20 Years Ago, This Tarantino-Produced Film Shocked a Generation!

The movie that scarred a whole generation of moviegoers. Two decades ago, American filmmaker Eli Roth, who had just made a splash with “Cabin Fever,” unveiled the chilling horror film “Hostel,” produced by none other than Quentin Tarantino. The outcome? A “torture porn” movie that stands alongside “Saw,” marked by its gloomy, unsettling, and gore-filled scenes that pushed the boundaries of what viewers could stomach.

Marked with a viewership restriction for those under 16 in France (with the warning “Numerous images of significant violence may be disturbing to viewers”), “Hostel” tells the tale of two American students who set out to explore Europe, seeking the ultimate adventure thrill. Joined by an Icelander they meet along the way, they end up in a small Slovakian town they believe to be a nirvana for hedonistic vacations. However, they soon find themselves the prey of a mysterious group that allows its wealthy clients to torture and kill abducted tourists…

Not for the faint-hearted! “Hostel,” with its torture scenes and sadism, is as traumatic as it is bloody, necessitating the use of 570 liters of fake blood!

Banned in five countries (Iran, Ukraine, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Singapore), “Hostel” had a tumultuous world premiere in Toronto (where one man fainted and a woman suffered chest pains), and went on to be a major box office success, grossing $82 million worldwide from a modest budget of $4.8 million.

A Terrifying Trilogy

How did Eli Roth come up with the idea for “Hostel,” a film not suitable for all eyes? After learning about a website offering a very peculiar type of “vacation”: a trip to Thailand where you are given the chance to kill someone for a few thousand dollars, with part of that money going to the victim’s family…

It’s worth noting that two sequels followed. “Hostel: Part II,” also directed by Eli Roth, hit theaters in 2007, while “Hostel: Part III” was released directly to video in 2013.

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“Hostel” trailer: