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Four Rooms [1995]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Four Rooms is an unbearable quartet of stories written and directed by hot filmmakers Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi), Allison Anders (Gas Food Lodging), and Alexandre Rockwell (In the Soup), which only proves that even the smart guys can really blow it sometimes. The anthology is linked by the hotel in which all the events are taking place, and by Tim Roth as a bellboy flitting from scene to scene. Nobody overcomes the insufferable air of self-congratulation that permeates this exercise in forced hipness. Others involved include Bruce Willis, Madonna, Lili Taylor, Ione Skye, Jennifer Beals, and Antonio Banderas.--Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

Editorial
Video Description

DVD Special Features:
Languages: English
Subtitles: English for the hearing impaired
Format: Widescreen 1.85:1
Single Layer Format

Editorial
Synopsis

A hapless Los Angeles bellhop struggles to survive New Year's Eve in this quartet of episodes each directed by a rising independent film auteur. The Missing Ingredient (Allison Anders) involves a coven of witches who lack a necessary life fluid; The Wrong Man (Alexandre Rockwell) centers on an abusive S&M couple; The Misbehavers (Robert Rodriguez) offers the bratty kids of a dangerous gangster; and The Man From Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino) re-creates a gruesome Hitchcock bet.
Editorial
From the Back Cover

Check into FOUR ROOMS - the funny, fast paced comedy from the creators of the smash hit, Pulp Fiction. It's New Year's Eve at the Mon Signor hotel and a hapless bellboy named Ted (Tim Roth) is in for the wildest night of his life. While delivering room service, Ted meets up with a series of outlandishly eccentric guests - from a pair of pint-sized pranksters bent on destruction to a demented movie-star who makes Ted an outrageous offer he can't believe... or refuse. Directed by four of Hollywood's hottest young filmmakers - including Quentin Tarantino - and featuring hilarious performances from Antonio Banderas, Marisa Tomei and Madonna.

Four Rooms
Review date: 2008-09-01 Rating: 8 out of 10

Having just watched this film for the first time, I think a good way to describe it is to compare it to a gig. To start off there are two pretty irrelevant stories by two unknown directors which both leave you thinking 'what's this all about?', kind of like the support act. But they do set the scene for the second half of the movie, showing that Roth as the bellhop is having a real bizarre night. Then the headliners come in, Rodriguez and Tarantino, both producing hugely entertaining and enjoyable short stories which make you really pleased you watched the film. The performances by Roth, Tarantino and Jennifer Beals also help the job... definitely worth watching!!

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Reviews


An entertaining experience with a shaky foundation
Review date: 2007-08-28 Rating: 6 out of 10

This film is the very definition of 'patchy'. It comes across like the directors responsible were just filling in free time between their real movies - which is probably true. Only Rodriquez's piece has any real merit.

Tim Roth plays the bellboy who is the link between all the stories and subsequently the main character. I think someone should have slapped him and told him to sort his act out. I love Tim Roth usually but here he was just way too over-the-top. If he had exercised a little bit of restraint, the whole film could have been improved. Instead, his overly exaggerated mannerisms really began to test my patience.Starting with "The Missing Ingredient" by Allison Anders is peculiar to say the least. Now peculiar is a good thing in my book, but after promising to be amusing this just goes nowhere. It's just bizarre.

"The Wrong Man" by Alexandre Rockwell unfortunately doesn't have the essentials to sustain it's segment. I think this is the piece most affected by Roth's overtly comic acting. If he had played it straight, maybe, just maybe, this situation might have come out alright. But it lacked any of the requisite tension or nervous comedy required. Like the first story, it just comes out ridiculous.

"The Misbehaviors" from Robert Rodriquez is the real standout. If I didn't know better I would have guessed it was by the Coen brothers - which is a compliment to Rodriquez - there are obvious parallels to Barton Fink. The climax is a simply superb culmination of black comedy and stylish camerawork. Antonio Banderas is terrific as the father of the two little 'misbehaviors'.

