There are times when I hate writing about a film project based on a Stephen King novel. This because I have such a strong admiration for the author’s body of work, in which even the less than stellar books are often written much better than anyone else’s in the genre. Though he’s still amongst the best selling authors of all time, there are those who would disagree with me. But this is because King has a style of writing that is often too visually and psychologically stimulating for the average reader whose favorite books tend to be in the “See Spot Run…” category. (Just come to Texas, you’ll see what I mean.) The problem is that the very items I mentioned that make King’s books such a great read for those of us in the higher intellectual tax bracket are the very things that make translating his books to film so difficult. His words are meticulously crafted in order to create strong images within the imagination of the reader, so when a filmmaker attempts to put that image on screen, it often falls far short of what the human mind can conjure up.

But this is not the only problem King’s adaptations are wont to suffer from. Often there is simply the problem of budget. Some producer grabs the rights to a novel or short story for no other reason than to grab the title and put author's name in the credits. He (or she) then re-writes the story to fit whatever budget is available or in some case see if they can write it better (good luck…).

Probably the most famous of these travesties is in the (oddly enough) well received Stanley Kubrick version of “The Shining.” This was a big budget film from a famous director, so unfortunately audiences were tricked into thinking it would be a masterpiece. Kubrick admitted to not being very fond of the book, but thought the concept was good. He then opted to re-write a lot of the story to fit his vision. What his vision if “The Shining” turned into was frightening indeed, but more so because of the horror experienced by fans of the original book, wondering what the hell happened. If you really want to see “The Shining”, I highly recommend the TV mini-series version starring Steven Weber. Though it has a few minute flaws of its own, it is far superior. But I digress.

The good thing about there being so many adaptations of King’s works is that there are quite a few diamonds to be found in the coal bin. If you have the opportunity to see "The Shawshank Redemption", “Misery”, “The Dead Zone”, “Dolores Claiborne”, “The Green Mile’ or “Stand by Me”, you will be in for a treat. These are all terrific movies that should not be missed.

When word came round that "1408" was going to be adapted into a movie I was intrigued. I was first introduced to the story after picking up the audiobook "Blood and Smoke." I then read the story when it was released as part of the "Everything's Eventual" collection. The story revolves around Mike Enslin, a writer whose books would normally be hawked on the Travel Channel as they serve as travelogues for the world's most haunted places. The problem is, for all the places he's visited he has never truly seen or experienced anything that would turn him into a believer. That is, not until visiting room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel in New York. There he comes face to face with an indescribable presence that nearly robs him of his sanity. Though he escapes its clutches, it haunts his mind for the rest of his life.

The film "1408" differs in many ways from the original short story, but for a change the differences make for a damn good horror film. John Cusack stars as Enslin, and everything about him from the short story is there, plus the added baggage of a daughter who passed away very young and an estranged wife. The great Samuel L. Jackson joins him as the manager of the hotel, Mr. Olin. As Enslin's experience at the hotel begins, Olin makes a very strong attempt to convince him not to stay in the room. We learn of its history, which includes multiple deaths and suicides. The room has been empty for many years and Olin would prefer to keep it that way, not for the hotel's safety, but for Enslin's.

Most of the film sticks pretty close to the original story, but what has been fleshed out is done very well. Enslin has personal demons which come back to 'haunt' him, and in doing so we learn more and more of his past. But what sets "1408" apart from most other recent horror films is that it succeeds in being truly frightening without succumbing to blood and guts. The visions he encounters are at times really shocking, and as the room and Enlin's mind fall into disrepair and decay, we are taken right along for the ride. One scene in particular where he literally relives his daughter's passing is both heartbreaking and horrifying from a 'how could anyone handle their child dying in their arms' kind of way. The ending, is also very different from the original story, but it plays out very well despite being a bit of a downer.

The special effects are superb throughout the entire film, especially in terms of the physicality of the room. It very much becomes a character in the film as much as any of the actors. This is director Mikael Hafstrom's second American film and he shows an understanding of how a film should the flow that you rarely find in today's horror films. The camera work is wonderfully choreographed to work in time with the room's changes, making some of them almost imperceptible until just the right moment. Everything about the movie just worked for me, giving me the creeps and adding it to my list of favorite Stephen King movies.

Now my review comes from the new DVD release from Dimension, which is a 2-disc set offering two versions of the film. The first disc has the original theatrical version, while the second disc holds a longer director's cut. Despite what some of my friends were saying, I opted to watch the director's cut and was blown away. They claim the original version was better, but for now I cannot say. I've only watched the longer version so far.

As for special features, the first disc has a short interview with John Cusack and a brief look at the room. The second disc has a commentary by Hafstrom, who is joined by writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. It was not as good of a commentary as I had hoped for, but there are some interesting things about the film to be learned. Much better is the Behind the Scenes documentary, which is broken up into four parts. Here we find out much more about how the film was put together. I was especially pleased to find out how little CGI was used. An odd, but nice, addition are five "1408" postcards included in the set.

"1408" is a movie adaptation that should make Stephen King proud. It's a horror film for those who are tired of severed limbs and disemboweled corpses.

Directed by: Mikael Hafstrom
Starring: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack, Tony Shalhoub
Extras: John Cusack on 1408, Inside Room 1408, Theatrical Trailer, Feature Commentary by Director Mikael Hafstrom and Writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karazewski, The Secrets of 1408, Deleted Scenes with Commentary
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: Dimension / Genius Products
Release Date: 10/2/2007
Region 1
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Material Including Disturbing Sequences of Terror and Violence, Frightening Images and Language)
Website

We'll give 1408 an A.