...
The following morning Oli has gone and by all reports he has headed off with an Asian woman staying at the Hostel.
Ever cautious Josh has a suspicion that Oli has met with foul play. After a short time we too are made aware that Paxton is having his suspicions too. But what if your worst ... Read review
excessive-skin-displayed-before-gruesome-bloody-to rture-begins genre--Hostelfollows two randy Americans (Jay Hernandez,Friday Night Lights, and Derek Richardson,Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd) and an even randier I...
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excessive-skin-displayed-before-gruesome-bloody-to rture-begins genre--Hostelfollows two randy Americans (Jay Hernandez,Friday Night Lights, and Derek Richardson,Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd) and an even randier I...
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Production Year: 2004 - Horror - Director: M. Night Shyamalan - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Brendan Gleeson
Production Year: 2002 - Horror - Director: Danny Boyle - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Cillian Murphy, Megan Burns, Noah Huntley, Christopher Eccleston, Marvin Campbell, Brendan Gleeson
Advantages: Fantastic movie if you have avoided the hype Disadvantages: Could have been marginally longer
...When they return to their hostel they discover they have missed the curfew. Oli and Paxton set about antagonising the sleeping residents of the hostel by singing and shouting in German. Unfortunately the desired intended effect of gaining admittance has a failed effect and they immediately have bottles thrown at them. One window however opens and they are given admittance. Alex lets them in saying that not everybody hates Americans. While in discussion ... ...are staying at the same hostel as them (two of which are bunked up in the same room); while Paxton and Josh share one room Oli takes off to another.
The following morning Oli has gone and by all reports he has headed off with an Asian woman staying at the Hostel.
Ever cautious Josh has a suspicion that Oli has met with foul play. After a short time we too are made aware that Paxton is having his suspicions too. But what if ... more
Forget hype, if we all listened to hype we would not be individual. In writing this I glanced through dozens of reviews all stating similar things. What they all had in common was that because of the hype that surrounded this movie everyone was disappointed.
Clear your mind, take a seat and pretend you have never heard anything at all.
Three young men are making their way across Europe, all have one thing in mind SEX! Of our three characters we have Josh, Paxton and Oli. Josh is a very conscientious soul he has strict moral values, dislikes people who smoke and is still desperately in love with his ex girlfriend who had dumped him in "dubious" circumstances. Paxton is more of your ladies man, however Paxton truly understands the meaning of what is right and what is wrong. Elements from Paxton's past keep him loosely along the lines of a honest and loyal person. Both Josh and Paxton come from California however the third member of this trio is Oli. While in Paris Josh and Paxton hooked up with Oli who decided to join them along their quest for women. The nice thing about all three characters is that they are all totally endearing in their own way; so many of these sort of films have at least one of the main characters being totally dislikeable.
As we join the trio they have arrived in Amsterdam, while there they partake in a bit a drinking, a little drug taking and possibly some illicit sex. When they return to their hostel they discover they have missed the curfew. Oli and Paxton set about antagonising the sleeping residents of the hostel by singing and shouting in German. Unfortunately the desired intended effect of gaining admittance has a failed effect and they immediately have bottles thrown at them. One window however opens and they are given admittance. Alex lets them in saying that not everybody hates Americans. While in discussion with Alex he tells the trio that the hottest women in Europe are in Bratislava, in Slovakia; here you can do anything with women that suits your hearts desire and the women love foreign men.
Without any real discussion the threesome head for Bratislava; and it appears on arrival that their dreams are indeed fulfilled. All three men get a woman, all of whom are staying at the same hostel as them (two of which are bunked up in the same room); while Paxton and Josh share one room Oli takes off to another. The following morning Oli has gone and by all reports he has headed off with an Asian woman staying at the Hostel.
Ever cautious Josh has a suspicion that Oli has met with foul play. After a short time we too are made aware that Paxton is having his suspicions too. But what if your worst possible suspicions were multiplied tenfold? What follows is a sick and perverse visit to a deep and bloody underground.
