Recently, I watched Stephen King’s TV production Rose Red. To me, it seems like a half-baked tale, although I agree with most of my friends that the author was successful in creating a few interesting characters. The miniseries premiered in 2002 in three parts and has since been regarded as one of King’s entertaining works.
The title refers to a grand old mansion that is believed to be haunted. Dr. Joyce Reardon (Nancy Travis), a professor in the psychology department, attempts to enter the creepy old house with the help of a few unusually gifted individuals. She tries to investigate the haunted house, notorious for making people disappear while changing shape and size.
Joyce is on a mission to prove that supernatural occurrences are real by awakening the house that has been vacant for decades. She leads a group of people who possess different forms of psychic power, including Steve, the heir to the estate; Cathy, an automatic writer; Nick, a mind reader; and Annie, a 15-year-old autistic girl with telepathic and telekinetic powers.
As soon as they enter the house, parapsychology teacher Joyce and her companions start experiencing phenomena caused by the house’s dead spirits. While she successfully awakens those who lived in the house for a long time, this ultimately results in the disappearance of her mates.
What is good about Rose Red is that it doesn’t resort to the usual blood and gore to create horror; rather, it keeps things very simple by not explaining the reason behind the disappearances. However, a few things I do not like about the film are the slow development in the first half and a few unconvincing performances. Despite these issues, I would like to commend Kimberly Jean Brown for her acting as Annie.
Rose Red (miniseries)
Written by the well-known horror novelist Stephen King, the story of the miniseries Rose Red is based on a haunted mansion in Seattle, Washington, named Rose Red.
Starring: Nancy Travis, Matt Keeslar, Kimberly J. Brown, David Dukes, Judith Ivey
Directed by Craig R. Baxley
Written by Stephen King
Screenplay by Stephen King
Cinematography David Connell
Release Date/Year: January 27, 2002
Where to watch Rose Red (2002)
