New Rose Hotel

Set in a crime driven near future, New Rose Hotel follows a ruthless corporate raider and his loyal fixer as they pursue a brilliant scientist coveted by a powerful employer. Their plan hinges on manipulating a glamorous chanteuse who can bend the scientist's routines and loyalties. The scheming duo weave experiments in manipulation and surveillance, weaving a web of secrets around the man and his family. The scientist tries to resist, but a world of debt, glamour, and hidden agendas closes in. The film keeps its distance, letting mood, atmosphere and sleek technology carry the tension rather than loud action. Ferrara shapes a chilly, stylish thriller that probes trust, identity, and power in a city where alliances shift with money.

Released in 1999, the film was directed by Abel Ferrara and adapts William Gibson's New Rose Hotel story co authored with Christ Zois. It stars Christopher Walken and Willem Dafoe.

It has earned a modest cult following among fans of Ferrara's late 1990s work and cyberpunk cinema. Walken and Dafoe deliver cool, controlled performances that enhance the film's sterile neon mood and fascination with corporate control. The look recalls urban fable and noir studies, giving the story a lasting, if niche, resonance.

Reception highlighted the film's cool distance and stylish design, with recurring themes about power politics, the commodification of genius, and how trust dissolves under corporate pressure. Some critics praised Ferrara's restraint, his ability to let atmosphere carry the story, while others missed sharper resolutions. The result is a deliberate, techno noir that invites interpretation rather than easy answers, and it asks how far people will bend for money when loyalty means little.

Awards: There are no major nominations on record for this film. It remains a niche title that attracts attention from cyberpunk and Ferrara fans rather than mainstream awards. Over the years it has become a talking point for how Ferrara handles adaptation and mood, with Walken and Dafoe singled out for delivering the film's cool, controlled energy.