Hostel (2005)

Director:

Eli Roth

Writer (WGA):

Eli Roth (written by)

Release Date:

6 January 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Welcome To Your Worst Nightmare

Plot:

Three backpackers head to a Slovak city that promises to meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them.

Plot Keywords:

Hostel | Europe | Bratislava | Backpacker | Friend

Awards:

4 wins & 11 nominations

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
Lubomír Bukový	...	Alex
Jana Havlickova	...	Vala
Rick Hoffman	...	The American Client
Petr Janis	...	The German Surgeon
Takashi Miike	...	Miike Takashi
Patrik Zigo	...	Bubble Gum Gang Leader (as Zigo Patrik)
Milda Jedi Havlas	...	Desk Clerk Jedi
Martin Kubacák	...	The Scarred Cab Driver
Miroslav Táborský	...	The Friendly Police Officer
Paula Wild	...	Monique
Vladimír Silhavecký	...	Yuri
Barbora Oboznenková	...	Disco Girl
Daniel S. Frisch	...	Fanny Pack Man (as Daniel Frisch)
Radomil Uhlir	...	The Stoned Manager
Jan Spanbauer	...	Jacket Man
Mirek Navratil	...	Dutch Bouncer
Vanessa Jungova	...	Saskia
Katerina Vomelova	...	Dominique
Lubos Vinicky	...	Angry Dutch Elf
Petr Sedlácek	...	The Toothless Cab Driver
Drahoslav Herzan	...	Bob
Daniela Bakerova	...	Older Woman
Martina Kralickova	...	Pretty Woman
Ota Filip	...	Muttonchop
Jakub Habarta	...	Slovak Bus Boy
Philip Waley	...	Alfie
Mark Taylor	...	Brucey
Nick Roe	...	Stan
Roman Janecka	...	Bottle Thrower
Natali Tothova	...	Natalya Shemp
Sandy Style	...	Svetlana Shemp (as Petra Kubesova)
David Baxa	...	Museum Tortury Guard (as Lord David Baxa)
Gabriel Roth	...	Sir Robert Wappus
Miroslav Hanus	...	The Nasty Police Officer
Christopher Allen Nelson	...	Dutch Police Officer
Josef Bradna	...	The Butcher
Zina Blahusova	...	Girl
Katerina Cervenkova	...	Girl
Veronika Petrová	...	Girl
Kristina Kosunova	...	Girl
Karel Hrosek	...	Girl
Mugi Lhagvadorj	...	Girl
Ashley Robbins	...	Girl (as Jana Semradova)
Hana Dibelkova	...	Girl
Anita Queen	...	Girl (as Alena Chrastinova)
Klara Smetanova	...	Girl
Petra Slavikova	...	Girl
Katrina Henesova	...	Girl
Hana Vitvarova	...	Girl
Mark Bakunas	...	Rock God
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephanie Bauman	...	Axelle's Next Victim #1 (uncredited)
Martin Faltyn	...	Senior Cozzi (uncredited)
Anne Bergstedt Jordanova	...	Girl (uncredited)
Michaela Kaplanova	...	Todd's Hooker (uncredited)
Eli Roth	...	American Stoner (uncredited)
Iveta Rucka	...	Stuart's Hooker (uncredited)
Karel Vanásek	...	Devilku Puppet (uncredited)

Directed by
Eli Roth

Writing credits (WGA)
Eli Roth		(written by)

Produced by
Chris Briggs	....	producer
Mike Fleiss	....	producer
Daniel S. Frisch	....	co-producer (as Daniel Frisch)
Eli Roth	....	producer
Scott Spiegel	....	executive producer
Quentin Tarantino	....	executive producer
Philip Waley	....	co-producer
Boaz Yakin	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Nathan Barr

Cinematography by
Milan Chadima

Film Editing by
George Folsey Jr.

