1408 (2007)

First, I don't have a great memory - I had to re-watch the movie, writing down the numbers: 7 jumpers, 4 overdoses, 5 hangings, 3 mutilations, 2 strangulation's plus 22 natural deaths - I get 43 total, but later we hear of a man that drowned in his chicken soup... which fits none of the categories mentioned including natural. There is also mention of heart attacks, which I don't know if you would categorizes these as natural considering the circumstances. That is to say, they just didn't detail all 56 deaths. The book might, and mind you a book made into a movie is always too fast paced with so much detail crammed into 2 hours... there is really no time to digest all the material. I'm guessing this is a much better read. Also this movie PRE-supposes that a person understands a lot of things... I had to look the stuff up after the first viewing... then came to this site (as a means of looking some stuff up). Here's my low down - after the fast forward second viewing, literally taking notes: 1. The room is not haunted - something in the room is evil; this is stated when the hotel owner has conversations with writer just outside of the office on route to the elevator 2. The writer expresses this is : the seventh circle - the 7th circle is where those that committed the following violations are punished: a. Crimes against neighbours b. crimes against self >suicide c. Crimes against God, Art (grand daughter of God) and nature 3. The writer has pleaded Guilty as charged in the hotel managers office to charges of: believing in nothing (this would be God - and he states so later) and believing in no-one but himself 4. The writer opens the bible - and the page falls to Nathans Parable -2 Samuel 12 ==> had to look this one up - this is about being judged - mostly about a man who kills another and takes his wife - it's about judging yourself and paying for your sins. In this story the wife brings forth a child that god strikes down with sickness and the child dies... among other things. 5. It is generally believed that there are 3 things that allow for better mind control - or mind opening/bending experiences: a. Sugar b. Alcohol c. Drugs ==> he was given a bottle of alcohol which he consumes as well as chocolate squares on the bed - presumably the evil force has provided these to allow better mind control 6. All the pictures show some form of evil: the Schooner lost at sea, should we presume an act of evil in addition to potential future acts of cannibalism? The Hunt: which is where I believe the hotel owner originated from: escaping from a pore in the picture - he was the hunted (no glass covering on the picture) and he provided the alcohol - he also tries to stop the writer from taking the room, saying he doesn't have to do this (punish himself) and/or the manager senses the end of the room and potentially his existence Lastly the old women reading to the three children... I just can't make this one fit...which is actually when I started to review the relevance to evil there. The writer says the children are deranged...? 7. The demons all originate from the pictures - I think; the manager of the hotel, the knife wielding woman (schooner) . I'm unsure about the guy in the vent. That is to say, the pictures have brought the evil to the room; and the room has become a room where those who should be punished in the 7th circle are. 8. To prove the punishment room theory: in the file folder, as the writer approaches the room 408 - the notes indicate a man with the notation that: his brother was eaten by wolves on the Connecticut Turnpike - I'm guessing there was an act of cannibalism there. 9. Further to prove the punishment room theory - acts against art are really usury and charging interest (loan shark style - high rates to those that are desperate) - we see a business man jump - which later appears to be the man from the newspaper article that says: Dec. 06, 1938 Chicago factory owner leaps from bridge - stating Financial issues Ultimately this room is about judging yourself, deciding your own punishment and the evil forces dispensing the punishment. Think about the maid that only blinds herself with scissors, and the writer who has presumably already paid for most of his sins (daughter dies) but is still forced to suffer heat, cold, drowning, mental illness, isolation etc.