Dominic Dadiego
Ms. Barklow
Monsters & Misfits
10 January 2019
The Horrors Of Isolation and Cynicism
The movie 1408 has interested me since the first time I watched it. Although, the main character, Mike Enslin, portrayed by John Cusack, isn’t a very friendly character. He is an author from a small town, and he visits supposedly “haunted” houses, and then writes stories about his visit, while wholly disbelieving the paranormal. In 1408, we learn that Mike Enslin has been rather successful with his stories, preying on the believers of the paranormal. Mike then takes on his biggest challenge yet, the fabled room 1408 of The Roosevelt hotel. The hotel manager, Gerald Olin, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, warns Mike Enslin of the danger he is about to put himself into, but Mike presses on, despite the pleas of Gerald. Once in the room, 1408, the scene is set for a majority of the rest of the movie, which was very well done, considering the bulk of the movie remains in the same setting, while keeping it interesting. The room seems to be a very outdated looking room, despite having an alarm clock, which becomes a motif for the room itself, a lamp, and a fridge. The movie quickly turns unnerving when the alarm clock roars to life with the song, “We’ve Only Just Begun” by The Carpenters. This is where the theme of isolation comes in, because although unnerving, Mike has absolutely no way of knowing if what is happening to him is real, or his mind playing tricks, as he is alone. Mike is in well over his head throughout most of the film, because of his aforementioned disbelief of paranormal. My research focuses mainly on the effects of isolation, and how writers and directors pray on the general public’s interest in the possibility of the paranormal. This research will inform my adaptation of the film, 1408, as well as how terrifying isolation can be, and how the media exploits the fear of the unknown.
Ms. Barklow
Monsters & Misfits
10 January 2019
The Horrors Of Isolation and Cynicism
The movie 1408 has interested me since the first time I watched it. Although, the main character, Mike Enslin, portrayed by John Cusack, isn’t a very friendly character. He is an author from a small town, and he visits supposedly “haunted” houses, and then writes stories about his visit, while wholly disbelieving the paranormal. In 1408, we learn that Mike Enslin has been rather successful with his stories, preying on the believers of the paranormal. Mike then takes on his biggest challenge yet, the fabled room 1408 of The Roosevelt hotel. The hotel manager, Gerald Olin, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, warns Mike Enslin of the danger he is about to put himself into, but Mike presses on, despite the pleas of Gerald. Once in the room, 1408, the scene is set for a majority of the rest of the movie, which was very well done, considering the bulk of the movie remains in the same setting, while keeping it interesting. The room seems to be a very outdated looking room, despite having an alarm clock, which becomes a motif for the room itself, a lamp, and a fridge. The movie quickly turns unnerving when the alarm clock roars to life with the song, “We’ve Only Just Begun” by The Carpenters. This is where the theme of isolation comes in, because although unnerving, Mike has absolutely no way of knowing if what is happening to him is real, or his mind playing tricks, as he is alone. Mike is in well over his head throughout most of the film, because of his aforementioned disbelief of paranormal. My research focuses mainly on the effects of isolation, and how writers and directors pray on the general public’s interest in the possibility of the paranormal. This research will inform my adaptation of the film, 1408, as well as how terrifying isolation can be, and how the media exploits the fear of the unknown.