Eli Roth Talks 'Hostel 2' Piracy and R-Rated Horror Future

I don't know what to think here

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Friday, June 15th 2007 at 9:23 AM

Eli Roth tells us that Hostel: Part II cost about $10 million to make and that it has already made its money back earning $11 million at the box-office here in the States. However, last I checked that entire amount of money doesn't go back to Lionsgate, we have the theaters to think of. So, I am thinking Hostel 2 is going to have to make about $20 million to actually break even, and if what Eli said on his MySpace blog is true then I don't think that is going to happen as he says there are only two more weeks of Hostel 2 time in theaters and then it will be gone until it hits DVD, which will probably be around October time.

The big issue in Eli's blog post concerns the pirated copies of Hostel 2 that are on the Internet and the streets in near DVD quality even though the film it shows isn't finished yet. This is Eli's main contention as for why his film did so poorly at the box, unable to match its predecessor's $19.5 million opening weekend. To that I have to call bullshit, pirated copies don't account for $11 million opening weekend dollars.

Eli thinks this is the beginning of the end of the R-rated horror films and while I don't think his film will be the case study, I think he has a point, but I think filmmakers are to blame more than piraters. Now, I don't endorse pirating films, I have never done it and don't care to. I saw Michael Moore's Sicko in theaters, unlike this guy who admits to downloading it off the Net. Piraters are low-lifes who are fucking with other people's livelihoods, but Eli is taking it a bit too far.

My opinion on the failure of Hostel 2 points at the horror genre for not being able to come up with new ideas. In Eli's post he says he tried to make a film "as violent and bloody and fun as possible", but original is what wewant, which the first Hostel was and I loved it, but more of the same isn't going to cut it. Anyone can make a gory film, but is it something new? Is it fresh? Scream brought something new to the scene, so did Saw and so did Hostel for the most part, but it is becoming a tired act.

This new "torture-horror" genre is about to run its course and I think the Saw franchise is the only one that will be able to continue its run. However, even Saw may be about done considering this fourth film will most likely be the last time the Jigsaw character is involved and Darren Bousman has already gone on record saying he would not direct a fifth film.

Personally I like horror films, but here in Seattle we have been screwed lately as Lionsgate isn't screening any of their horror films here and I have yet to see one of After Dark's films. Perhaps Seattle is known for ripping on these crapfests or no one cares. Personally I am in the "not caring" column, because if a studio doesn't want to show it to me then I assume it ain't worth seeing. You hear me Abandoned? You hear me Bug? You hear me Hostel 2? What else should I assume if a studio won't even preview the movie?

As for Eli and what he has coming up, you have Cell, based on the Stephen King novel, and he gives you updates on that as well in his blog. So here is the full story straight from the keyboard of Mr. Eli Roth, a man that seems to have been busy lately trashing After Dark and calling out Richard Roeper. I can't tell if it is jealousy or what, but he seems to be quite agitated. Then again, I would be too if my film suffered at the box-office and ass holes were selling it on the street for $5.

Hey Everyone,

I'm in Paris, doing press for the French release of Hostel Part II, and tonight I'm off to Rome for the last leg of the press tour. After that I'm going to take a long overdue break, since I've gone from one film to the next without stopping, just to recharge my brain a bit.

I want to thank all of you for your kind e-mails and incredible support for the film. However, piracy has become worse than ever now, and a stolen workprint (with uninished music, no sound effects, and no VFX) leaked out on line before the release, and is really hurting us, especially internationally. Piracy will be the death of the film industry, as it killed the music industry, and while it makes a smaller dent in huge movies like Spider Man 3, it really hurts films like mine, which have far less of an advertising and production budget. Not only that, critics have actually been REVIEWING the film based off the pirated copy, which is inexcusable. Some of these critics I have actually known for a few years, and while I wouldn't dignify them by mentioning them by name, I know who they are, as do the studios, and other filmmakers, and they will no longer have any access to any of my films.

What I'm saying is, this is your last chance to see one of my films for a while. If you haven't seen it, go now, because after next weekend the film will be gone from theaters. There are too many other summer movies coming in, so basically we get two weeks in cinemas, and then the film will live on DVD. I am not directing CELL any time soon, and I most likely will take the rest of the year to write my other projects. Which means I wouldn't shoot until the spring, and you wouldn't see a film directed by me in the cinemas until at least next fall. If everyone on my friends list went to see the film this weekend and brought a friend, it would make a huge difference. Bring a non-horror fan – try to convert them. It's the only way these films will live. But right now the R rated horror film is in serious jeopardy. Studios feel the public doesn't want them any more, and so they are only putting PG-13 films into production. The only way to counter this perception is to get out there and support R rated horror. It's the only message they'll hear. People love the movie, and even though it only cost $10 million dollars (as opposed to the other summer tentpoles which cost $300 million), and has already earned its money back, if it's not a massive money earner then they'll just continue to make the same PG-13 films everyone complained about a few years ago.

To counter piracy, fans can flood file sharing services with fake Hostel II downloads just so no one can ever actually get the movie, but the only thing that really makes a difference is supporting the movie in the theaters. Also – the theater OWNERS know this as well. If horror movies aren't bringing in customers, they're not going to program them. If we are going to send them a message, we have to do it with our wallets, and we have to do it now. I've done all I can to make a great film for the fans, as violent and bloody and fun as possible. The rest is up to you guys…

Thanks again for all your support,

Eli