Vacancy (film)

Infobox Film
name = Vacancy


image_size =
caption = Promotional poster for "Vacancy"
director = Nimród Antal
producer = Stacy Cramer
Hal Lieberman
Brian Paschal
writer = Mark L. Smith
narrator =
starring = Luke Wilson
Kate Beckinsale
Frank Whaley
music = Paul Haslinger
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = Screen Gems
Sony Pictures (UK)
released = April 20 2007
June 15 2007 (UK)
runtime = 80 min
country = United States
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:351981
imdb_id = 0452702

"Vacancy" is a 2007 horror/thriller, which stars Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale. It was distributed by Screen Gems and was released to the public on April 20, 2007. Production was scheduled to commence in August 2006 with Nimród Antal signing on to direct it.

Early in the film's development, it was thought that Sarah Jessica Parker was going to be in the film. A September 2006 article in "The Hollywood Reporter" announced that Kate Beckinsale had signed on to replace Parker. [cite web |title="Kate Beckinsale joins "Vacancy" |url=http://cinescape.com/0/editorial.asp?aff_id=0&this_cat=Movies&action=page&type_id=&cat_id=270338&obj_id=52219 |accessdate=2006-01-02]

Plot

David (Luke Wilson) and Amy Fox (Kate Beckinsale) are driving through the middle of nowhere when their car breaks down. The bickering couple decide to spend the night in a motel, home to a creepy manager named Mason (Frank Whaley). Soon after, they discover that the low-budget slasher movies they're watching on the room's television are not fake and were filmed in the very room in which they're staying. They are afraid they'll become a part of a similar snuff film. David searches the room and finds hidden cameras in the air vents. David and Amy decide to get out of the room and make a run for it but the managers goons are watching outside. After lots of in-between bickering, they crawl through a tunnel to escape from their room, which leads to the lobby of the motel. David and Amy struggle to get out alive while cameras watch what is going on. They are able to make a 9-1-1 call, which summons a police officer to the premises, at first David and Amy don't trust him due to an earlier incident with a truck driver. While searching the rooms, he finds the tapes and sees that it is the same room that he is standing in, he meets up with David and Amy in his car and try to get out. But the car wont start. The police-man opens the hood and finds that the cables have been cut. Then the hotel manager sneaks up behind him and slits his throat. David decides to make a run to their car while Amy hides in the roof, but he is stabbed by one of the accomplices as Amy watches. The next morning Amy makes a run for it and reaches her car but one of the thugs jumps onto her car roof, she eventually loses control of her car and crashes into one of the rooms killing both of the men. After a long battle to defeat the manager, succeeds in killing him. The film ends with David regaining consciousness after Amy makes another call to 911.

Reception

"Vacancy" opened at #4 in its first week at the box office grossing $7.6 million at 2,551 locations. In its second week, the film had a 45.9% drop-off, falling to a #8 position. The film has grossed $18.9 million domestically and $9.5 million in foreign countries, making a total of $28.4 million worldwide. The film received mixed reviews with Rotten Tomatoes giving the film an average rating of 55%. "Vacancy's restraint with gore is commendable", said one critic. Oddly, the usually-tougher Rotten Tomatoes "Cream of the Crop" raters scored it a "fresh," average of 63%. [ [http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=vacancy.htm Vacancy (2007) ] ] [ [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/vacancy/ Vacancy Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes ] ]

DVD release

"Vacancy" was released on DVD on August 14, 2007 in both fullscreen & anamorphic widescreen, with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Special features include deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, the full versions of the snuff films, and a trailer gallery. It was also released on Blu-ray Disc and UMD for the Sony PSP. Many versions shipped to Australia featured Sony DVD 'anti-piracy' technology, which led to them being unreadable on most DVD players including, embarrassingly, Sony DVD players.

Advertising and promotion

The advertising strategy for the film has made use of the Internet as well as a toll free phone number. In addition to the TV spots and trailers shown in theaters and on television, the toll free number is made to sound as if one is actually calling the motel in which the film is placed. In the background, screaming can be heard accompanying the voice of the proprietor, who informs callers about "slashing" prices and the "killer" deals that the motel has-- that is, if it is not vacant. The toll free phone number for the ad is 1-888-9-VACANCY (1-888-9-8222629).

In addition, the phone call also refers the caller to the film's website, which is also set up to be the site of the actual motel. After calling, one is given a "promotional code" (8889) which can be entered at the website http://www.1-888-9-vacancy.com/, which then shows previews of the snuff films that the motel proprietor and various people created, taken from the set. It was assisted and directed by Julie Tsaruhas.

Prequel

A prequel is now being made. will be written by Mark L. Smith, the same writer from the first one, and directed by Eric Bross. It will be starring Trevor Wright as Caleb. For other cast members, go to the link "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204979/."

References

External links

* [http://www.sony.com/vacancy Official website]
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* [http://www.ifilm.com/video/2846874 Vacancy - Nimród Antal - Interview in the Dark] on IFILM