User Reviews

"Hotel Paradise" is a live action short film from 1995. This is a co-production between the UK and Germany, but due to the cast especially, this film is in the English language. The director is 3-time BAFTA nominee Nicolas Roeg and this film is also the only short film work by successful writer Michael Allin, one of his final career efforts. This is the story of what happens when a bride-to-be wakes up next to a naked man, who is tied to the bed and very obviously not the groom. The fact that the bride also wears nothing than a bridal costume that is very see-through is the reason why this is included on Regina Ziegler's erotic tales. The most known cast member here is obviously Vincent D'Onofrio and I am quite a fan of his. This is from after "Full Metal Jacket", but before his career-defining turns in "Men in Black" and "Criminal Intent". He sometimes has a bit of a tendency to go over the top, but as for this film here it's fine overall, even if an occasional moment of subtlety would have helped too. But I still take his approach in this half-hour film over the one by lead actress Theresa Russell, who is really as bland as it gets and the main reason why I never developed any interest in the story overall or in the final plot development/twist. I have to give this one a thumbs-down. Not recommended.

I disagree with the user comment that called Hotel Paradise `The worst written film of all time!'. As a collector of erotic short films I can assure you that none of them are designed to stimulate the intellect. I am a big fan of Vincent D'Onofrio and I admit that is the main reason I got a copy of this film in the first place. Who could resist the billing `the naked stranger'? I really wasn't expecting too much from the story. but I was pleasantly surprised.

Possible spoilers ahead.

Hotel Paradise is a little different then most films in this genre. Other then a few flash-back scenes showing the couple rolling around in a big round bathtub, there is no love making. The whole time the stranger (D'Onofrio) is talking and talking and talking. You see, even though the bride (Theresa Russell) is originally handcuffed to the bed it isn't long before she turns the tables on the stranger. we never learn their names. and he is the one chained. He is helpless to stop her from walking out of the room. and out of his life. The only way he can hold her is with words.

He talks about love, he talks about fate, he talks about destiny, and yes, much of what he says is nonsense. but his words are beautiful to listen to and soon the bride. and possibly the audience. is hypnotized by them. My favorite scene is when she looks over at him and imagines she sees a large snake winding around his body like the temptation of Eve in the garden of Eden.

This may not be best short film ever written but it is far from the worst. By the end I thought that having Vincent D'Onofrio chained naked to a bed the whole time was only the icing on the cake. Over all I found Hotel Paradise an enjoyable way to spend 30 minutes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this hard-to-find short. I bought mine from ebay, which is the only place I could find it playable in North America. I agree that the dialogue seems a bit "off". I think it sounds like a poem. As usual, D'onofrio brings the film to a whole new level with his brilliant delivery and extreme "likeability". The film had a surreal quality to it, sort of like a dream, and I liked the lighting effects. The snake scene had to be one of my favorites. Oh, the kissing in the hot tub as well, so hard to choose. D'onofrio keeps you glued to the screen, and may I add he is tooooo hot for words in this, I kept wishing the nude scenes would include him moving that sheet! Yes, I am a perv:)