Hostel (2005)

Director:

Eli Roth

Writer (WGA):

Eli Roth (written by)

Release Date:

6 January 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Welcome To Your Worst Nightmare

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Blind In One Eye | Drugged | Hit By Train | Hit In Head With Rock | Bubble Gum

Awards:

4 wins & 5 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
Lubomir Bukovy	...	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
Vladimir Silhavecky	...	Yuri
Barbora Oboznenkova	...	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 Sedlacek	...	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
Petra Kubesova	...	Svetlana Shemp
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 Petrova	...	Girl
Kristina Kosunova	...	Girl
Karel Hrosek	...	Girl
Mugi Lhagvadorj	...	Girl
Ashley Robbins	...	Girl (as Jana Semradova)
Hana Dibelkova	...	Girl
Alena Chrastinova	...	Girl
Klara S.	...	Girl (as Klara Smetanova)
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)
Samantha 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
Sigrún Sól Ólafsdóttir		(Casting Director, Iceland) (as Sigrun Sol Olafsdottir)
Ivan Vorlícek
Kelly Wagner

Production Design by
Franco-Giacomo Carbone

Art Direction by
David Baxa

Set Decoration by
Karel Vanásek

Costume Design by
Franco-Giacomo Carbone

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

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 Meisnerova	....	third assistant director
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

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

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
Robert Kurtzman	....	visual effects supervisor
Jim O'Hagan	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title
Franklin Purtiman	....	digital effects artist
Andrew Sagar	....	digital compositor
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
Pavel Vokoun	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Libor Bruha	....	first assistant camera
Petr Cejka	....	electrician
Shane Daly	....	additional cinematographer
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	....	on-line 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
Penka Kouneva	....	orchestrator
Brian Richards	....	music editor
Allan Wilson	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Jan Strasik	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Travis S. Baker	....	researcher
Mark Bakunas	....	production accountant
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
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

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)
• Independent Film Channel (IFC) (2008) (USA) (TV)
• Pyramid (2006) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)

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
• CE VideoAssist Rental  VideoAssist equipment provided by
• Mondo Tees  Sneepur Patrol t-shirt
• Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, The  orchestra
• Sound Choice Post  sound post-production
• Vantage Film GmbH  camera equipment provided by
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Хостел (Russia) [ru]
Albergue, O (Brazil) [pt]
Auberge, L' (Canada: French title) [fr]
Hostal (Venezuela) [es]
Hostel (Finland) [fi]
Hostel (Germany) [de]
Hostel (Serbia) [sr]
Hostel (Spain) [es]
Hostel, i arhi tis paranoias (Greece) [el]
Otel (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

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:

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

Filming Locations:

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Company:

Hostel LLC

Trivia:

At the train station near the end of the movie, which probably is supposed to be in Austria after crossing the border, most of the signs and print stuff is in German of course. However, you can see several posters in Czech. One of the German posters is an ad for some fictitious movie that's "out on DVD now", saying "Jetzt auch am DVD", where it should read "Jetzt auch auf DVD".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Paxton's fingers are sawed off, you could see three of them are actually taken off. When he looks at his hand to see the damage, three fingers are visible. It's as of only two fingers were sawed off.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Paxton: Amsterdam, motherfucker!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Hostile (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Massacre

Moral Choices and the Dark Side of Humanity

I just got back from an L.A. screening of Hostel. I haven't seen an effective horror film like this in a long time. My stomach was still knotted up after we left the screening. The last time I felt like that was when I saw ALIENS for the first time about 19 years ago. Since then, no other horror film has ever made me feel like that. I certainly didn't expect it from this one. As much as I loved Cabin Fever, I'm not blind to the shortcomings of its script. As such,I was expecting more of the same from Hostel - dark humor, gore, and a sense of dread. I'm happy to see that director Eli Roth has taken a big step forward in becoming a better storyteller and filmmaker.

Admittedly my heart sank when the film began. The scenes introducing the main characters were blandly shot and edited. All I could think was, 'Oh no. Roth succumbed to some unseen studio pressure to make a normal-looking horror flick'. The style was typical of the what you'd see in crap like I know what you did last summer. But in very subtle ways, the blandness gets washed away and as our heroes enter the threshold of Hell, the style of the film changes as well. This, I learned during the Q&A afterwards with Roth, was intentional.

If you've read some of the other reviews posted here from people who saw it at the Toronto Film Festival, you get the general idea of the story. Contrary to what you might've heard, this is not a 90 minute film on torture. The torture scenes are brief and to the point. Roth doesn't wallow in pointless gore. And this is where I think it shows how he's improved as a filmmaker. He's more interested in scenes and ideas that move the story forward. Yes, there is plenty of gore, but it's relevant to the story and doesn't exist just for it's own sake.

One of the aspects of this film that made it so powerful was how Roth created a sense of helpless and inevitability. He provides the dark setup, throws in a sympathetic character, and begins twisting the screws and ratcheting up the suspense. This isn't a movie where you turn off your brain to enjoy it. On the contrary. The more you think about it, the more horrifying it becomes. You begin putting yourself into the character's situation and wondering what you'd do. When you realize that there is no hope for the character, no way to escape, no 'buddy' who's gonna turn up at the last minute to save the hero, and not a shred of humanity or compassion to the antagonists, real fear begins to set in.

Another great element in the script is how the 'survivor' makes moral choices that define their character. Instead of being merely reactive like the characters in Cabin Fever, the survivor makes several decisions which change the course of the story. It's a sign of well thought-out script and a filmmaker who cares about the fate of his characters.

For horror fans, this is an absolute must-see. It's so refreshing to see a horror movie that actually makes you feel uncomfortable and one in which you have no idea what's going to happen next. As for the gore, I was surprised by what they got away with. Although there were no credits at the end of the film, the cut I saw was rated R by the MPAA and according to Roth, he didn't cut anything out.