Casting by
Filipp Grammatikos
Ivan Vorlícek
Kelly Wagner
Sigrún Sól Ólafsdóttir		(Casting Director, Iceland) (as Sigrun Sol Olafsdottir)

Production Design by
Franco-Giacomo Carbone

Art Direction by
David Baxa

Set Decoration by
Karel Vanásek

Costume Design by
Franco-Giacomo Carbone
Paloma Soledad		(as Paloma Candelaria)

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	on-set makeup effects artist
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects designer and creator
Jana Dopitová	....	makeup artist
Klaudie Havlova	....	additional makeup artist
Kveta Holasova	....	additional makeup artist
Grady Holder	....	mold department: K.N.B. EFX Group
Rini Lemanova	....	key makeup artist
Lorraine Martin	....	assistant makeup artist
Christopher Allen Nelson	....	on-set makeup effects artist (as Chris Nelson)
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects designer and creator
Andy Schoneberg	....	makeup designer
Kevin Wasner	....	on-set makeup effects artist
Stuart Conran	....	life casting (uncredited)

Production Management
Philip Waley	....	unit production manager
Pavlina Zipkova	....	production manager: Czech

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roman Janecka	....	first assistant director: Czech Republic
Roman Janecka	....	second unit director
Petra Ratner	....	third assistant director (as Petra Meisnerova)
Philip Seeger	....	second assistant director
Mark Taylor	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Milan Babik	....	property master
Radan Kapinos	....	stand-by props
Alice Kheilova	....	assistant to art director
Martina Ter-Akopowá	....	art department coordinator
Zbynek Trojan	....	stand-by construction

Sound Department
Kami Asgar	....	adr supervisor
Bob Beemer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tomas Belohradsky	....	sound mixer
Brian Best	....	supervising sound editor
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley artist
Scott G.G. Haller	....	supervising dialog editor
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist (as P.K. Spencer)
Tateum Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Herwig Maurer	....	sound editor
Sean McCormack	....	supervising sound editor
Fred Peck III	....	sound re-recordist
Stuart Provine	....	additional sound effects
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
P.K. Spencer	....	foley artist
Petr Stuchlík	....	boom operator
Marcelo Teson	....	sound editor
Tim Tuchrello	....	sound editor
Pavel Vencl	....	boom operator
Bernhard Vogl	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Ozzy Alvarez	....	lab technician: K.N.B. EFX Group
Martin Mottl	....	special effects technician
Martin Pryca	....	special effects supervisor
Caleb Schneider	....	special effects technician
Lindsay Vivian	....	special effects runner
Jenny Wallace	....	special effects runner
Kevin Wasner	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Ulysses Argetta	....	digital compositor
Ozzie Carmona	....	digital artist
Miro Gal	....	location visual effects supervisor
Paul Hopkins	....	matchmove artist
Robert Kurtzman	....	visual effects supervisor
Jim O'Hagan	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title
Franklin Purtiman	....	digital effects artist
Andrew Sagar	....	digital compositor
Ondrej Stibinger	....	telecine colorist dailies
Antonio Torres	....	digital artist: Pacific Title
Alan Tuskes	....	digital effects artist
Bob Wiatr	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title

Stunts
Jindrich Klaus	....	stunt double
Miroslav Lhotka	....	stunts
Jiri Simberský	....	stunts
Pavel Vokoun	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Libor Bruha	....	first assistant camera
Petr Cejka	....	electrician
Shane Daly	....	additional cinematographer
Michal Houzvicka	....	best boy grip: second unit
Ludek Hynek	....	key grip
Ales Kohout	....	electrician
Petr Konrád	....	gaffer
Zbynek Kunc	....	additional photographer
Zbynek Kunc	....	focus puller
Filip Majer	....	focus puller: second unit
Jan Matejka	....	electrician
Zdenek Mrkvicka	....	second assistant camera
Vlada Muller	....	Steadicam operator
Martin Nahodil	....	video playback operator
Radek Skudrna	....	additional photographer
Radek Skudrna	....	focus puller
Lukas Srajer	....	grip
Martin Stepánek	....	camera operator
Martin Stepánek	....	director of photography: second unit
Dalibor Suchy	....	electrician
Petr Sulc	....	best boy
Stepan Svoboda	....	additional photographer
Stepan Svoboda	....	assistant camera
Rico Torres	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Ineke de Vos	....	casting: Netherlands
Jennifer Rudolph	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jitka Novotna	....	wardrobe supervisor
Hana Rambova	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Jacquelyn Dean	....	post-production assistant
Ian Elias	....	post-production assistant
Marc Fisher	....	finishing editor
Michael T. Forrest	....	on-line editor
Charles Kaplan	....	associate editor
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer
Brad E. Wilhite	....	associate editor
Lawrence Howard Williams	....	post digital media operator

