
Rose Red - The Ultimate Haunted House

Stephen King has done it again. He keeps providing us with the most amazing fantasy worlds to play in that we could ever imagine. Rose Red is a real work of art. Although it is very similar to The Shining, in that it is a haunted place that somehow possesses people, kills people, drives them insane... it is different enough to be a deeply pleasing adventure.
Starring Kimberly Brown as autistic little Annie, a quiet shy little girl with stunning mental powers, and Nancy Travis as the goal-oriented 'ghost-hunter' who would use her to get what she wanted. I've always loved Nancy, but this movie was different for her. She was a good girl gone slightly bad, blinded by hunger, when she is usually just all good. She did a great job as the professor who would stop at nothing to see her goal, recordable proof of spiritual activity.
There were other great actors and actresses as well, but for me the movie was Kimberly. She was overwhelming as the bashful, shy adorable little girl who didn't talk much but could rain down meteors from the sky in her wrath. Long before the end of disk one she had my heart completely; it was impossible not to fall hopelessly in love with her. Melanie Lynskey was superb and completely perfect as the equally shy and sweet older sister who looks after little Annie. I doubt that either one of these girls could have been replaced by a single person in the world; they made the roles, they made the movie. They were just so right for it.
Rose Red is a mystery. As with most of Stephen King's work, you can feel something missing; that is, the screen cannot provide you with enough and you know you need to read the book to see all that he has for you. There are questions here that maybe are addressed on paper. You see, Rose Red IS ALIVE. For decades the house has been alive, killing since the very beginning. So the house could not possibly be haunted because the blood began to spill as the house was being built. Why? Maybe there's an indian burial ground under it? Who knows. One thing we do know for sure. Rose Red is a killer. It is alive. It grows on its own. If you wander down the wrong hallway, you may wander forever and never ever be seen again. Rooms appear that were never there before. Hallways change shape ansd size. People vanish like smoke in the air, never to be seen or heard from again, leaving no trace. 'Sleeping' for decades, a professor has decided to assemble a team of gifted people with wonderous powers to see if she can wake it back up and get proof of haunting. A bold and daring (and crazy) idea; generally when the demons go to sleep, you thank God, you don't go kick them in the head. This movie points out clearly a very good saying that we have : Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it.
Rose Red was never sleeping; it was just waiting. Waiting for someone like Annie to come visit. Her dad says : "...taking Annie there? That's like checking to see if your gas tank is full, with a cigarette lighter." The nightmare begins immediately and never stops until the end.
Sadly, David Dukes, the wicked professor / enemy of the team did not complete his role in the movie. After a game of tennis during shooting, he had a massive heart attack and died. A stuntman used a mask to finish his scenes and the movie is in his memory. Rose Red took one of them for real.
Rose Red is a masterpiece. If you like Stephen King, you will love Rose Red. Just don't go there alone.
Review ID: 10000000012635542

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