Horror Survey: The Films of Eli Roth as we Prepare for ‘Thanksgiving’

Actor, director, and horror champion Eli Roth has made quite a name for himself, especially amongst horror fanatics. When “Hostel” came out in 2005, people forgot about his sleeper hit “Cabin Fever” as the film fit perfectly with the current (and lasting) fascination with the torture porn genre. “Hostel” was whispered in the halls at my workplace as ‘very disturbing’ and ‘horrific’ – but it drew attention. People who had never seen or heard of “Cabin Fever” found it, and Roth became more mainstream in the process. 

Now, with “Thanksgiving,” Roth’s latest horror film, to drop this, well, Thanksgiving, it’s time for a survey of his horror films, from best to worst. For this article, we will not be looking at Roth’s documentaries (he made a good one, “Fin,” which is important and then some), but only his directorial horror films. Agree with our list or not, feel free to leave comments with your favorites (or most hated). And in the meantime, we can look forward to the release of “Thanksgiving,” brining back the venerable Rick Hoffman, who has been sorely missing from Roth’s repertoire since that menacing appearance in “Hostel.” And in case there are any “Suits” lovers out there, I’m definitely Team Litt. 

1. ‘Hostel’ (2005)

For all intents and purposes, the best. Yes, it fits firmly in the torture porn genre, and yes, it has its sinister scenes and others we wish we could unsee. However, “Hostel” was Roth with restraint, and seemed to follow a recipe that had worked for so many horror films in the ‘80s. Roth took his time to set up the horror. The sleepy little town of Bratislava he used felt lived in and forbidden. His chief characters (Derek Richardson, Jay Hernandez) had depth and layering often missing from gore-fests. And Roth took until roughly the 45-minute mark to drop the first official murder, which gave “Hostel” a sleepier, creepier feel than its sequel or his following works. 

Of course, the scenes of gore and torture that are shown (though brief) will be hard for many aside from gore-hounds to watch – but I don’t feel gore was the point of “Hostel,” though I’m sure many will disagree. “Hostel,” pound for pound, is a solid effort, and to me, one built on atmosphere and scares more than any of his following films. 

2. ‘Cabin Fever’ (2002)

Co-written by Roth and Randy Pearlstein, this film, really Roth’s first, brought the filmmaker to light in the horror world. “Cabin Fever” clearly has that indie film feel to it, along with a Canadian horror film homage, which may have been Roth’s intention from the start. This is the kind of horror film that could have been anything: another “Deliverance” or “Last House on the Left,” or even another home invasion/serial killer romp. But instead Roth and Pearlstein made a really unique film about a group of friends, a cabin, and a flesh-eating bacteria. 

The film had several touches that would go on to be indicative of Roth’s style, the most obvious a gratuitous, steady-cam shot of star Cerina Vincent’s rear as she walks up a grassy hill. The rest of the film, with its over-the-top effects via flesh eating bacteria would hint at what would come to be — namely gratuitous gore — in his next project, “Hostel.” All-in-all, “Cabin Fever” is a solid effort, a unique horror film that deserves the number two spot here. 

3. ‘The Green Inferno’ (2013)

2013’s “The Green Inferno,” written by Roth and Guillermo Amodeo, is the next obvious direction from Roth after the fiasco of “Hostel: Part II,” which truthfully never needed to be made. Roth was clearly inspired by Ruggero Deodato’s “Cannibal Holocaust” here, creating a terror-inducing, gory picture meant to shock. 

The film was billed as a satire on “American exceptionalism,” but the reality was it was just another exercise for Roth to exercise his gore muscles. There’s some store there, of course, but the terror in the film is minimal in lieu of drawn out scenes of bloody disgust. After the original “Hostel,” Roth was less interested by creating a frightening atmosphere than by shocking, and it shows. 

4. ‘Hostel: Part II’ (2007) 

This one just doesn’t do it for me. It has the gore — which Roth went out of his way to make the most sadistic and gratuitous as possible — but little else. The original fears contained in “Hostel” are here cast aside. We get to see the background of the Hostel operation, complete with bidding on victims, rich people shaking hands and laughing at captives’ suffering, and sadism on full display. But it ruins the entire film. What was scary about the original film was the slow build-up and the fact that the audience didn’t know the full scope of horrors in Slovakia. Showing it all just throws the movie into the cheap seats. 

Also what throws it into the cheap seats is the exhibitionist gore and sadism, this time visited on three unsuspecting women. They have little backstory — if any — and are dragged through the gutter. A scene featuring Heather Matarazzo is absolutely revolting and unnecessary, giving the trashiest movies a run for their money. And the end, which I imagine Roth felt was a piece of female empowerment, is just as cynical and unnecessary. A hard pass for me, but should please gore lovers aplenty.  

Up Next… ‘Thanksgiving’

Though beloved for his role in “Inglorious Basterds,” Roth has been mysteriously absent from the directorial horror chair for quite some time. The release of the “Thanksgiving” trailer suggests a film Roth has not quite attempted before — a straight-up slasher. It’s definitely an eager film for horror lovers, and the inclusion of Rick Hoffman, Patrick Dempsey, and Gina Gershon just makes it all that much more appetizing. The film releases on November 17th; follow The Movie Buff for reviews. Below, you can watch the teaser trailer.