Four Rooms
Encyclopedia
Four Rooms is a 1995 portmanteau comedy film
telling four stories set in a hotel in the US city of Los Angeles
on New Year's Eve. Tim Roth
stars as the principal character of the frame tale; he also takes part to some degree in all four stories.
The movie was directed by Allison Anders
, Alexandre Rockwell
, Robert Rodriguez
and Quentin Tarantino
with each of them directing one "room" of the film.
, and begins with Sam (Lawrence
), the previous bellhop
of the Hotel Mon Signor, telling his replacement, Ted (Roth
), about the job.
Ted assists a number of unusual women with their luggage, which he takes up to the Honeymoon Suite. He learns they are a coven of witches, attempting to create a potion to reverse a spell cast on their goddess (De Cadenet
) 40 years ago. In order to create the potion, each witch must place an ingredient into a large cauldron in a ritual. However, one of the witches (Skye
) has still to retrieve her ingredient, which happens to be semen
, which she is told she must retrieve in one hour. The witch manages to seduce an initially reluctant Ted and has sex with him in the cauldron. After he leaves, the witches complete the ritual and the goddess is seen emerging from the cauldron.
Two drunken party guests call room service to get some ice. They are confused about which floor their room is on, but one guest (Bender
) eventually direct Ted to room 404. Upon arriving at room 404, Ted finds himself in the middle of a fantasy hostage situation between a husband and wife. Siegfried (Proval
), the husband, maniacally accuses Ted (whom he calls Theodore) of having slept with his wife, Angela (Beals
). At gunpoint, Ted is made to participate in the scenario, with uncertainty about what is real and what is part of the fantasy. At one point, Ted is stuck in the bathroom window, and the party guest from the beginning of the episode appears in the window above, and utters the word "ice" before being sick. Eventually, Ted escapes just when the other drunken party guest (Paul Skemp) appears, looking for room 404 and is greeted by Siegfried in the same manner as Ted was at the beginning of the episode.
A husband (Banderas
) and wife (Tomita
) go out to a New Year's Eve party and leave their two children, Juancho and Sarah (Danny Verduzco and Lana McKissack), in the hotel. Ted is paid $500 to keep an eye on the children by the stern father, who orders them not to misbehave. As Ted is responsible for the entire hotel, he is unable to actually stay in the room with the children, but instead instructs them to stay in the room and watch television. After Ted leaves, the children soon begin to squabble and proceed to both explore and vandalize the room, and manage to explode a bottle of champagne in the process. They call Ted for toothbrushes, at which point he arrives stale crackers and milk and attempts unsuccessfully to put them to bed by putting ointment on their eyelids. After they wash their eyelids and summon him back to the room once more, Ted arrves at a scene of mass chaos: the walls of the bedroom have been scribbled with lipstick, Juancho has a cigarette in his mouth, Sarah has the bottle of champagne in her hand, the television is set to an adult channel
, and the children have found the corpse of a dead prostitute (Vonne
) stuffed under the mattress. While Ted tries to quell the chaos in the room, Sarah stabs him in the leg with a syringe when he repeatedly uses the word "whore" and Juancho accidentally sets the bedroom on fire with his cigarette. At this point, the children's father arrives, carrying his passed-out wife, and, looking around the room, asks Ted, "Did they misbehave?"
After this, an unsettled Ted calls his boss, Betty (Griffin
), to quit for the night, as his shift has ended. After a prolonged conversation with a stoned Margaret (Tomei
), Ted gets Betty on the phone and quits, but a call from the Penthouse comes in. Betty reasons with Ted and convinces him to tend to their needs, due to the importance of continued Hollywood business to the hotel.
The penthouse is currently being occupied by the famous director Chester Rush (Tarantino
) and a group of his friends. which includes Angela from The Wrong Man. The party requests a block of wood, a doughnut, a ball of twine, three nails, a club sandwich, a bucket of ice, and an extremely sharp hatchet (Rush specifically requests a hatchet "as sharp as the Devil himself"). After getting acquainted with Chester and his friends, Ted is asked to take part in a challenge: Chester's friend Norman (Calderón
) has bet he can light his Zippo
cigarette lighter ten times in a row. If he succeeds, Norman will win Chester's car, but if he fails, Norman's pinky will be cut off. Ted is asked to act as a "hatchet man" and cut off Norman's pinky, should he fail. Ted initially tries to leave, but Chester persuades him to stay by offering $100 up front and another $1000 if he performs his assigned role. Norman fails on his first try, and Ted chops off the finger, sweeps up all the money, and leaves the penthouse. While the credits are rolling, Chester and company are heard frantically getting ready to take Norman to a hospital.