Cast
Jay Hernandez .... Paxton Derek Richardson .... Josh Eythor Gudjonsson .... Oli Barbara Nedeljakova .... Natalya Jan Vlasák .... The Dutch Businessman Jana Kaderabkova .... Svetlana Jennifer Lim .... Kana Keiko Seiko .... Yuki Lubomir Bukovy .... Alex Jana Havlickova .... Vala Rick Hoffman .... The American Client Petr Janis .... The German Surgeon Takashi Miike .... Miike Takashi
I had been fortunate to avoid the hype of Hostel; the first I had heard of the movie was a review written here on Ciao. So maybe as a result I can see Hostel with different eyes. It also happens that I have a penchant for unusual horror, and personally I feel I have been greatly rewarded.
Hostel is an American movie filmed in Europe; its cast from America, the money comes from America and I feel these are issues that you should take into account upon viewing. Remember American horror movies normally consist of tired hack and slash formats with little to offend the viewer. Here however is something to offend everyone and I'm sure even the most hardened horror movie fan can find themselves flinching at some point during the movie.
I'd got 27 minutes into the movie before I realised I was going to enjoy it; I had my suspicions but until minute 27 I did not know. What striking event occurred to make me solidify a view? Well nothing onscreen per say. As the three men are separately seduced I was suddenly teleported back to 1973 and The Wicker Man. Why you ask? In The Wicker Man one of the best remembered parts of the film was Britt Ekland singing naked trying to seduce the god Sergeant Howie; the song was called "How Do". Now someone had taken the forethought to get a group like the Sneaker Pimps to create a upbeat almost dance version of that track. This played at the moment of seduction made me realise that the production crew had not only an eye for detail but something to lever Wicker Man fans in. Even in its original form "How Do" is a magnificent and striking piece; placed seamlessly within Hostel it fits the mood and tone.
Having got past my moment of musical nostalgia I started looking at the movie homage is echoed through the film to other horror movie greats from the Howling to The Hitcher fantastic drips of nostalgia are placed within the movie. But forget all that even the attention to basic detail within the structure of the movie is spot on. Everything is perfectly in place; everything is accurate from set pieces to marrying up the images you see on screen. What else is fantastic about this movie from that standpoint is that 90% of the movie is in clear vision; no awkward lighting to prevent you from seeing what normally you would not be allowed to see.
OK forget the technical stuff how about the movie I hear you cry?
The story is terrific; it's a well knitted plot that binds all the elements together. There is plenty of graphic gore to please those that are bloodthirsty. But for those that are looking for a solid horror tale you'll be equally pleased. You think you have the gist of the story; you think you understand the motives for the horror and who is behind this terrible act. But then the movie throws you a sucker punch and says "look you think you got it, well you never; here let me explain!" The net is then widened to accommodate the horror that's being displayed on screen. And then the stark realization of the overall size of this horrific tale takes you to an entirely new level. As three become one the final remaining member of our trio realises the intense scale of things and realises that to escape the building that all this occurs is not quite enough.
About The DVD:
I receive all my DVD's early so I need to point out the release date for this movie is not until 7th of August. But I'm giving you plenty of time to prepare for it; and also I'm letting you know where the best deal is and why.
First of all its important to point out that the DVD release features an additional 5 minutes not shown at cinemas. This is not an option it comes as standard; the gore takes you a little further and a story arc is elaborated on in more detail. Also I should point out that this is a beautifully clear print and the colours are absolutely fantastic. From the green of the trees, to the blood gushing out of a foot the colours are so real you could be there.
We have two audio commentaries the first is with the director and writer Eli Roth. The second is with Eli Roth and executive producer Quentin Tarentino; the second is far more interesting as Tarentino discusses his love of horror and what inspires him. He also explains why he put his name to this title and the re-release of the Italian horror classic The Beyond. Eli Roth comes off a bit slimey on the second audio commentary as if he has to be deliberately nice to Tarentino. Tarentino addresses this issue 48 minutes in saying "you did not think that in your audio commentary".
