Camera d'albergo

The first episode of the trilogy is classic David Lynch fare with a stand-out Harry Dean Stanton performance, the second is a god-awful mess of a piece directed by the acclaimed director of the Elvira movie. Fast-forward this mistake (commissioned by HBO so that they would have a "feature-length anthology") The final part is one of the finest pieces of acting and directing that I've ever seen. I'm a Lynch fan, but nothing could prepare me for a story where Crispin Glover is the sane, voice of reason. Alicia Witt is a marvelous actress who shines in this terrifying role. Kudos to Crispin's restraint. A great hour

'Hotel Room' was a made-for-cable anthology mini-series created by David Lynch and Monty Montgomery (best known to me as the deeply sinister Cowboy from Mulholland Drive (2001)) which didn't get beyond the first three episodes. The critical reaction to the series was pretty negative and so HBO didn't take the project any further. From the perspective of today the most significant thing about 'Hotel Room' now is that two of its three parts were directed by Lynch and written by Barry Gifford, the director/writing team who devised Wild at Heart (1990) and Lost Highway (1997). The other instalment was directed by the unheralded James Signorelli who directed the (rather fun) Elvira movie.

When you take into account especially that Lynch and Gifford team up here, it has to be said that the results have to be considered somewhat disappointing. Neither the writing nor the direction seemed particularly good in their segments, while Signorelli's was poor also. The basic idea has the action in each episode occurring in the same hotel room but in differing years, in 1936, 1969 and 1992. It seems especially unfortunate that this wasn't a lot better really, as the potential is undeniable. The set-up is one which invites a lot of scope for creativity seeing as so many different characters and situations could be used in each episode. The recent British series 'Inside No.9' in fact shows brilliantly how such an idea can be used to devise something inventive and original. But as it is, Hotel Room definitely falls short and I can sort of understand why it wasn't recommissioned. No episode truly stood out for me as all felt under par in at least some way. You could probably argue that the final one 'Blackout' had at least a bit more atmosphere and overall purpose but it I did find even it somewhat uninvolving overall. The other two episodes felt a bit pointless and directionless. It seems to exist now in the form of an anthology film with all the episodes running together. It is still an interesting enough watch for the most part, especially if you like the work of Lynch but the overall feeling is that, with better writing especially, this could have led to something more.

I just read the other review that is posted for this film. I agree that the second episode is fairly terrible, but I would like to add that David Lynch did not write or have involvement with that one. The first episode is quite amazing, but it's the third one that I personally like. It's intelligent and it's got some of the best acting I've ever seen. Crispin Glover is amazing in the episode, and I think it's unfortunate that both him and Lynch didn't receive critical acclaim for being a part of such an amazing project. The third episode is not accessible to everyone, but I urge everyone to at least see the first one.

ARE THE EDITORS SMART ENOUGH TO PICK UP THIS INFORMATION AND MAKE THE CORRECTIONS. Please let me know. David Lynch's Hotel Room does not have the full cast listed, they go to great length to add producers, a lot of crew members but not the significant actors, such as Glenn Headly, and Harry Dean Stanton. Go to these actors IMDb pages and verify, go to Leonard Maltins comments for Headly and verify as well. Can the editors go the extra mile for good customer service, and check with other sources and get the correct information, let us hope so!!! This is a popular DVD because Lynch is such a great director and hard to find at video stores. I'm sure IMDb has other sources to check. You have a great web site but often info is sketchy and you rely on us fans to set the record straight... THANK YOU

Three half-hour episodes were produced, two from David Lynch as director and Barry Gifford as writer, one from some random guy, James Signorelli, I never heard of (though, according to IMDb, directed an Elvira movie, and surprisingly helmed Easy Money), each set in a hotel room in a particular year in time:

The first segment, Tricks, set in 1969, is a story of a man (Harry Dean Stanton) right about to get some from a stoned prostitute, who gets visited at that moment by an old white-bearded friend with some dark past history. The acting is good all around, particularly from Stanton during a monologue about his first sexual encounter. But it also doesn't really lead much anywhere, even through touches of Lynch's usual twists (the appearance of the 'friend', the final twist that does cleverly wrap around old relationship ties). It also tries to be funny, and it isn't, which makes it a little awkward when the subtle wit doesn't work. (7/10)

The second segment, Getting Rid of Robby, set in 1992, is like some slightly sleazier, less witty episode of Sex and the City (if you can imagine that), with very lame would-be-clever dialog, and the only redeeming aspect being Griffin Dunne playing a man who's breaking up with a woman who usually 'takes care' of him when he comes by during business trips. Not sure why it was here, even if Badalamenti puts in a groovy jazz song over material that isn't worth it; it's not necessarily a horrible short, but it has no real entertainment value except for people who can't distinguish fake-feminist-trash from quality product, and it is a significant drop in comparison to the other two shorts. (5/10)

Blackout, 1937- Probably the closest that Lynch has come to doing full-on Bergman, via Gifford's script, by ding very simply shot but emotionally complex character studying. Crispin Glover plays a small-town guy who stays in the same hotel room from the other two shorts with his love, played by Alicia Witt, who's sort of slow and affected mind-wise, but has a lot to say about Chinese fish and seeing things like their future children. Witt has a look like the classic Bergman actresses, and the dialog even goes further than Bergman, maybe back to Ibsen, in capturing the tense but always powerfully human tradition of characters who are disconnected from one another, but wanting to be close as possible, through revelations in behavior and stark details. Glover, in a rare instance, plays a guy who is the straight character (straight as possible anyway). In the Barry Lyndon-esquire candle-lit lighting, Lynch makes this all so spare that it seems like the farthest thing removed from an quagmire like Inland Empire. But in its own way, Lynch is experimenting just as much in getting inside the nature of a character's psychology, and it's refreshing to see him let the actors find their own beats in the performances. (9/10)