Four Rooms - ironic stories in funny circumstances
"Four Rooms" is an anthology film released in 1995, consisting of four short stories, each directed by a different director. The idea was originally supposed to be realised in Pulp Fiction, but then found its way here. This film is a unique creative collaboration between four directors - Alexander Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino and Antonio Banderas.
Structure of the film
"4 Rooms" is a fascinating experiment where each part of the film is a different story taking place in the same hotel on New Year's Eve. Each room of the hotel becomes the backdrop for its own eccentric story intertwined with the others.
All 4 rooms are connected by a common storyline: Ted (Tim Roth) is a young and rather fixated bellhop working at a once famous Los Angeles hotel that has now lost its popularity and become a haven for criminals and criminal women. On New Year's Eve, as the hotel's only employee, he finds himself with some interesting clients.
All 4 rooms are connected by a common storyline: Ted (Tim Roth) is a young and rather fixated bellhop working at a once famous Los Angeles hotel that has now lost its popularity and become a haven for criminals and criminal women. On New Year's Eve, as the hotel's only employee, he finds himself with some interesting clients.
A breakdown of each room
Honeymoon Suite - The Missing Ingredient
A coven of witches gather for a ceremony to resurrect their petrified goddess. Four of them have brought their ingredients, but the fifth hasn't brought hers: sperm. When Ted shows up, he turns out to be the closest available man.
Written and directed by Allison Anders.
Room 404 - Wrong Man
After some tipsy people ask for ice at an "Ambiguous Gays" disco and get the room number mixed up, Ted finds himself in the room of a man (David Fail) holding his bound wife (Jennifer Beals) at gunpoint. Mistaking him for someone else, he is forced to participate in a bizarre sadomasochistic game because the man has a "big fucking gun."
Written and directed by Alexander Rockwell.
Room 309 - The Misbehavers
A Mexican gangster (Antonio Banderas) and his wife (Tamlyn Tomita) decide to leave their children in their room overnight while they go to a party. Instead of getting a babysitter, they pay Ted five hundred dollars to watch them and make sure they don't misbehave. Finagle's Law goes into effect immediately.
Written and directed by Robert Rodriguez.
Penthouse - The man from Hollywood
After a quick phone call to his boss (Kathy Griffin) to get him off for the night, Ted makes one last stop. Chester Rush is a famous film director (played by Quentin Tarantino) having a private party with his business buddies. Having watched an old Alfred Hitchcock episode where a man bets his pinky finger that he can light a lighter ten times in a row, they decide to do it again, and decide they want Ted to join the party....
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Themes and stylistics of the film
Eccentric characters and ridiculous situations
"4 Rooms" is full of eccentric and unusual characters who find themselves in ridiculous and often dangerous situations. This creates a comic and absurd effect, which is one of the characteristics of the film.
Binding Element
The linking element of all four stories is Ted, played by Tim Roth, who faces different challenges and problems in each room of the hotel. This creates cohesion and connection between the storylines.
Experimental design.
The structure of the film, consisting of four different parts, creates a sense of uniqueness and experimentation. Each story has its own style and approach to directing, which makes the film diverse and interesting for the viewer.
"4 Rooms" is full of eccentric and unusual characters who find themselves in ridiculous and often dangerous situations. This creates a comic and absurd effect, which is one of the characteristics of the film.
Binding Element
The linking element of all four stories is Ted, played by Tim Roth, who faces different challenges and problems in each room of the hotel. This creates cohesion and connection between the storylines.
Experimental design.
The structure of the film, consisting of four different parts, creates a sense of uniqueness and experimentation. Each story has its own style and approach to directing, which makes the film diverse and interesting for the viewer.
And these are the techniques of storytelling and screenwriting that we see in the film:
Antonio Banderas plays a parody of his usual role as a Mexican badass.
Bruce Willis turned down payment for his role in the "Man From Hollywood" featurette as a thank you to Tarantino for casting him in "Pulp Fiction."
The film was originally titled Five Rooms, with Richard Linklater contributing a fifth segment, but he backed out before production began.
At the end of the film, the question remains - what was Siegfried and Angela's actual room number in the second segment - was it 404 or 409? And why does the last missing digit matter?
409. That was the number the kids called and Siegfried answered. 404 was only called by a guest at the party when he was trying to get ice. And the sign on the door has a barely discernible outline of 9 where the number is missing.
Tim Roth and Jennifer Beals will play ex-spouses in 10 years in the TV series "Lie to Me."
Bruce Willis turned down payment for his role in the "Man From Hollywood" featurette as a thank you to Tarantino for casting him in "Pulp Fiction."
The film was originally titled Five Rooms, with Richard Linklater contributing a fifth segment, but he backed out before production began.
At the end of the film, the question remains - what was Siegfried and Angela's actual room number in the second segment - was it 404 or 409? And why does the last missing digit matter?
409. That was the number the kids called and Siegfried answered. 404 was only called by a guest at the party when he was trying to get ice. And the sign on the door has a barely discernible outline of 9 where the number is missing.
Tim Roth and Jennifer Beals will play ex-spouses in 10 years in the TV series "Lie to Me."
"4 Rooms" is a unique cinematic project that brings together four small stories within one overarching plot. The film is characterised by its unusual structure, variety of styles and themes, creating an engaging and immersive viewing experience. This work stands out among other films due to its experimental approach to storytelling and its unusual way of presenting the different stories.