of revelation." - Richard Roeper (Ebert & Roeper).

"It's a good, solid scare picture, modestly scaled but well-crafted. And unlike certain other horror items on offer right now, this one doesn't make you feel like a psycho-in-training for sitting through it." - Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune).

"1408 ranks as the summer's smartest, spookiest surprise." - Kevin Williamson
Jam! Movies.

"The dread is palpable in this chilling suspense thriller about a hotel room that more than lives up to its evil reputation." - Glenn Whipp (Los Angeles Daily News).

"Not only is the trailer for 1408 oodles more terrifying than the movie itself; worse, for the most part, this pop-horror trifle adapted from a Stephen King short story grows into a formulaic bore." - John Thomason (Orlando Weekly).

Reviewing the DVD - which features a director's commentary as well as a behind the scenes featurette 'The Secrets of 1408' - Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, writing in Metro newspaper added: "The back cover warning that 'this film contains strong, sustained terrorisation and psychological horror' made me scoff - foolishly as it turned out. There's plenty to creep you out...especially if viewed alone in the dark."

To view an exclusive five minute clip of the film visit the new 1408 website at: www.evilroom.co.uk also check out: www.paramountpictures.co.uk/1408

1408 is out on DVD now.

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