The plot is an extended reference to an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents
, itself adapted from Roald Dahl
's "Man from the South
".
There some linkage between the four segments:
band Combustible Edison
, co-produced by Mark Mothersbaugh
. Additional music is by Juan García Esquivel
.
but a 'fresh' 72% from moviegoers. James Berardinelli
of ReelViews described the film as "one of 1995's major disappointments". Hal Hinson of the Washington Post said the film "asserts itself as a goof so laboriously and aggressively that you almost feel pinned back in your seat". Most reviews agree that "The Misbehavers" the best of the rooms. The film fared better with audiences with a solid 'B-' rating from Box Office Mojo
and a 'B' rating from Yahoo!
. It has become somewhat of a favorite for fans of Tarantino and Rodriguez alike.
Madonna
won the 1995 Razzie award for Worst Supporting Actress for her part in "The Missing Ingredient".
The film grossed $4,257,354 in only 319 theaters.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
telling four stories set in a hotel in the US city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on New Year's Eve. Tim Roth
Tim Roth
Simon Timothy "Tim" Roth is an English film actor and director best known for his roles in the American films,Legend of 1900, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Four Rooms, Skellig, Planet of the Apes, The Incredible Hulk and Rob Roy, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for...
stars as the principal character of the frame tale; he also takes part to some degree in all four stories.
The movie was directed by Allison Anders
Allison Anders
Allison Anders is an American film and television director. Anders has directed many independent films, on which she frequently collaborates with fellow UCLA film school graduate Kurt Voss.-Biography:...
, Alexandre Rockwell
Alexandre Rockwell
Charles Alexandre Rockwell is an American film director, producer and screenwriter.-Personal life:...
, Robert Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
and Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
with each of them directing one "room" of the film.
Plot
The film is set on New Year's EveNew Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
, and begins with Sam (Lawrence
Marc Lawrence
Marc Lawrence was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C...
), the previous bellhop
Bellhop
A bellhop, also bellboy or bellman, is a hotel porter, who helps patrons with their luggage while checking in or out. Bellhops often wear a uniform , like certain other page boys or doormen...
of the Hotel Mon Signor, telling his replacement, Ted (Roth
Tim Roth
Simon Timothy "Tim" Roth is an English film actor and director best known for his roles in the American films,Legend of 1900, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Four Rooms, Skellig, Planet of the Apes, The Incredible Hulk and Rob Roy, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for...
), about the job.
Honeymoon Suite - The Missing Ingredient
- Written and directed by Allison AndersAllison AndersAllison Anders is an American film and television director. Anders has directed many independent films, on which she frequently collaborates with fellow UCLA film school graduate Kurt Voss.-Biography:...
Ted assists a number of unusual women with their luggage, which he takes up to the Honeymoon Suite. He learns they are a coven of witches, attempting to create a potion to reverse a spell cast on their goddess (De Cadenet
Amanda de Cadenet
-Biography:De Cadenet is the daughter of racing car driver Alain de Cadenet. She began her career as a co-presenter for The Word, a late-night Channel 4 magazine show. She also co-hosted The Big Breakfast....
) 40 years ago. In order to create the potion, each witch must place an ingredient into a large cauldron in a ritual. However, one of the witches (Skye
Ione Skye
Ione Skye Lee is an English-born American actress, who became a teen idol after the 1989 movie Say Anything.... In 2006 VH1 placed her at number 84 in the "100 Greatest Teen Stars" list.-Early life:...
) has still to retrieve her ingredient, which happens to be semen
Semen
Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova...
, which she is told she must retrieve in one hour. The witch manages to seduce an initially reluctant Ted and has sex with him in the cauldron. After he leaves, the witches complete the ritual and the goddess is seen emerging from the cauldron.
Room 404 - The Wrong Man
- Written and directed by Alexandre RockwellAlexandre RockwellCharles Alexandre Rockwell is an American film director, producer and screenwriter.-Personal life:...