On top of this there are a further two mix commentaries with a variety of individuals involved. But it's not particularly interesting to listen to; by the time you have heard the two main commentaries you know all you need to.
In Hotel Dissected we are shown some unique unseen behind the scenes footage which shows some fantastic special effects and goes into detail over the difficulties of filming in a still highly controlled country.
Kill The Car - Is a documentary about how cars were used in two rather dramatic death scenes; but one of these is also partially contained in Hotel Dissected.
Additional languages: English ; Spanish - Dolby Digital (5.1)
Subtitles: English ; Dutch ; Hindi ; Portuguese ; Spanish
You can purchase Hostel from Play.com for a great priced £13.99; purchase it here and you'll get 4 exclusive art cards which vary from DVD to DVD. There are 18 in total of which 4 are selected at random to go with the DVD. These artcards are not available anywhere else except for play.com
Advantages: Decent production standards which save it from being horrific Disadvantages: The cross genre fails to gel, and the gore is not scary enough
...when they learn about a hostel in Slovakia where the women are easy, especially if you have a foreign accent. With the prospect of easy women to good to be missed the three friends head to the hostel where they discover that it is even better than they believed, except strange things start to happen whilst they are there.
● Opinion
I had heard and read some great things about Eli Roth's "Hostel" and although was never in a rush to watch it, ... ...down with expectations of being entertained as well as horrified. Well sadly I was neither entertained nor horrified, in fact I was more bored than anything as I really failed to see what all the fuss was about and I have even watched it a few times just to make sure it was not just me having an off day. For me the whole film is riddled with problems right from the start which makes it less than interesting viewing, although I would imagine a younger ...
christianfilmcritic 26.11.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hostel (Unseen Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: Gore fans will love this, there are disgusting displays of death galore. Disadvantages: The film lacks substance, relies heavily on shock value and little else is offered.
...a Russian man of a hostel in Slovakia where the women go absolutely crazy for American men. The three backpackers get on a train to Slovakia and make their way towards this hostel they have been told of, discovering when they arrive that it is just as perfect as they have been told (or so it would first seem). The morning after they arrive at the hostel Paxton and Josh discover that Oli has gone missing, he's nowhere to be seen and they learn that ... ...panic when he does not come back and from here on in things just continue to go from bad to worse.
Certain aspects of this film I quite enjoyed, the gore element of 'Hostel' is really quite brutal and Eli Roth certainly doesn't hold back in his display of it all. Certain scenes are horrible and the use of sound really heightens the agony of the on-screen events. You genuinely feel for the individuals on screen and really feel the pain that they ...
RazzaLazza 16.04.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hostel (Unseen Edition) (DVD)
...plans and head to the hostel recommended by Alex in Slovakia.
On the train the next day the trio meet a German business man who confirms Alex’s claims about the beautiful women who love sex and American men. However Josh is taken off guard when the man seems to strokes his knee in an appropriate manner leaving Josh to fly of the handle, forcing the man to apologetically leave their company … much to the amusement of Paxton and Oli. Arriving in Bratislava ... ...hostel recommended by Alex and are delighted to find out they are sharing the room with two stunning women, Natalya and Svetlana.
A trip to the hotels spa mesmerises the trio where they find lots of naked beautiful women including their roommates for the night. Seemingly in heaven the boys are overjoyed that they accepted Alex’s advice and that night they arrange to go to the local disco with the girls and receptionist.
After an uncomfortable confrontation ...
clumsy221 19.11.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hostel (Unseen Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: Visually attractive in parts, a couple of good performances, torture scenes good Disadvantages: Could have been better
...them about an almost mythical hostel in Slovakia. There, they are told, they will be able to have anything that they can pay for. Like a shot, they get on the train and arrive, only to find that the hostel is even better than they were expecting - the room they are sharing comes complete with Eastern European beauties. The three have a great evening, full of alcohol, drugs and sex...but when Paxton and Josh wake up the next day, Oli has disappeared. ... ...that a Japanese tourist has also gone missing. Confused, the two Americans try to forget their troubles, only to find that they are in a lot more trouble than they could ever imagine...
