Four Rooms (1995)

Directors:

Allison Anders
Alexandre Rockwell

Writers (WGA):

Allison Anders (written by) (segment)
Alexandre Rockwell (written by) (segment)

Release Date:

25 December 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Twelve outrageous guests. Four scandalous requests. And one lone bellhop, in his first day on the job, who's in for the wildest New year's Eve of his life.

Plot:

Four interlocking tales that take place in a fading hotel on New Year's Eve.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | New Year's Eve | Coven | Bellhop | Gangster

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Sammi Davis	...	Jezebel (segment "The Missing Ingredient")
Amanda De Cadenet	...	Diana (segment "The Missing Ingredient") (as Amanda deCadenet)
Valeria Golino	...	Athena (segment "The Missing Ingredient")
Madonna	...	Elspeth (segment "The Missing Ingredient")
Ione Skye	...	Eva (segment "The Missing Ingredient")
Lili Taylor	...	Raven (segment "The Missing Ingredient")
Alicia Witt	...	Kiva (segment "The Missing Ingredient")
Jennifer Beals	...	Angela (segments "The Wrong Man", "The Man from Hollywood")
David Proval	...	Sigfried (segment "The Wrong Man")
Antonio Banderas	...	Man (segment "The Misbehavers")
Lana McKissack	...	Sarah (segment "The Misbehavers")
Patricia Vonne	...	Corpse (segment "The Misbehavers") (as Patricia Vonne Rodriguez)
Tamlyn Tomita	...	Wife (segment "The Misbehavers")
Danny Verduzco	...	Juancho (segment "The Misbehavers")
Salma Hayek	...	TV Dancing Girl (segment "The Misbehavers")

Also Known As:

Four Rooms and a Hotel (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong language, sexuality and some drug use.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Australia:MA | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:16 | Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:18 | USA:R (No. 33973) | South Korea:18 | Canada:14A

Filming Locations:

Chateau Marmont - 8221 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

In the fourth episode, the car on the cover of the magazine that Quentin Tarantino shows to 'Tim Roth' is the same one that John Travolta uses in Pulp Fiction (1994).

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the injection piston in "The Misbehavers" changes its position when the girl pulls it out of the picture

Quotes:

Ted the Bellhop: Your dad says he doesn't trust babysitters. Well, can't say I blame him. I had a babysitter myself once...

Movie Connections:

References Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Soundtrack:

Harlem Nocturne

Some Great Laughs

"Four Rooms" is far more entertaining than you would expect from its generally negative reviews. Which is not to say that any of it is a masterpiece but if you enjoyed "Love American Style" on television and are not put off by a raunchy take on that anthology concept you should make an effort to view this film. It was made between the time Tarantino made "Pulp Fiction" and worked on "Dusk Till Dawn" with Rodriquez. Many in the large cast are Tarantino and Rodriquez regulars. Here are a few of the reasons to watch each of the four stories:

"The Missing Ingredient" - Madona has simply never looked better and her "come get me" dress will burn your eyeballs. Alicia Witt plays her stock alienated teen and delivers sarcasm as only she can.

"The Wrong Man" – Alexander Rockwell directed this segment shortly after directing "In the Soup" so he already knew how to get the most out of Jennifer Beals. Her diatribe about Ted's sex organ is a cinema classic.

"The Misbehavers" – Rodriquez directs his favorite actor Antonio Banderas in something that is a throwback to classic Laurel and Hardy. Not only do his two kids misbehave when left alone in their hotel room, but their misbehavior is so comprehensive that the closing shot reveals a room of total anarchy. It is wonderful slapstick on a huge scale, with comic timing worthy of the Laural and Hardy and the Marx Brothers.

"The Man From Hollywood" – This has the best script with Tarantino reserving the best stuff for his own character. He even reprises the "tasty beverage" line from "Pulp Fiction. Beals has already found her way to this room by the time bellboy Roth arrives and she delivers more good lines. I was impressed that Tarantino built up his suspense "before" the contest began and then did not try to extend the suspense but ended things on the first attempt.

The best bit in the whole film might be Roth's phone call to his boss. Marisa Tomei answers the phone in a room full of comatose post-New Years Eve partygoers. She then does a version of her "My Cousin Vinnie" expert witness routine, this time concerning types of handguns. In the foreground the entire time are the only other conscious (but totally stoned) inhabitants of the room. They are playing against each other in a video game. One just stares in stunned fascination at the screen, holding the controller but not using it as the other player maniacally manipulating the other controller throughout the entire phone conversation.