Two drunken party guests call room service to get some ice. They are confused about which floor their room is on, but one guest (Bender
Lawrence Bender
Lawrence Bender is an American film producer. He rose to fame by producing Reservoir Dogs in 1992 and has since produced all of Quentin Tarantino's films with the exception of Death Proof....
) eventually direct Ted to room 404. Upon arriving at room 404, Ted finds himself in the middle of a fantasy hostage situation between a husband and wife. Siegfried (Proval
David Proval
David Aaron Proval is an American actor, known for his roles as Tony DeVienazo in the Martin Scorsese film Mean Streets opposite Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel and as Richie Aprile on the HBO television series The Sopranos .-Biography:Proval was born in Brooklyn, New York, of Jewish heritage,...
), the husband, maniacally accuses Ted (whom he calls Theodore) of having slept with his wife, Angela (Beals
Jennifer Beals
Jennifer Beals is an American actress and a former teen model. She is known for her roles as Alexandra "Alex" Owens in the 1983 film Flashdance, and as Bette Porter on the Showtime drama series The L Word. She earned an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination for the former...
). At gunpoint, Ted is made to participate in the scenario, with uncertainty about what is real and what is part of the fantasy. At one point, Ted is stuck in the bathroom window, and the party guest from the beginning of the episode appears in the window above, and utters the word "ice" before being sick. Eventually, Ted escapes just when the other drunken party guest (Paul Skemp) appears, looking for room 404 and is greeted by Siegfried in the same manner as Ted was at the beginning of the episode.
Possibility of room 409
It is not fully clear if these events take place in room 404 or in room 409. The party guests' room is on the upper floor, which would suggest Siegfried's room is indeed room 404. However, Siegfried answers the phone at one point, which, as revealed in The Misbehavers, is a call connecting to room 409. Adding to this uncertainty, the room door reads "40-", with the outline of "4" or "9" apparently missing.Room 309 - The Misbehavers
- Written and directed by Robert RodriguezRobert RodriguezRobert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
A husband (Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
) and wife (Tomita
Tamlyn Tomita
Tamlyn Naomi Tomita is an actress, who has appeared in many Hollywood films and television series.-Early life:Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita. Her father then later became a Los Angeles Police Officer, rising to the rank of sergeant. He succumbed to cancer in...
) go out to a New Year's Eve party and leave their two children, Juancho and Sarah (Danny Verduzco and Lana McKissack), in the hotel. Ted is paid $500 to keep an eye on the children by the stern father, who orders them not to misbehave. As Ted is responsible for the entire hotel, he is unable to actually stay in the room with the children, but instead instructs them to stay in the room and watch television. After Ted leaves, the children soon begin to squabble and proceed to both explore and vandalize the room, and manage to explode a bottle of champagne in the process. They call Ted for toothbrushes, at which point he arrives stale crackers and milk and attempts unsuccessfully to put them to bed by putting ointment on their eyelids. After they wash their eyelids and summon him back to the room once more, Ted arrves at a scene of mass chaos: the walls of the bedroom have been scribbled with lipstick, Juancho has a cigarette in his mouth, Sarah has the bottle of champagne in her hand, the television is set to an adult channel
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, and the children have found the corpse of a dead prostitute (Vonne
Patricia Vonne
Patricia Vonne is an American singer and actress.A native of San Antonio, Texas, Vonne moved to New York City in 1990-2001 to pursue her artistic ambitions. She worked extensively in Europe and America and was featured in national/international commercials, and film work...
) stuffed under the mattress. While Ted tries to quell the chaos in the room, Sarah stabs him in the leg with a syringe when he repeatedly uses the word "whore" and Juancho accidentally sets the bedroom on fire with his cigarette. At this point, the children's father arrives, carrying his passed-out wife, and, looking around the room, asks Ted, "Did they misbehave?"
After this, an unsettled Ted calls his boss, Betty (Griffin
Kathy Griffin
Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom...
), to quit for the night, as his shift has ended. After a prolonged conversation with a stoned Margaret (Tomei
Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987...
), Ted gets Betty on the phone and quits, but a call from the Penthouse comes in. Betty reasons with Ted and convinces him to tend to their needs, due to the importance of continued Hollywood business to the hotel.
