Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > Movie Talk
Reload this Page >

Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Community
Search
Movie Talk A Discussion area for everything movie related including films In The Theaters

Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-29-12 | 08:16 PM
  #1  
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 9,917
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
From: Sitting on a beach, earning 20%
Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

A small and rather specific subgenre is the one-set hostage thriller - usually very few cast members (mainly just the hostage and captor) and usually one set (there may be additional locations for some scenes, but most of the film takes place in one area). When done well, they make for compelling cinema, with the two actors doing heavy lifting to carry a film and maintain dynamic personalities.

What are your favorites that might fit the criteria? I'm looking for more suggestions. I've already seen Hard Candy, and Death and the Maiden and The Disappearance of Alice Creed are on my list.
Old 01-29-12 | 08:22 PM
  #2  
Ash Ketchum's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 13,288
Received 500 Likes on 370 Posts
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

I can think of four offhand, but all had multiple hostages and captors:

THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936) A robbery gang takes over a roadside diner and holds the customers and staff hostage. Bogart leads the gang; Leslie Howard is a customer and Bette Davis is a waitress.

SUDDENLY (1954) Frank Sinatra is leader of a team of assassins who take over an apartment so they can shoot the visiting President (Eisenhower) when he arrives in town.

THE DESPERATE HOURS (1955) - based on a play about two escaped cons who take a family hostage in their home. Paul Newman played the main con in the play, Humphrey Bogart played him in the film.

ROCK ALL NIGHT (1957) Roger Corman cheapie in which two criminals hold a bar full of patrons hostage after the Platters have performed a couple of songs (for marquee value) and then left. All shot on one set.
Old 01-29-12 | 08:54 PM
  #3  
Ky-Fi's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 10,928
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
From: Cape Ann, Massachusetts
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Great Hammer film:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8g9zDQsnFNs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Old 01-29-12 | 08:55 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From: St. Louis
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Does Panic Room qualify?
Old 01-29-12 | 09:20 PM
  #5  
JumpCutz's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 13,540
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
From: south of heaven
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Phone Booth
Funny Games
Old 01-29-12 | 09:31 PM
  #6  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
From: Formerly known as "darthlurker"
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Closet Land
Old 01-29-12 | 09:45 PM
  #7  
Drexl's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 16,077
Likes: 0
Received 16 Likes on 14 Posts
From: St. Louis, MO
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Tape? It's not really a hostage situation but it does involve some blackmail.
Old 01-29-12 | 09:46 PM
  #8  
PhantomStranger's Avatar
DVD Talk Hero
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 29,329
Received 1,221 Likes on 1,020 Posts
From: The Phantom Zone
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

One of the better unknown movies from the past few years, "The Exam" is in this genre. Mostly a British cast, which is why it's not too famous here.
Old 01-30-12 | 12:27 AM
  #9  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,915
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
From: Orange County
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Reservoir Dogs, perhaps.
Old 01-30-12 | 12:40 AM
  #10  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,017
Received 8 Likes on 6 Posts
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Originally Posted by Drexl
Tape? It's not really a hostage situation but it does involve some blackmail.
In that same vein, Deathtrap with Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve.

I think How to Rob a Bank counts although I never saw the whole thing.
Old 01-30-12 | 01:34 AM
  #11  
Mondo Kane's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 12,004
Received 261 Likes on 210 Posts
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
THE DESPERATE HOURS (1955) - based on a play about two escaped cons who take a family hostage in their home. Paul Newman played the main con in the play, Humphrey Bogart played him in the film.
It's grindhouse remake:
Old 01-31-12 | 09:03 AM
  #12  
d2cheer's Avatar
DVD Talk Legend
 
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 12,262
Received 461 Likes on 332 Posts
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Originally Posted by PhantomStranger
One of the better unknown movies from the past few years, "The Exam" is in this genre. Mostly a British cast, which is why it's not too famous here.
Yea I have seen that one and it was pretty good.
Old 01-31-12 | 09:35 AM
  #13  
Dan's Avatar
Dan
DVD Talk Hero
 
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 29,311
Received 1,566 Likes on 1,118 Posts
From: The place beyond the pines
Re: Hostage! Captor! Mainly one room!

Originally Posted by PhantomStranger
One of the better unknown movies from the past few years, "The Exam" is in this genre. Mostly a British cast, which is why it's not too famous here.
I watched that one when I first got Netflix.

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.