10 Horror Movie Secrets You Didn’t Know
4. Hostel - Eli Roth’s Disturbing Discovery
One of the more effective movies to come from the mid-2000's torture porn horror trend, Eli Roth's Hostel was a surprise hit upon release in 2005. Following the misadventures of ignorant American backpackers who are kidnapped and sold into a torture ring, the film's twisted premise resonated with appalled audiences in a post 9/11 world.
But where did the idea come from?
Well, take this one with a pinch of salt since the Inglorious Basterds actor and Tarantino protege is something of a showman, but according to Roth, the conceit was based on a real life web site he came across.
The film’s premise is supposedly taken from a real site which offered visitors the opportunity to murder a "willing participant" for ten thousand dollars, a concept Roth was morbidly fascinated by. The director didn't take his research too far, though, noting:
"So, to find out more you had to give your credit card details, and I'm like, well if this is fake, then they'll have my credit card, but if this is real, and they're really killing people... They'll have my credit card. You know? I'm not that curious."