Vacancy (2007)

A young married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel and finds hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film

Director:

Nimród Antal

Writer:

Mark L. Smith

Stars:

Kate Beckinsale, Luke Wilson, Frank Whaley

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kate Beckinsale	...	Amy Fox
Luke Wilson	...	David Fox
Frank Whaley	...	Mason
Ethan Embry	...	Mechanic
Scott G. Anderson	...	Killer
Mark Casella	...	Truck Driver (as Mark Cassella)
David Doty	...	Highway Patrol
Norm Compton	...	Snuff Victim
Caryn Mower	...	Snuff Victim
Meegan Godfrey	...	Snuff Victim (as Meegan E. Godfrey)
Kym Stys	...	Snuff Victim
Andrew Fiscella	...	Steven R
Dale Waddington	...	Brenda B (as Dale Waddington Horowitz)
Ernest Misko	...	Snuff Victim (as Ernie Misko)
Bryan Ross	...	Snuff Victim

Storyline

David and Amy Fox find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere when their car breaks down. Luckily, they come across a motel with a TV to entertain them during their overnight stay. However, there's something very strange and familiar about the Grade-Z slasher movies that the motel broadcasts for its guests' enjoyment. They all appear to be filmed in the very same room they occupy! Realizing that they are trapped in their room with hidden cameras now aimed at them filming their every move, David and Amy desperately find a means of escape through locked doors, crawlspaces and underground tunnels before they too become the newest stars of the mystery filmmaker's next cult classic!

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Plot Keywords:

motel | trapped | snuff film | crawlspace | slasher | 

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Taglines:

Once you've checked in... The terror begins.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brutal violence and terror, brief nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Sony [fr] Sony [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hotel sin salida

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£565,936 (UK) (15 June 2007)

Gross:

£1,838,975 (UK) (6 July 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Gems, Hal Lieberman Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sarah Jessica Parker was originally selected for the film, but dropped out and was replaced by Kate Beckinsale.

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Goofs

When the electricity is turned off and on, the TV turns back on and the VCR begins playing again. In reality, they would both remain off until manually turned on again. Even if they could be programmed to start right up as soon as power is resupplied, the video would pick up right where it left off before. In the shots that show the TV as power goes off and back on, when the picture comes back it shows a different scene in the snuff tape, giving the impression that the VCR was running when nothing else was.

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Quotes

[first lines]
David Fox: [after swerving while driving] Son of a bitch!
Amy Fox: What are you doing?
David Fox: It was a goddamn raccoon in the middle of the road!
Amy Fox: Well, better to kill us than get a little roadkill on the car, huh?
David Fox: Well, we're still alive. I can tell by the pissy look that you're giving me.

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: 2010 College Championship Finals: Game 2 (2010)

User Reviews

'Vacancy' is skillfully made, tense and surprisingly scary

Vacancy;; Vacancy opens as a typical horror film, following a soon to be divorced couple, Amy and David Fox, driving down a winding road, in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. Car troubles lead them to an abandoned motel where the manager informs them the mechanic will be back early in the morning. He seems friendly at first, and offers them a discount on the Honeymoon suite. Amy is resistant, but David convinces her.

Amy's first impression of the Motel was right on target, as a series of creepy events lead David and Amy to watch a video tape in which various guests at the same hotel are murdered. Soon after, David finds hidden cameras in the vents. Suddenly, the lights go out, and David and Amy must fight to find a way to escape... or end up getting slaughtered on tape like everyone else.

I am an avid horror movie fan, although lately I have run into the problem of not getting scared during these so called "scary movies." I am pleased to report, not just to horror film fans, but movie fans alike, Vacancy is actually scary. And that is just about the biggest compliment a movie such as this could get.

Throughout the 80 minute running time of Vacancy, I jumped a few times, gasped once or twice, and had white knuckles for almost the entire time. Luke Wilson and Kate Bekinsale give good performances as the bickering victims, and direction is particularly well-done. Director Nimrod Antal makes a wise choice, veering from torture, blood and guts, and relying mostly on putting these characters we care about in taut, tense situations.

Vacancy is a fun, frightening horror movie. 3 from 4.