CABIN FEVER

US, 2002, 93 minutes, Colour.
Ryder Strong, Jordan Ladd, James De Bello, Cerina Vincent, Joey Kern.
Directed by Eli Roth.

Cabin Fever was the first feature film by German-born Eli Roth who soon came under the patronage of Quentin Tarantino and made the two Hostel films. He was both praised and roundly condemned for contributing to what is called ‘torture porn’.

This is a familiar story: a group of graduates go out into the countryside for a week, staying in a cabin. They encounter some strange locals, especially a young boy (who looks like a girl) who does martial arts moves and bites people. They also find a man infected by some form of virus in the woods.

The characters are the usual types – uninteresting to meet in real life, preoccupied with sex, crass in their language and sensibilities. Some of them exhibit a little heroism – the girls rather than the boys. James De Bello plays Burt, who is a repellent character.

There are some serious moments and atmosphere of horror at times. At times the film seems to be trying to be funny – or ludicrous. Some of the behaviour of the characters who wander in and out, especially the young party-preoccupied policeman and some of the locals make little sense.

1.The film’s of Eli Roth? Horror? Torment and torture?

2.The setting, the countryside, the river, the dam, the woods? The small town? The surrounding homes? The cabin? Authentic atmosphere?

3.The opening, the introduction to the group, their backgrounds, friendships from the past? Sexual relationships? Plans and hopes? Burt as the extra, his brutality and crassness? Travelling, going to the shop, experiencing the racism – and the audience seeing the old man who sounded racist playing with a black band at the end? The encounter with Dennis and his biting Paul’s hand? The reaction of his father? The stealing of the bar by Burt? The bad impression? Their arriving at the campsite, the cabin? Their behaviour, their talk (and sex-preoccupied)? The campfire and telling the stories? The horror stories? The visit from the outsider, wary, his saying he had pot? Their inviting him in?

4.Burt, his crassness, going out to shoot, the encounter with the man, his fears, shooting him, the man asking for help, Burt refusing? The man appearing at the door, the group getting a fright, their reactions, a reaction to help, their fears, urging him away, his taking the van? Their shooting? The blood? Taunting him with the fire, his being burnt to death? The irony of his body near the dam, contaminating the water?

5.The reactions, Karen and her getting sick, Paul looking after her, the question of what to do? Her eventually being quarantined, her death, the dog mauling her?

6.Burt, his fear, taking the truck, his being pursued by the characters from the town? His death?

7.Jeff, his fears, helping at first, trying to get help, discovering that the man who was burnt was a cousin of the woman they went to get help from? His running away – and his return, triumphing that he had survived, his being shot by the police?

8.Marcy, relationship with Jeff, her looking after Karen, going to try to find help? Her being infected, the sexual behaviour with Paul? Her death?

9.Paul, the seeming hero of the plot? His relationship with Karen? With the others? Taking some leadership? His going to the town, his being caught looking in the window and warned off? The encounter with Winston, the discussions, the partying? Winston promising to bring the tow-truck? Paul and his having to deal with the deaths? His being covered with blood, his being taken to the hospital, interrogated? (And surviving for a 2008 sequel?)

10.Winston, the police, partying, drugs? The group? Paul coming to them, their fear? Winston and his violence?

11.The townspeople, their reactions, friendly, hostile? The finale with the band playing?