MovieChat Forums > The Hotel New Hampshire (1984) Discussion > Horrible,,,just horrible.

Horrible,,,just horrible.

posted 17 years ago by jeffmather
7 replies | jump to latest

Just watched it last night. I haven't seen a movie that bad in quite a while. I'm sure Irving is a great writer, though movies based on his books have been uneven (I loved The World According to Garp, but Cider House Rules and Simon Birch were mediocre). That said, The Hotel New Hampsire just plain sucked balls.
(SPOILERS)
It has nothing to do with the unconventional subject matter. As Roger Ebert often says, it's not what the film is about, it's how it is about it. But the tone, music, and editing of this piece of crap is just shockingly bad. Someone might come along one day and sucessfully segue from a gang rape scene to a whacky running gag about a recently deceased dog, but in this one people, and that's just one example of how schizophrenic the mood of this film is.

Some movies are so bad that they end up being fun to watch, but this is not one of them. Avoid it at all costs.

[–] zachdellorish 17 years ago

I agree

Indicative of a complete inability to make a film.
Though id watch anything with Natassja Kinski in it.

"Its too bad she wont live... but then again who does?"

[–] hadas-2 17 years ago

I'm sorry to say-I agree. I loved the book and I love John Irving-but this just doesn't do justice.
It just doesnt capture the essense of the book.
I think that the casting was pretty good but the direction was way off.
I hope someone remakes it one day.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ptyrrell 17 years ago

i love reading peoples reactions to John Irvings film adaptations. I saw this the day it was released in Australia (in 1984). I took a day off college just to see it, because I had read the book & loved it. I walked into the cinema, watched the film, walked out, bought another ticket, and walked back in & watched it again!!!
I thought it captured the feeling of the novel perfectly, while not exactly adhering to the content of the novel literallly. I thought the casting was perfect!! my only gripe is that it could have been 1 hour longer.
When the end credits rolled I just wanted it to keep going.
Anyways, each to their own, that's what films are all about, especially ones that create such polarizing opinions!!!! have watched it may times recently & still love it.

[–] hadas-2 17 years ago

In my opinion "Garp" was pretty good and "Door in the Floor" was excellent..I know that"A widow for one year" in its complete form is too long for a movie but I wish someone could make it into a mini-series.
I think that the movie version of "New Hampshire" just doesn't do justice to the wonderful book.Its too much of a comedy while the book is both amusing and tragic (so much like life).

[–] celestegale 17 years ago

I too, saw back in 1984 when it came to my local theatre (I'm in the US)
and just loved it!
I own it and still watch it today. Amazing film.

[–] blakkdog 8 years ago

This film is so bad that I was actually dubious of it. I thought it was trying to mock itself or something. To make a clever tongue in cheek point by being unwatchable. Surely nothing could be so clearly and obviously bad in pretty much every way. But no... sadly... it was not trying to be clever by being a disjointed baffling muddled piece of garbage. It was just bad...

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