Music Department
Gerry Cueller	....	music supervisor
Greg Danylyshyn	....	music supervisor
Michael Farrow	....	music scoring mixer
Karen Guthery	....	orchestrator
Ricky Hernandez	....	musician
Penka Kouneva	....	lead orchestrator
Petr Pycha	....	orchestra contractor
Brian Richards	....	music editor
Allan Wilson	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Jan Strasik	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Travis Baker	....	researcher
Mark Bakunas	....	production accountant
Peter Block	....	acquisitions executive
Tawnya Brown	....	assistant: Mr. Fleiss
Veronika Brtova	....	production assistant
Marketa Dankova	....	production assistant
Eva Dvorakova	....	on-set medic
Olina Edney	....	production secretary
Jakub Eliasek	....	production assistant
Toni Embry	....	set publicist
Flax Glor	....	publicist
Milda Jedi Havlas	....	production assistant
Charles Heaphy	....	production financing
Vlasta Hynek	....	production coordinator
Kazi Kopecka	....	script supervisor
Julie McLean	....	assistant: Mr. Tarantino
Kevin Mockrin	....	intern
Tony Muro	....	publicist
Honza Ondrovcak	....	location manager
Hynek Pantucek	....	key loader
Gabriel Roth	....	documentarian (as Gabe Roth)
Pilar Savone	....	assistant: Mr. Tarantino
David Skacelik	....	production assistant
Jan Soufek	....	production assistant
Jed Strahm	....	assistant: Raw Nerve
Richard Tanne	....	researcher
Quentin Tarantino	....	presenter
Katherin-Ellen Zabehlicky	....	production assistant
Vladimir Kesl	....	computer technician (uncredited)
Jesse Rosenblatt	....	legal services: co-production (uncredited)

Thanks
Mick Garris	....	special thanks
Peter Jackson	....	very special thanks
Harry Jay Knowles	....	very special thanks (as Harry Knowles)
Takashi Miike	....	very special thanks
Fran Walsh	....	very special thanks
Ísleifur Þórhallsson	....	thanks (as Isleifur Thorhallsson)

Production Companies

• Hostel LLC
• International Production Company
• Next Entertainment
• Raw Nerve

Distributors

• Lions Gate Films (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Screen Gems (2005) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• InterCom (2006) (Romania) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buenavista Columbia Tri Star Films de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V.' (2006) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Forum Cinemas (2005) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Pyramid (2006) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Independent Film Channel (IFC) (2008) (USA) (TV)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Nelonen (2009) (2010) (2011) (Finland) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2006) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2007) (Finland) (DVD) (2-disc edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Veronica (2009) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (special makeup effects)
• Precinct 13 Entertainment (visual effects)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects)

Other Companies

• AFM Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Barrandov Studios  studio facilities provided by
• CE VideoAssist Rental  VideoAssist equipment provided by
• CNSO Studios  recording studio
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Film Makers  location services
• Macwell  computer services provided by
• Mondo Tees  Sneepur Patrol t-shirt
• Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, The  orchestra
• Sound Choice Post  sound post-production
• Vantage Film  camera equipment provided by
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for brutal scenes of torture and violence, strong sexual content, language and drug use

Runtime:

94 min | Philippines:93 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Czech | German | Dutch | Slovak | Japanese | Icelandic | Russian | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | UK:18 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Germany:18 (nf) | Australia:R | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:R21 (cut) | Sweden:15 | Mexico:D | Argentina:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Brazil:18 | South Africa:16 | Philippines:R-18 (MTRCB) | Belgium:KNT | Hungary:18 | Finland:K-18 (self applied) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (cut) | South Korea:Limited (original rating) | USA:R (certificate #42205) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) (extended version) | France:-16 (with warning) | Norway:18 (self applied) (with warning) | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Malaysia:18SG (unrated DVD version) | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-18 | Taiwan:R-18 | Singapore:M18 (edited TV version) | Finland:K-15 (TV) (2009)

Filming Locations:

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Company:

Hostel LLC

Trivia:

Eli Roth wrote the role of Oli for Eythor Gudjonsson after he met him doing press for Cabin Fever (2002) in Iceland. Roth was so taken with Eythor's charisma and charm, he promised he'd make put him in a movie one day. Eythor was surprised when he saw that Roth had followed through with his promise, and happily accepted the role.

