Writer-director Eli Roth collaborated on the film with executive producers Quentin Tarantino, Scott Spiegel and Boaz Yakin, and producers Mike Fleiss (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and Chris Briggs. Jay Hernandez (Friday Night LIghts) stars as an American backpacker who becomes entangled in a demented underground torture ring.
Taking a much more macabre tone than did Roth's feature debut Cabin Fever, Hostel is an amalgamation of many of the most terrifying things about human nature and the world at large, culled from lots of pulpy-but-true stories of international organized crime, human trafficking, and sex tourism. Relentlessly graphic and deeply disturbing, the film is rife with explicit sex and brutal violence that is sure to delight hard core genre fans, and prove difficult to stomach for general audiences.
"I really think that Hostel pushes the envelope of the genre, and I am so grateful to have the combined resources of Screen Gems and Lion's Gate supporting its release," said Roth. "It's a dream come true for a horror film director to work with both of these companies together, as they're each so highly respected by genre fans. I know they will do an excellent job of putting the film in front the widest possible audience without deemphasizing its intensity."
"Our previous collaboration with Eli Roth on his feature debut Cabin Fever was a runaway success, and it's been far too long since we worked with Quentin Tarantino to make Reservoir Dogs into such a DVD classic," said Ortenberg. "We're obviously thrilled to be teaming up with each of these filmmakers again, and to be working with them in conjunction with one another is truly an embarrassment of riches for all involved," added Lions Gate's Peter Block, President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions.
"Thanks to the combined talents of Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino, Hostel is destined to become a horror classic," predicts Screen Gems' Culpepper, adding, "And we've assembled the perfect team to help this film realize its destiny. I'm so happy to be continuing our working relationship with Lions Gate on this particular picture."
