Eli Roth blames Hostel II bomba on piracy

[TVC15]

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

He removed this post from his blog, but a goon at SA managed to save it.

Bitchy tone aside, yes, piracy ruined the market for this movie. . .mainly because fans were able to screen the movie and warn off other folks from this stinker.

[FlameOfCallandor]

Slightly off topic, but It's funny how people over at digg.com justify pirating.

[Mr. Gundam]

Roth was on Attack of the Show a couple weeks back, and he derailed the interview and went on a similar anti-piracy rant.

I really don't understand this whole "torture porn" movement in horror.

[Mupepe]

I know I saw the pirated copy and swore not to see the theatrical release.  The movie is terrible.

[Human Snorenado]

Yeah, I watched this on joox a week before it came out and it sucked.  Of course, the first one wasn't that great either IMO.

[demi]

lol, tell that to Edgar Wright, two hits in a row

Then again, each of his movies were different. Poor Roth  :'(

I read the spoiler on themoviespoiler.com and it just sounded absurd with no conclusion.

[Mr. Gundam]

lol, tell that to Edgar Wright, two hits in a row

Then again, each of his movies were different. Poor Roth  :'(

I read the spoiler on themoviespoiler.com and it just sounded absurd with no conclusion.

Shaun of the Dead had a storyline and characters we cared about. All these torture porn shitfests throw one-dimensional characters on screen and try to kill them in as gruesome a manner as possible and call it good. 

[Saint Cornelius]

Piracy killed the music industry? News to me.

[TVC15]

I watched the movie, too.  And I told everyone that I knew was interested in the movie to just watch the first one again because this is basically a more boring remake.  Looking at various message boards around the net, it seems like this is what EVERYONE that saw the pirated copy did.  The movie blew and definitive word hit the market before it could come out.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I think it died from suckiness

[bluemax]

The music industry is dead?

Hollywood doesn't want more boring R rated torture porn films?

Say it ain't so!

[Mondain]

God I hope that piracy will fucking ruin the movie industry like it did ruin the music business. These fat Hollywood pigs and their inane films deserve all the evils of the world.

[Ichirou]

God, I'm so happy Hostel Part II bombed.  I remember the big marketing blitz going on for it at AICN the weekend before it opened.  Five or six reviews, TWO separate interviews with Roth (they "accidentally" booked him for two interviews, lol), and ALL the talkbackers were complaining about it and ranting at how awful the Hostel movies were.

I just hope this means Roth won't be trusted with any more movies for a while.

[TVC15]

God, I'm so happy Hostel Part II bombed.  I remember the big marketing blitz going on for it at AICN the weekend before it opened.  Five or six reviews, TWO separate interviews with Roth (they "accidentally" booked him for two interviews, lol), and ALL the talkbackers were complaining about it and ranting at how awful the Hostel movies were.

I just hope this means Roth won't be trusted with any more movies for a while.

I'm not sure if that was intentional marketing.  Harry has had a hardon for Roth since before Cabin Fever.  It's difficult to tell where rabid fanboy idiocy ends and marketing begins, and I guess that when all is scored, it doesn't make that much of a difference, though.

[hyp]

i'm dumbfounded there was even a sequel.  hollywood producers really know how to spot talent these days.

[FlameOfCallandor]

I enjoyed the first Hostel. I thought it was rather funny.

[Oblivion]

Whatever the reason, I'm glad this movie bombed.

[Ecrofirt]

The only thing I enjoyed about the movie was the orgasmic Eizabeth Bathory scene. That scene was fucking hot.

[Candyflip]

I think it died from suckiness

Yeah. The first one was enough of a waste of my time, I don't need to experience the same recycled shit again. Sorry you made a shitty movie Eli. I know the truth hurts.

[futami]

his argument that piracy stands to upend the movie industry, just as it did the music industry, has merit.

if we dl quality movies, denying studios revenue, they'll just peddle the same mindless shit that droves of kiddies and their incurious parents will patronize.

sure, his movie sucked, but what he said is spot on.

[demi]

And you guys were on my nuts about pirating Hot Fuzz

demi ftw, support good films

[bud]

eli roth's cabin fever was horrible beyond imagination. i read that pj would show the cast of lotr the movie because he loved it somuch, but...why!?

the only scene that was 'ok' was where she shaving her legs and her skin comes off, the rest was awful.

[ToxicAdam]

Piracy killed the music industry? News to me.

Yea, the music industry can't sell millions of shitty albums that have one good song on them anymore.


Now, shitty movie sequels can only have one good week at the box office.



---

The true measure of a person is how they face adversity. Eli Roth is coming up a little short here.

[Mupepe]

Cabin Fever rocked.  Fuck the haters.  DON'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!

PANCAKES!  PAAAANCAKES!

*kung fu action*

[Saint Cornelius]

Yea, the music industry can't sell millions of shitty albums that have one good song on them anymore.

That doesn't exactly = killing the music industry, though I see your point.

Looking at the Billboard Top Ten, it seems the music industry is doing PRECISELY that.