Penthouse - The Man from Hollywood
- Written and directed by Quentin TarantinoQuentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
The penthouse is currently being occupied by the famous director Chester Rush (Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
) and a group of his friends. which includes Angela from The Wrong Man. The party requests a block of wood, a doughnut, a ball of twine, three nails, a club sandwich, a bucket of ice, and an extremely sharp hatchet (Rush specifically requests a hatchet "as sharp as the Devil himself"). After getting acquainted with Chester and his friends, Ted is asked to take part in a challenge: Chester's friend Norman (Calderón
Paul Calderon
Paul Calderón is an American actor.He was born in Puerto Rico. Calderón moved to New York with his family at the age of six, where he grew up on the streets of the Lower East Side and Spanish Harlem...
) has bet he can light his Zippo
Zippo
A Zippo lighter is a refillable, metal lighter manufactured by Zippo Manufacturing Company of Bradford, Pennsylvania, U.S. Thousands of different styles and designs have been made in the seven decades since their introduction including military ones for specific regiments.-Establishment:George G...
cigarette lighter ten times in a row. If he succeeds, Norman will win Chester's car, but if he fails, Norman's pinky will be cut off. Ted is asked to act as a "hatchet man" and cut off Norman's pinky, should he fail. Ted initially tries to leave, but Chester persuades him to stay by offering $100 up front and another $1000 if he performs his assigned role. Norman fails on his first try, and Ted chops off the finger, sweeps up all the money, and leaves the penthouse. While the credits are rolling, Chester and company are heard frantically getting ready to take Norman to a hospital.
The plot is an extended reference to an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
, itself adapted from Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
's "Man from the South
Man from the South
"Man from the South" is a short story by Roald Dahl adapted several times for television and film, including a 1960 version starring Steve McQueen and Peter Lorre.-Plot synopsis:...
".
Crossovers between rooms
The four segments are shown chronologically, except for The Misbehavers, the events of which both precede and succeed the events of The Wrong Man.There some linkage between the four segments:
- The two cherries Ted receives in The Missing Ingredient can be seen at the beginning of The Misbehavers.
- In The Wrong Man, Ted recalls the witches' ritual in The Missing Ingredient with the expression "weird voodoo thing".
- The strange telephone call received by Siegfried in The Wrong Man is revealed to be from Sarah in The Misbehavers.
- Angela appears in both The Wrong Man and The Man from Hollywood.
- When calling his boss, just before the beginning of The Man from Hollywood, Ted recalls the events of the first three segments.
Cast
| Segment 1 Honeymoon Suite |
Segment 3 Room 309 |
Segment 2 Room 404 |
Segment 4 Penthouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Roth Tim Roth Simon Timothy "Tim" Roth is an English film actor and director best known for his roles in the American films,Legend of 1900, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Four Rooms, Skellig, Planet of the Apes, The Incredible Hulk and Rob Roy, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for... as Ted the Bellhop |
|||
| Valeria Golino Valeria Golino Valeria Golino is an Italian-Greek film and television actress. She is best known to English language audiences for the 1988 film Rain Man, and the Hot Shots! films... as Athena |
Antonio Banderas Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer... as Man |
David Proval David Proval David Aaron Proval is an American actor, known for his roles as Tony DeVienazo in the Martin Scorsese film Mean Streets opposite Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel and as Richie Aprile on the HBO television series The Sopranos .-Biography:Proval was born in Brooklyn, New York, of Jewish heritage,... as Sigfried |
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence... as Chester Rush |
| Madonna Madonna (entertainer) Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983... as Elspeth |
Tamlyn Tomita Tamlyn Tomita Tamlyn Naomi Tomita is an actress, who has appeared in many Hollywood films and television series.-Early life:Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita. Her father then later became a Los Angeles Police Officer, rising to the rank of sergeant. He succumbed to cancer in... as Wife |
Jennifer Beals Jennifer Beals Jennifer Beals is an American actress and a former teen model. She is known for her roles as Alexandra "Alex" Owens in the 1983 film Flashdance, and as Bette Porter on the Showtime drama series The L Word. She earned an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination for the former... as Angela |
|
