Review – Rose Red

This is Stephen King’s best screen effort since Creepshow, which is saying something considering we’re talking strictly about the small screen. Viewers seeking the cutting edge of horror should probably seek elsewhere; the screenplay is highly derivative of a number of sources ranging from Shirley Jackson and Richard Matheson right down to some of King’s earlier work. But I suppose a little unoriginality is to be expected for just about any haunted house story. Sure they’re clichés, but many of them work. The apparent obligation to make this into a mini-series probably contributed to some trouble with the story’s pacing, including an excess of supporting characters and sub-plots. The two-disc set also includes a fun fakeumentary that puts a Blair Witch spin on the tale. Overall anyone seeking a good ghost story should be able to derive plenty of fun from this lengthy example of the sub-genre. Worth seeing