Goofs:

Continuity: Season changes in Slovakian from spring to winter and then spring again, all in a few days.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Paxton:Amsterdam, motherfucker!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chiller 13: The Decade's Scariest Movie Moments (2010) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Guten Abend

Somewhat stylish, but very trite and predictable!

The plot, in short: Three backpackers, two Americans and one Icelander, does Europe by train with two major goals: To get high and nail as many women as possible... In Amsterdam they accidentally learn of a hostel in Bratislava, Slovakia where sex-mad women thirst for men in general, and American men i particular. They of course decide to go there and at first it seems the rumors were true. But they soon learn that the hostel is nothing more than a front for a bizarre club, where people can pay a huge fee to get to perform unspeakable acts...

My 2 cents: The director and writer Eli Roths biggest accomplishment before Hostel is Cabin Fever (2002) - weather or not that is something good is a matter of personal judgment. That he got two Evil Dead'ers (Scott Spiegel and FX-genius Gregory Nicotero) interested in his script is not at all surprising. But how he got Quentin Tarantino to executive produce (and thereby act as "posterboy" for his flick) is, to me, a total and utter mystery.

Hostel has potential, I'm not going to take that away from it. The thought that a place exists where rich people pay money to torture and kill other people is interesting. And a story about a kidnapped person who finds himself locked in that very place, waiting for his assassin, should make for a great film! The film is wonderfully lit, specifically in the torture chamber-scenes. And the set-dressing in those scenes are marvelous. It really feels like Roth found these places - and just shot them as the were. But the lighting, set-dressing and potentially-rich story, unfortunately, ends the positive things I have to say about Hostel.

It is frustrating to see a story that could have been so exciting and horrific get so utterly fumbled up! The movie is an hour and a half long, and takes a whopping 50 minutes to get to the place that is supposed to be the scene of terror and creepiness. The nearly hour-long "intro" is spent observing the backpackers while they party, get high and watch naked ladies in Amsterdams Red Light-district. When the story finally starts to focus on whatever is wrong with the Slovakian hostel it points everything out to such an extensive degree that it feels like Roth wants to put a stupid-hat on every member in the audience. I sat, in vain, and waited for him to take the lid off, go "ta-daa!" and show me something intelligent that I had missed. But it never happens and when the lid, towards the end, slowly slides off on its own accord it turns out that the ones you suspected were bad guys were in fact...bad guys. The ones you suspected were dead...were dead. And the entire movie ends the way you suspected it would all along.

Jay Hernandez (Paxton) and Derek Richardson (Josh) doesn't do to shabby in the two leads. But Roth has stayed true to Hollywood formula and chosen picturesque before personality, and the bigger part has unfortunately been given to Hernandez - instead of Richardson who I thought were more likable, and more interesting to watch.

Spanish director Koldo Serra made El tren de la bruja in 2003. A short-film about a man who agrees to partake in an experiment and suddenly finds himself strapped to a chair in a dark room. He hears metal objects being handled and someone pacing back and forth in the room. When the light is turned on it dawns on him that he will probably be tortured to death. Serras short-film is fifteen minutes long. It was filmed in two days and is scary as hell! Hostel is both longer and has, as it first seems, more story to build on. But it still wants to base the horror in exactly the same sort of scenes as Serras short - and fails miserably! Hostel is, probably, made specifically for an American teen-audience, where drugs and naked women represent half of the movies pull. Blood and bodyparts make up the other half. If you watch this and expect anything more sophisticated than some blood and naked breasts you'll be disappointed.