| Alicia Witt Alicia Witt Alicia Roanne Witt is an American film, stage, television actress and singer.-Early life:Witt was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her mother, Diane , is a junior high school reading teacher, and her father, Robert Witt, is a science teacher and photographer. She has a brother, Ian... as Kiva |
Lana McKissack as Sarah | Paul Skemp as Real Theodore | Paul Calderón Paul Calderon Paul Calderón is an American actor.He was born in Puerto Rico. Calderón moved to New York with his family at the age of six, where he grew up on the streets of the Lower East Side and Spanish Harlem... as Norman |
| Sammi Davis Sammi Davis Sammi Davis is a British actress.She gained considerable praise for her performance in Ken Russell's The Rainbow... as Jezebel |
Danny Verduzco as Juancho | Lawrence Bender Lawrence Bender Lawrence Bender is an American film producer. He rose to fame by producing Reservoir Dogs in 1992 and has since produced all of Quentin Tarantino's films with the exception of Death Proof.... as Long Hair Yuppie Scum |
Bruce Willis Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles... as Leo (uncredited) |
| Lili Taylor Lili Taylor Lili Anne Taylor is an American actress notable for her appearances in such award-winning indie films as Mystic Pizza, Say Anything..., Short Cuts and I Shot Andy Warhol, and the acclaimed TV show Six Feet Under.... as Raven |
Patricia Vonne Patricia Vonne Patricia Vonne is an American singer and actress.A native of San Antonio, Texas, Vonne moved to New York City in 1990-2001 to pursue her artistic ambitions. She worked extensively in Europe and America and was featured in national/international commercials, and film work... as Corpse |
||
| Ione Skye Ione Skye Ione Skye Lee is an English-born American actress, who became a teen idol after the 1989 movie Say Anything.... In 2006 VH1 placed her at number 84 in the "100 Greatest Teen Stars" list.-Early life:... as Eva |
Salma Hayek Salma Hayek Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez de Pinault is a Mexican film actress, director and producer. She received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role as Frida Kahlo in the film Frida.-Early life:... as TV dancing girl |
Quinn Thomas Hellerman as Baby Bellhop |
Kimberly Blair as Hooker (uncredited) |
| Amanda de Cadenet Amanda de Cadenet -Biography:De Cadenet is the daughter of racing car driver Alain de Cadenet. She began her career as a co-presenter for The Word, a late-night Channel 4 magazine show. She also co-hosted The Big Breakfast.... as Diana |
|||
| Marisa Tomei Marisa Tomei Marisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987... as Margaret |
|||
| Kathy Griffin Kathy Griffin Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom... as Betty |
|||
| Julie McClean as Left Redhead | |||
| Laura Rush as Right Redhead | |||
Soundtrack
The soundtrack to Four Rooms features a score composed and performed by contemporary lounge musicLounge music
Lounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
band Combustible Edison
Combustible Edison
Combustible Edison was a group founded in the early 1990s in Providence, Rhode Island, and was one of several lounge music acts that led a brief resurgence of interest in the genre during the mid-1990s...
, co-produced by Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Mothersbaugh
Mark Allen Mothersbaugh is an American musician, composer, singer and painter. He is the co-founder of the new wave band Devo and has been its lead singer since 1972. His other musical projects include work for television series, films, and video games....
. Additional music is by Juan García Esquivel
Juan García Esquivel
Juan García Esquivel often simply known as Esquivel!, was a Mexican band leader, pianist, and composer for television and films. He is recognized today as one of the foremost exponents of a sophisticated style of largely instrumental music that combines elements of lounge music and jazz with Latin...
.
Track listing
- "Vertigogo (Opening Theme)Vertigogo"Vertigogo" is the title theme for the Four Rooms film soundtrack by Combustible Edison.It was submitted for consideration for an Academy Award but was ultimately disqualified from consideration because of its incomprehensible lyrical content...
" (Combustible EdisonCombustible EdisonCombustible Edison was a group founded in the early 1990s in Providence, Rhode Island, and was one of several lounge music acts that led a brief resurgence of interest in the genre during the mid-1990s...
) – 2:35- Tracks 2-11 from The Missing Ingredient:
- "Junglero" – 1:54
- "Four Rooms Swing" – 2:11
- "Theme From 'BewitchedBewitchedBewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
'" (Howard GreenfieldHoward GreenfieldHoward Greenfield was an American lyricist and songwriter, who for several years in the 1960s worked out of the famous Brill Building...
and Jack KellerJack Keller (songwriter)Jack Keller A legend in his own right, Jack Keller wrote hit songs in every genre of music over a period of nearly 40 years with success in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville....
