‘Eight decades. Eight ghost stories. Under one roof.’
The Haunted Hotel is a 2021 British comedic horror anthology film presenting eight short tales of ghostly encounters through several decades.
Directed by:
Jean Campbell Hogg … (segment “Watching”)
Joshua Carver … (segment “Forty Years”)
Adam Collier … (segment “Room 27”)
Deveril … (segment “Housekeeping”)
Joshua Dickinson … (segment “The Writer”)
Amy L. Feeley … (segment “The Contraption”)
Jane Gull … (segment “Ghost of a Chance”)
Toby Roberts … (segment “Devil Inside”)
Written by: (in alphabetical order)
Joshua Dickinson … (segment) (segment “Housekeeping”)
Amy L. Feeley … (segment) (segment “The Writer”)
Daphne Fox … (segment) (segment “Watching”)
Stephen Henning … (segment) (segment “Devil Inside”)
Victoria Manthorpe … (segment) (segment “Room 27”)
Paul Saxton … (segment) (segment “Ghost of a Chance”)
Robbie Sunderland … (segment) (segment “The Contraption”)
Thomas Winward … (segment) (segment “Forty Years”)
Reviews:
“Where The Haunted Hotel fell down for me slightly was that I wanted it to be a lot scarier […] That being said, that is only a small complaint and does not detract from the film as a whole. The Haunted Hotel is a community project that should be praised for its collaborative nature and use of limited resources. I found the film engaging throughout…” End Seat
“Excluding the inexplicable inclusion of Ghost of a Chance, which is painful in all the worst ways, The Haunted Hotel is a great anthology. It meshes horror, drama, and comedy engagingly with a truly interesting hook. The acting and production values are astounding, as are the costumes on display in each era.” Film Threat
“The Haunted Hotel is a wonderful set piece… but, it really is more than that. The collective team of filmmakers and actors behind this era-shifting horror event is the real showstopper – it isn’t like your average anthology, in that – here, unlike in others, the style is consistent, the quality is consistent, and the performances, photography and direction are always on target.” The Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards
“Expounded on with intentionally deliberate, fast-paced, relatable sensibilities that assuredly drive home the ultimate morals of each story, the greater narrative remains engaging, stirring, creepy, jocular, dramatic, hilarious, or a combination of all of that as the individual stories knit together a grander portrait of what it is to be human and the measure of impact our choices can have on us, not just in the present, but even on those in the future.” One Film Fan
“There are some jump scares, some slow-burn scares, but what the film does best is its comedy. Much of comedy here is due to the actors who have delivered in every sense. Each director was given mere minutes to present a story and it was up to the actors to embody it confidently and not once does the film trips over this ‘problem’.” UK Film Review
“All the segments are quite good, a rarity with anthology films, especially ones with this many. However, that doesn’t mean they’re all frightening. It might be better to call The Haunted Hotel a supernatural film rather than a horror film. Anyone looking for non-stop scares will be disappointed.” Voices from the Balcony
Main cast and characters:
Hugh Fraser … Tim (segment: 40 Years)
Reece Ritchie … Charles Dickens (segment: Watching)
Rob Jarvis … The Landlord (segment: Room 27b)
Paul Moriarty … George (segment: Devil Inside)
Dominic Taylor … Malcolm (segment: The Writer)
Kate Cook … Miss Jenkins (segment: Ghost of a Chance)
Andrew Hollingworth … Eddie (segment: Room 27b)
Joshua Dickinson … Tom (segment: Housekeeping)
Roderick Smith … Willy Urlowe (segment: The Contraption)
Jon McKenna … Mickey (segment: Devil Inside)
Dan Rutter … Lennie Maitland (segment: Devil Inside)
Judith Sharp … Julie (segment: 40 Years)
Geir Madland … Peter Fearless (segment: The Writer)
Kyle Malan … Hobbit (segment: Devil Inside)
Richard Bates … Pickwick (segment: Watching)
AG. Longhurst … Mountain (segment: Devil Inside)
Agnes Lillis … Jenny (segment: Housekeeping)
Suzy Purnell … Barmaid (segment: The Writer)
Miles Jovian … Bob (segment: Ghost of a Chance)
Peter Sowerbutts … Terry (segment: Devil Inside)
Julien Mery … Screaming father (segment: Ghost of a Chance)
Charlotte Luxford … Young Julie (segment: 40 Years)
Joe Leat … Fred (segment: Room 27b)
Basil Marples … Young Man (segment: Ghost of a Chance)
Selena Chambers … Hotel guest (segment: 40 Years)
Rocio Rodriguez-Inniss … Maisie (segment: Housekeeping)
Peter Byatt … Tonka (segment: Devil Inside)
Patrick Marlowe … Arthur (segment: The Contraption)
Peter Barfield … David (segment: 40 Years)
Kathryn Pike … Audience member (segment: The Writer)
Molly Scurrell … Betsy (segment: Room 27b)
Alice Osmanski … The Landlady (segment: Room 27b)
Sophie Scannell … Laura (segment: The Writer)
Filming locations:
The film was shot entirely on location in 2020 at the (now closed) Great White Horse Hotel in Ipswich, England, which dates back at least as far as the 17th century.
Technical details:
95 minutes
Fun facts:
The quote at the beginning of the film which begins “Never was such labyrinths…” is taken from Charles Dickens’ novel The Pickwick Papers and is directly referencing the hotel.
Trailer:
MOVIES & MANIA says:
The Haunted Hotel benefits from great performances, excellent production values and nicely observed time capsule stories. The tales are more whimsical and lightly comedic rather than scary with only one that is sub-par, ‘A Ghost of a Chance’. It is a well-done anthology on an obviously tight budget.
