1408

Based on the short Stephen King horror story of the same name, 1408 surrounds supernatural writer Mike Enslin, an author of two hit books focusing on supernatural phenomena. As research for his latest book, Enslin is determined to check out the notorious room 1408 in a New York City hotel by personally staying as a guest in the fabled room. With the intention that 1408 is just a myth perpetuated by stories and rumor that Enslin has collected for his past works. However, hotel manager Mr. Olin has strong objections to Enslin's stay and only warns him of possible danger to come. But Enslin is determined to go through and convinced that the horrific past of 1408 is just mere coincidence and a myth. But what Mike Enslin is about to experience is no myth, as 1408 truly is a room where the guests don't check out by noon.


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TRIVIA

* The initial inspiration for Stephen King came from a collection of real-life news stories about parapsychologist Christopher Chacon's investigation of a notoriously haunted room at the famous Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, California.
* Kate Walsh was originally cast in this film, but was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with the television show 'Grey's Anatomy'. She was replaced by Mary McCormack.
* The story this film was based on was almost never written. Stephen King originally created the first few pages of '1408' for his nonfiction book, "On Writing," as an example of how to revise a first draft. The story, however, intrigued him, and he wound up not only finishing a complete draft, but adapting it for an audio-book compilation of short stories.
* There are many references to the number "13" throughout the movie. The room is numbered "1408", add each number together equals 13. The room is on the 14th floor, and the Hotel skips the 13th floor, so the room is technically on the 13th floor. The room's key lock also has "6214" etched into it, which adds up to 13. And the first death was in the year 1912, which adds to 13.
* One of the first victims of the room was named "Grady." Grady was a character in "The Shining," Stephen King's other horror story about a hotel.
* Mike Enslin has a Chicago White Sox hat. Chicago is John Cusack's home town. Also, in a previous film, Eight Men Out (1988), John Cusack portrayed White Sox outfielder George "Buck" Weaver. John Cusack himself is a devoted Chicago Cubs fan.
* In addition to the previous numbers adding up to 13, the hotel is mentioned to be at 2245 Lexington Street in New York City. 2245 adds up to 13.
* When Gerald Olin is talking to Mike about his previous books he accidentally calls Mike's first book "The Long Walk," instead of "The Long Road Home." This is a reference to the Stephen King novel, "The Long Walk."
* Towards the beginning of his stay in room 1408, Mike mentions that "some smart-ass" once wrote about the 'banality of evil.' The smart-ass in question is German political theorist and intellectual Hannah Arendt, who wrote about the 'banality of evil' in her essay "Eichmann in Jerusalem."