"The Man from Hollywood," while better than the first two stories, is probably the most disappointing, only because it's from Quentin Tarantino who I expected more from. He takes the lead role himself here. Now Quentin gets a lot of knocks for his acting, but I find that when he plays obnoxious (like in Pulp Fiction) he is fine, that's what he plays here, and he's fine. The problem is, somewhat surprisingly, in the script. The whole thing is a purposely long winded set-up for a quick punch line at the end. That's fine, but the set up is just too inconsistent. At times it's entertaining, at other times it is just ludicrous, which typifies too much of this whole film.

I'd give it 3.5 stars on the whole, mostly on the strength of "The Misbehaviors" story alone. Other then that it's a decent film.


MESSY IN PLACES BUT ULTIMATELY ENJOYABLE
Review date: 2006-09-07 Rating: 6 out of 10

Four Rooms is a 1995 film starring Tim Roth as a bellhop who is working new years eve in a hotel,but this isnt going to be an easy night for teddy (roth).The film is written and directed by four directors hence the film is broken into four stories all which happen on the same night and all involving teddy.Each story is quirky,manic,over the top and camp in parts which teddy really invokes as his character as a really kenneth williams feel at times.
The first two stories pass by with some enjoyment but aint brilliant,the opening story involving witches who want to bring an ex witch back to life is ok,madonna excels in the role even if she is overacting but i would say that was a deliberate ploy by writer and director Alison Anders.
The second story which is written and directed by Alexandre Rockwell involves a case of mistaken identity which is ok again and there are laughs but its one dimensional in parts and runs out of steam in the end.
The film is saved by the two most respected directors of all in Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.Each of their stories involves the best scripts and the most laughs and the madness of the overall story is increased here.Rodriguezs story involves antonia banderas who hams it up as an eccentric father who asks roth to look after his two kids so that he and his wife can head out and then the laughs really kick in.
Tarantinos story is typical tarantino with a razor sharp script and great laughs courtesy of quentin who stars in his segment along with bruce willis,and it must be said that willis is excellent as a man that gets drunk and falls out with his wife because he wont drive home.
All in all this is a movie of four parts and not strictly a bonafide film and like me im sure you will love some of it and think the other bits are weaker but thats the gamble that the production company took,but its certainly worth investigating.

open your mind, if you have one
Review date: 2006-07-17 Rating: 10 out of 10

To appreciate this film you have to enjoy surrealism, sarcasm, acid-infused abstract ideas and eccentricity.
This film is great if you can see yourself enjoying an experimental concept/ideas (and your not brain dead/ IQ less than 20)
Few of the actors are without talent and the directing, although changeable (as there are 4) carries these characters, stories and performances with strength and style.
I am never encouraged to reveal the plot of films within a review just to convey my perception of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, it is not often you get a chance to watch a combination of actors that are so well known for their quality of performance, throwing themselves into such a bizarre film so well. A testement to the fact that actors, directors, producers etc are all very creative people, it is mainly the people who watch and buy films who want specific plot twists, lead characters to fall in love at the end, or in this case a generic, stencil-like performance by Bruce Willis, Madonna, Amanda DeCadenet, Time Roth etc
They wanted to do a bizarre film and they did it extremely well.
I highly recommend this film as one to watch with lots of people, maybe getting intoxicated in some way and to be in a relaxed humourous state of mind :) enjoy :)

poor poor film.
Review date: 2006-05-05 Rating: 2 out of 10

I could not wait to watch four rooms as i am a huge quentin tarrantino fan, but this film is awful.
It has some good stars in including madonna but that does not make up for the terrible storyline and overacting.
rent it if you must but do not buy it....you have been warned.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Tamlyn Tomita
Antonio Banderas
Marisa Tomei
Tim Roth
Lili Taylor

Creators:
Tim Roth (Primary Contributor)
Lili Taylor (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Touchstone Home Video
Manufacturer: Touchstone Home Video
EAN: 5017188884914
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2005-08-01
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 93 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1995-12-25
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: German (Original Language)

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