The meaning of the film 1408
The film “1408” was based on the work of the inimitable king of horrors Stephen King. Inexplicable phenomena, a feeling of fear that chills the soul, helplessness in front of the unknown. What is the meaning of the film “1408”? What did the director want to say with his work “1408”?
What is the film “1408” about
Mike Enslin is working on a book that will describe the paranormal and poltergeists in hotels. A specialist in strange entities has studied unexplained events for several years. However, Mike over the years of work done for himself came to the conclusion that ghosts do not exist. These are just sick fantasies of people. The cynical and self-righteous hero received an intriguing postcard. There was a strange warning on the message from the Dolphin Hotel in New York, which read: “Do not enter 1408!”
The hero took this postcard as another challenge. Mike Enslin intends to expose the hotel’s advertising ploy. When the hero ended up at the Dolphin Hotel, he demanded to move him into room 1408. Senior manager Gerald Olin tried to dissuade Mike, he told him about the possible danger, but to no avail.
The Dolphin Hotel has existed for 95 years. During this time, 56 people staying in room 1408 died. Some died of natural causes, others voluntarily passed away. Even this information did not convince Mike to change his mind about his decision. The curious hero does not intend to retreat.
Mike stepped over the threshold of the room. He did not notice anything unusual, paranormal. The hero recorded a report on what he saw on his dictaphone. His verdict was simple: there are no otherworldly souls. However, this was only the beginning. Suddenly, the clock on the bedside table began to count down. Over the next 60 minutes, the hero will have to go through many tests in order to stay alive and not go crazy. The number, full of fear and horror, is fraught with inexplicable mysteries and secrets. Will the hero manage to get out of this hotel, or will he suffer the fate of 56 guests?
The meaning of the film “1408”
Mike Enslin found himself in his own hell before he crossed the threshold of the coveted number 1408. He created such conditions for himself. From a kind, enthusiastic person, he turned into a ruthless cynic. How did he make his living? He wrote strange stories where he scared his readers with otherworldly forces, ghosts. Only Mike himself was an absolute skeptic.
The director with his work “1408” showed that only cold, impenetrable people live in society. They are indifferent to other people’s problems and troubles. For them, the heartache and unhappiness of others does not matter. There is no trace of warm, friendly, sincere relations. All pursue exclusively their own selfish goals and interests. No one is ready to lend a helping hand to those in need, everyone is for himself. A faceless society of selfish and self-confident people. At the same time, most experience a deep sense of loneliness.
Room 1408. An ominous voice repeats that the guest will forever be in this room filled with horror and fear. Only this is just an illusion. You need to be afraid exclusively of yourself. Our imagination is limitless. Obsessive thoughts and fears prevailed over many people. Evil is in ourselves. We ourselves are the creators of our happiness, our life. Nobody but us knows what we really want.
What do we face in everyday life? Indifference, despair, loneliness. Many people dream of living in an ideal world without making any effort. You cannot be cynical, you cannot have an overestimated conceit. This is the road to nowhere. The director of the film “1408” tries to convey to the audience that they need to live with an open heart. Mutual help, willingness to provide moral support in a difficult situation works wonders. No one is immune from a sudden blow of fate. It is important not to close in front of others. You need to live your life with dignity. Otherwise, it will be extremely aimless, cyclical, uninteresting wandering along the winding and difficult roads of fate.
The meaning of the ending of the film “1408”
Everything that happened to the cocky writer turned out to be true. The dictaphone record confirms this. This is not someone’s stupid scary joke. Mike didn’t dream about it, didn’t fancy it. What happened to him in the mysterious hotel room 1408 will haunt him all his life. Scary paranormal activities will be part of his existence. These memories cannot be hidden, they will reappear in his memory again and again.
While in a room full of horror, Mike slowly went crazy. He existed as if in a pseudo-reality, he was cut off from reality. But he managed to wake up, he came to himself. What is the point of such an unexpected ending? The director with his work “1408” showed that you can’t be a cynical, overly self-confident person. It cannot be assumed that only your opinion is the only correct one. When a person like Mike is confronted with a completely unknown, alien, his reality undergoes significant changes. There is no trace of his disbelief.
In the movie “1408” the writer Mike faced a monstrous evil. But he found the strength to overcome this inexplicable reality. Fear tested the hero for strength, the writer managed to win.
Originally published at https://meaningoffilms.blogspot.com on August 21, 2021.
