Two years ago, Eli Roth scored $47 million with Hostel, about three Slovakia-visiting guys tortured by strangers who had paid for the privilege. But he didn't just cement his reputation as one of the hottest young horror directors with the surprise hit — he also scored a free holiday. In Slovakia! ''The tourist board invited me on an all-expenses-paid vacation, to prove that people don't get butchered there,'' says Roth. ''I intend to take them up on it this summer.''

He may have some explaining to do when he gets there. Hostel: Part II once again finds a trio of tourists being lured Slovakia-ward. But this time, the torturees are women, played by Heather Matarazzo, Lauren German, and Bijou Phillips — a gender switch that was advertised at February's New York Comic Con with the unveiling of a poster of Phillips posing nude and holding her own severed head. ''It's very artistic,'' insists the actress. ''But there was a cocktail involved when I decided to do it.''

Roth says Hostel II takes a closer look at those inflicting the torture — and is even gorier, with extra money invested in fake blood for the second go-round. Not that Roth spent that much dough, of course. ''If you combined the budget of Hostel, Hostel II, and Cabin Fever, it would not equal the salary of one star of Ocean's Thirteen,'' he boasts. ''Well, Casey Affleck's, maybe.'' (June 8)

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