My favourite character in the film giving, in my opinion, the best performance, is Josh, played by a relative unknown (at least in the UK), Derek Richardson. Josh is a bit of a geek, albeit a very sweet one. He is definitely the sensible one of the three. Quite how ...
sunmeilan 01.07.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hostel (Unseen Edition) (DVD)
Advantages: Realistic gore, note worthy cinematography, and cleverly edited. Disadvantages: Average performances, not as much gore as I expected and weak characterisation.
...told to go to a hostel in Bratislavia just outside Slovakia, where due to the war there are very few men to entertain the women. These women love foreigners especially Americans, and will do anything their hearts desire. All is not as it seems however and not long after their arrival, Oli disappears after checking out suddenly. While at first they reckon he’s still shacked up with the Hostel’s receptionist, it soon becomes apparent that Oli won’t ... ...remembering for the right reasons. Hostel was however a huge hit with many people and in fact this Summer sees the release of Hostel: Part II. Although being disappointed by the first film, I will definitely see this one as I’m interested to see if this one will deliver the goods. If you still want to see Hostel after reading this, then I advise you rent it out or catch it on the tele if you don't want to part with a fiver.
Hostel is available on ...
lisa2062 20.05.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hostel (Unseen Edition) (DVD)
Two young Americans embark upon a backpacking trip across Europe. A fellow traveller recommends a hostel in Bratislava that is full of attractive women who love Americans. However when the two men arrive at their destination, they find themselves in a terrifying situation.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date
07/08/2006
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
CDR 40859, CDT 40859
Barcode
5035822085930, 5050630085934
Composer
Nathan Barr
Languages
Main Language
English
Dubbed Language
Spanish, Catalan, Spanish, Italian
Subtitle Language
Spanish, Dutch, English, Portugese, HIndi, Spanish, Dutch, Hindi, Portuguese, English
Hearing Impaired Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Four Commentary Tracks,, Multi-Part Behind-the-Scenes Featurette - 'Hostel Dissected',, Multi-Angle Interactive Feature - 'Kill The Car!'
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Stereo
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 English Spanish, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English Spanish, Dolby Digital Stereo English Italian Spanish
Professional reviews
Review
Roth digs deep into the nightmare of a society ruled by the profit of illicit desire (Entertainment Weekly, )
HOSTEL confirms Roth as one of the brighter hopes for mainstream horror... His troubling climax lets us wallow in violent retribution (Sight and Sound, )
The hallowed tradition of the post-college European backpacking trip turns into an unimaginable nightmare for two unsuspecting American 20-somethings in Eli Roth's (CABIN FEVER) sensational second outing. Paxton (Jay Hernandez) and Josh (Derek Richardson) have embarked upon a hedonistic tour of the continent, and somewhere along the way pick up travelling companion Oli (Eythor Gudjonsson). In Amsterdam the trio partakes of the pastimes most dear to frat boys everywhere: weed, prostitutes, and nightclubs. But when a fellow traveller tells these thrill-seekers about the decadent scene that awaits them in Bratislava, they find themselves unable to resist its lures; enticed by the promise of a hostel full of beautiful girls who love Americans, they set out for the remote areas of Eastern Europe. There, the sex farce to which the film's first half is devoted slowly turns ominous, as the boys hook up immediately with the gorgeous Natalya (Barbara Nedeljakova) and Svetlana (Jana Kaderabkova), whose eagerness masks more sinister intentions. Soon, the disagreeable backpackers find themselves on the other side of the flesh trade, sold by the girls into an exclusive human trafficking operation that gives its customers the opportunity to torture and kill a helpless victim. Much of what follows consists of the squirm-inducing surgical horrors that characterise precursors such as SAW, with the implications regarding the capitalist system and the human soul becoming ever darker. Produced by Quentin Tarantino, the film amps up the gore factor as much as it can get away with, and, in the tradition of the best horror films, offers a satirical socially conscious commentary.
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