MovieChat Forums > The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer (2003) Discussion > Enigmas

Enigmas

posted 20 years ago by mellyjc
5 replies | jump to latest

I've skimmed through the comments people left. I can't believe how many complaints there were about this movie, about unanswered questions and lack of horror-ness.

Doesn't anyone like the good old leave-you-thinking movies anymore? I LIKED the fact it wasn't a typical horror movie. It made it more believable, and therefore more scary (or creepy, at least). The fact that questions were left unanswered just added to that touch, in my mind. Seems like the people left clueless just weren't trying. I thought it was easy enough to see the house's personality and preference and why it chose certain people to take. It liked Ellen. It took her daughter out of jealousy. It took women who made Ellen jealous by having affairs with John. And by Rose Red, it was insane.

Sure some scenes went fast and I missed something and I was confused..but I had it figured out by the end of the movie. All a matter of expectations.

[–] actingisfun 20 years ago

I ditto the statements about the house and I found it very easy to understand that the house was attached to Ellen and anything it felt she disapproved of was taken. In the taking of April, it was definately jealousy. You get that from the narration of Ellen writing in her Diary about how the house isn't as important as April, then poof, April is gone. The house's use of an Uncle she loved in Doug Posey was a great twist. The only reaon she followed was to play.

[–] mellyjc 20 years ago

I watched it again with my mother the other night. I caught something new this time; at some point, Ellen said to John, "You never get them for a second time, do you?" That makes it sound like the house took all the women he had affairs with to stop him.. the whole thing about "There will be no more sin in this house!"

[–] PACman66 16 years ago

OH YEAH!!!!!
Well spotted!
I did really like this film (and RR)...

Trust me,
Swan

[–] xaggurat 16 years ago

Doesn't anyone like the good old leave-you-thinking movies anymore? This one didn't leave me thinking, but stinking. It was about as believable as a story about Stephen King writing a good story, as scary as an old and comfy T-shirt, and about 10 times less creepier than pair of socks after a work day.

The house was made of stone. The guy was a horny psychopath and the gals were just hysterical and nuts.

[–] fatalframe80 7 years ago

You must be a lot of fun to watch movies with.

I liked the movie. I have seen better ghost stories but it's not bad.

Rose Red is a combination of The Haunting of Hill House and the Winchester House. Stephen King speaks very highly of The Haunting of Hill House in Danse Macabre and you can certainly see the influences in Rose Red.

Although I think the actors in Rose Red are a bit better. Joyce does psycho very well. Nick (Julian Sands) is great, Emily Deschenal does a wonderful job with such a small part and the guy who plays Steven does very well. I hate the character of Emery but the guy who plays him does so well.

The only two I didn't care for, their characters or the actors, were the automatic writer and the older guy.