Hotel
This film is not currently available on DVD.
Film Description
A strange and surreal film which sees Figgis further experimenting with the medium. A British film crew are attempting to film The Duchess of Malfi whilst being filmed themselves by a documentary maker. Cue cannibalism, assasination and sex.
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Film Details
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Review by Ed Crooks
on 9th November 2002
When Mike Figgis' ('Leaving Las Vegas', 'Timecode') new film 'Hotel' was shown at film festivals it rather split audiences on whether it was a radical experimental film or self-indulgent rambling. The subsequent release of the film has been trimmed and certainly stands up to another viewing.
Unhelpfully the box comes with the words 'Pain, torture, perversion' brandished on it's front, which may give the wrong impression to those who haven't viewed the film. Set in a Venetian hotel the film follows around 30 characters through the shooting of a Dogma style movie version of the 'Duchess of Malfi’. The film within the film, as bizarre as 'Hotel' itself, is adapted by Heathcote Williams (who also appears) and is directed by an obnoxious loud-mouth played by Rhys Ifans. Swimming in and out of the experimentation and subplots are a cast including David Schwimmer, Salma Hayek, Julian Sands, Saffron Burrows, Max Beesley, John Malkovich, Lucy Liu and Burt Reynolds.
Figgis builds on his radical one shot film 'Timecode' with further experimentation in the field of digital movie making, split screen and improvisation. Cocking sly pot shots at both Dogma and British cinema, the film revels in it's freedom and is even not afraid to laugh at itself. Some may feel it was more fun to make than to watch, but the terrific sense of fun (very visible in the DVD extras) does come across to the viewer, making it enjoyable, if slightly lightweight, as a film. If viewed as a piece of experimentation, and with an open mind, the right audience will be charmed and energised by it's willingness to take an idea and play with it. The only worrying thing, as the cast all wore their own clothes, is David Schwimmer's fashion sense.
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