Welcome to the Hotel Deadifornia!

 

 

I was really in the mood for a scary movie last night, so after dinner, we turned out the lights and watched "Vacancy," one of the movies I got yesterday.

 

First off, isn't that some great Googie signage? When we eventually do our Route 66 trip, you'll be seeing plenty of Googie signs--it's one of my favorite things!

 

Okay, "Vacancy." A young couple, David and Amy Fox (played by Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale), are driving home from a family function. They're on the verge of divorce, and the truce isn't even an uneasy one, with exchanges like this:

 

David: [after swerving while driving] Son of a bitch!
Amy: What are you doing?
David: It was a g****** raccoon in the middle of the road!
Amy: Well, better to kill us than get a little roadkill on the car, huh?
David: Well, we're still alive. I can tell by the pissy look that you're giving me.

 

(That actually made me laugh a bit!)

 

In the middle of the boonies, they develop car trouble and end up at the Pinewood Motel, where the owner graciously gives them the honeymoon suite at no extra charge. Gee, what a nice guy!

 

The honeymoon suite turns out to be a dive, as it seems the Pinewood Motel has seen better days. While looking at the some of the videotapes available in the room, they come across some nasty "snuff" films. They don't care to watch them, but in the brief time they view them, they realize something seems familiar...as they look around, it dawns on them that the movies were filmed in the very room in which they're staying. Yikes!

 

As soon as they come to this realization, the lights flicker and go out, and someone begins pounding on the adjoining room door. Double yikes! Let the games begin!

 

I don't really have any spoilers for you, just my thoughts on this movie. Some hailed this movie as Hitchcockian in its suspensefulness, but I think that's going a little far. However, this was a pretty good effort, low on blood and guts but moderate on suspense and moderate on the Creepiness Scale. I don't think Ken was quite as creeped out by it, but this strikes right at the heart of one of my favorite subjects: old motels.

 

Having seen a few of the old motels along a portion of Route 66, this movie is entirely within the realm of possibility! While some have been lovingly restored, others are fleabags, and often pay-by-the-week housing for itinerants. You couldn't pay me to stay at some of those types of places, Route 66 or not. But when you're stuck in the middle of the sticks and the Pinewood is the only game in town....

 

I enjoyed this a lot and would watch it again one day. While Luke Wilson usually does comedy, I've always liked him, and he does a pretty good job. I'm not familiar with Kate Beckinsale, and she didn't really stand out in this movie for me. But it was a lot of fun, and would make a great drive-in movie! Turn off the lights--scary movies are always better in the dark, aren't they?--and check into the Pinewood. You can check out any time you like...but will you be able to leave? Bwah-ha-ha-hahhh! 

Tags: Googie, Vacancy, Luke Wilson, Kate Beckinsale