Hostel (2005) is Eli Roth's second feature film as a writer and director. The movie is rated 'R' for brutal scenes of torture and violence, strong sexual content, language, and drug use. Due to the graphic nature of this film, its showing has been restricted in certain countries, primarily those with strict censorship policies. The film was billed as "inspired by true events"; Eli Roth claimed to have read about poverty stricken individuals in Thailand who would sell "members of their family to organized crime, then American and European businessmen would pay $10,000 to walk in a room and shoot them in the head." The sequel to Hostel, Hostel: Part II, was released on June 8, 2007.
The movie has been subject to harsh criticism in both Slovakia and in the Czech Republic. It portrays Slovakia as an undeveloped, poor and uncultured country suffering from high criminality, war, and prostitution. To many people, Hostel appears to be misplaced, both culturally and geographically. Roth claims he used Slovakia to point out the ignorance of Americans, and that the film is not meant to be an actual description. The tourist board of Slovakia invited Roth on an all-expense paid trip to their country so he could see it's not made up of run down factories and kids who kill for bubble gum.
Tomas Galbavy, a Slovak Member of Parliament, recently commented: "I am offended by this film. I think that all Slovaks should feel offended." In the same article, Roth defended his work by saying "Americans do not even know that this country exists. My film is not a geographical work but aims to show Americans' ignorance of the world around them."
In his defense, Roth said he did this intentionally to portray Slovakia with old stereotypes representing the backpackers' general ignorance of their surroundings. Roth said the film was meant to show American stereotypes of Eastern Europe, while the Americans in the film are portrayed accurately.
Roth has repeatedly pointed out in numerous interviews that despite many films in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre series, people still go to Texas.Wikipedia
