1408

Review by Steve Rogers

Production Year: 2007
DVD Release Date: October 2, 2007
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Cast: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack
Genre: Horror
MPAA Rating: PG-13

I’m not sure just exactly what I would do if confronted with the prospect of a supernatural presence in my house, but if I had to pick one ghostbuster to help me out, it would probably be John Cusack. Not the character Cusack plays in 1408, the latest Stephen King work to make it to the big screen. But the real life John Cusack. Cusack has crafted a nifty career niche playing cynical, wisecracking dudes and I’d be willing to bet the house that he’d be unfazed by even the most demonic poltergeist.

Unfortunately, that’s not quite the case for him in 1408. Cusack’s character, Mike Enslin, is an author whose latest book is devoted to debunking paranormal myths in American hotels. When he gets a postcard from the Dolphin Hotel in New York City warning him not to enter the titular room, it’s an offer he can’t pass up. Arriving at the hotel, he listens to a litany of the room’s tales of death and insanity from the hotel manager (played by a grimly menacing Samuel L. Jackson), then simply grabs the room key and trots off to pull the plug on another goofy ghost story. His initial dismissive comment on entering the room: “This is it?” is one of the last coolly detached lines we hear from Enslin. As the room’s thermostat locks in at 80 degrees, literally turning up the heat on Enslin, and the alarm clock spontaneously blares out The Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun”, Ensign’s cool quickly dissipates, as subsequent events leave him in a heap of frenzied panic. As Rod Serling would say, “It’s the beginning of a long night for Mike Enslin.”

While not devoid of terrifying special effects and a few murderous ghouls, 1408 relies on that most basic of fright-inducing principles – psychological terror. Enslin’s night of terror eventually becomes a night of despair, as he’s besieged by creepy visages and nightmarish memories harking back to the death of his only child and the subsequent breakup of his marriage. The depths of emotion Enslin endures only serve to heighten the truly horrifying physical tribulations endured by the formerly cocksure author. 1408 has plenty of ways to scare you and doesn’t let up for a second once it gets going. And we get an ending that isn’t too far fetched, but just creepy enough to keep you happily guessing. It’s one of the better entries in the ghost story genre I’ve seen, and will certainly give you a whole new perspective the next time you hear that Carpenters song.

Video Quality

The picture quality was above average as you would expect for a brand new film released on DVD. Presented in the Panavision aspect ratio of 2.35:1, the image detail was exceptional and there were no obvious signs of grain or digital artifacts. I did think the color scheme at times tilted slightly toward yellowish particularly with flesh tones. But overall, the image was pleasing with fine delineation of the nighttime and darker images prominent in the movie.

Audio Quality

The 5.1 Dolby Digital surround track provided a hefty boost to the film’s production values and was used to great effect during the scenes involving 1408’s excellent special effects. The movies opens appropriately with a nighttime thunderstorm, and the surround track perfectly enhanced the foreboding nature of this weather event. A thorough display of the range of 5.1 surround sound.

Special Features

The theatrical version, reviewed here, contains only a trailer and two very brief “webisodes”, one with comments by Cusack on the film, the other a brief teaser on the special effects employed in a particularly harrowing scene. They certainly whetted my appetite to check out the two-disc collector’s edition, which contains additional featurettes, a commentary and, most notably, an alternate version of the film with a different ending.

Summary

Though not an avowed fan of horror movies, particularly the current crop of orgiastic bloodlusts, I do enjoy a good scare and a great ghost story, and 1408 delivers on both counts. It relies more on the terror inherent in the dark reaches of the human mind for its impact rather than graphic violence or gore. But the lack of carnage in 1408 should not stop horror movie buffs from checking out this well-produced creepfest, with a fine performance from the always enjoyable John Cusack.