) – 1:01 - "Tea and Eva In The Elevator" – 0:55
- "Invocation" – 1:26
- "Breakfast At Denny's" – 3:57
- "Strange Brew" – 0:27
- "Coven Of Witches" – 0:59
- "The Earthly Diana" – 0:36
- "Eva Seduces Ted" – 2:10
- Tracks 12-17 from The Wrong Man:
- "Hallway Ted" – 0:31
- "Headshake Rhumba" – 0:41
- "Skippen, Pukin, Sigfried" – 0:29
- "Angela" – 0:46
- "Punch Drunk" – 2:57
- "Male Bonding" – 3:06
- Tracks 18-25 from The Misbehavers:
- "Mariachi" – 0:29
- "Antes De Medianoche" – 2:45
- "Sentimental JourneySentimental Journey (song)"Sentimental Journey" is a popular song, published in 1944. The music was written by Les Brown and Ben Homer, and the lyrics were written by Arthur Green.-History:...
" (Written by Bud GreenBud GreenBud Green was an Austrian-born songwriter. Bud Green grew up in Harlem at 108th & Madison Ave. at the turn of the century, the eldest of seven. He dropped out of elementary school to sell newspapers and help the family...
, Les BrownLes Brown (bandleader)Les Brown, Sr. and the Band of Renown are a big band that began in the late 1930s, initially as the group Les Brown and His Blue Devils that Brown led while a student at Duke University. He was the first president of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences...
and Ben Homer, performed by EsquivelJuan García EsquivelJuan García Esquivel often simply known as Esquivel!, was a Mexican band leader, pianist, and composer for television and films. He is recognized today as one of the foremost exponents of a sophisticated style of largely instrumental music that combines elements of lounge music and jazz with Latin...
) – 2:39 - "Kids Watch TV" – 2:03
- "Champagne and Needles" – 2:06
- "Bullseye" – 1:01
- "Harlem NocturneHarlem Nocturne"Harlem Nocturne" is a jazz standard written by Earle Hagen and Dick Rogers in 1939. The song was adopted by bandleader Randy Brooks the next year as his theme song."Harlem Nocturne" has been frequently recorded...
" (Written by Earle HagenEarle HagenEarle Harry Hagen was an American composer who created music for movies and television. He is remembered for co-writing and whistling "The Fishin' Hole", the melody of the main theme to The Andy Griffith Show, the instrumental classic "Harlem Nocturne" used as the theme to television's Mickey...
, performed by EsquivelJuan García EsquivelJuan García Esquivel often simply known as Esquivel!, was a Mexican band leader, pianist, and composer for television and films. He is recognized today as one of the foremost exponents of a sophisticated style of largely instrumental music that combines elements of lounge music and jazz with Latin...
) – 2:30 - "The Millionaire's Holiday" – 2:13
- Tracks 26-29 from The Man from Hollywood:
- "Ted-o-vater" – 0:39
- "Vertigogo (Closing Credits)" – 5:33
- "'D' In The Hallway Credits" – 0:25
- "Torchy" – 0:16
Critical reception
The film did not fare as well with critics as it did with the film's audience, receiving a 14% "Rotten" rating from Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
but a 'fresh' 72% from moviegoers. James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli is an American online film critic.-Personal life:Berardinelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and spent his early childhood in Morristown, New Jersey. At the age of nine years, he relocated to the township of Cherry Hill, New Jersey...
of ReelViews described the film as "one of 1995's major disappointments". Hal Hinson of the Washington Post said the film "asserts itself as a goof so laboriously and aggressively that you almost feel pinned back in your seat". Most reviews agree that "The Misbehavers" the best of the rooms. The film fared better with audiences with a solid 'B-' rating from Box Office Mojo
Box Office Mojo
Box Office Mojo is a website that tracks box office revenue in a systematic, algorithmic way. Brandon Gray started the site in 1999. In 2002, Gray partnered with Sean Saulsbury and they grew the site to nearly two million readers when, in July 2008, the company was purchased by Amazon.com through...
and a 'B' rating from Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
. It has become somewhat of a favorite for fans of Tarantino and Rodriguez alike.
Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
won the 1995 Razzie award for Worst Supporting Actress for her part in "The Missing Ingredient".
The film grossed $4,257,354 in only 319 theaters.