On night 29 of my October horror marathon, I take a step into the world of Stephen King. Friends, it’s time to dive into the horror of “Rose Red”. Since I can remember I’ve always loved horror movies and this was one of the first that I experienced with my mom! A haunting tale that scores a solid 8.5/10 on the scare scale.
Let’s Dive In
Rose Red tells the tale Dr. Joyce Reardon, a professor at the local university who is putting together a team of psychics to study the halls of the Rose Red mansion.
The team includes:
Nick
Pam
Victor
Emery
Rachel “Sister”
Cathy
Steve
Annie
Is bringing together a group of psychics the best idea though? No, of course not. But, we’ll get to why in a sec.
A quick note for the readers, the mansion was built by the Rimbauer family, led by Ellen and John, back in the early 1900s. Steve, who’s part of the group of psychics, is the last descendant and knows the horror that they’re walking into. Despite his warnings, Dr. Joyce proceeds with the mission.
The Mansion
As the team arrives at Rose Red, the terror instantly starts to unfold. Exploring the mansion, they make their way to the “healing room” behind the kitchen. Here they find the cell phone of Kevin Bollinger, a student reporter for the college, and later discover his camera in the glass floor library. Kevin was sent to the house by Dr. Carl Miller whose ultimate goal is to ruin the life of Joyce. Clearly, this plan instantly fails.
One by one, night after night, the team starts to die off. They’re welcomed with open arms by Ellen Rimbauer and her maid, Sukeena, who, may I add, is creepy as hell. Their mission is to continue the work of the mansion and they’ll stop at nothing until they’re plan is complete. Much like the Winchester Mystery House in California!
What Happens to the Team?
If you recall, I mentioned earlier that it wasn’t the smartest idea for a group of psychics to bring Rose Red back to life. In fact, that’s the worst thing that they could’ve done. But, all of that trickles back to one individual whose world is more important than anyone else’s, Joyce. She literally is the worst human, comparable to Peter from The Haunting of Bly Manor. She very well understands what’s to happen to the team and she doesn’t seem to care. All she wants is to prove that Rose Red is haunted and her obsession with Ellen Rimbauer drives her goal.
Traveling throughout the mansion the team notices that it continues to change itself. Literally, more rooms than there were five minutes prior, a wall that wasn’t there, a three-story mansion turning into eighty stories, and so on. It’s confusing and frightening, especially when the ghosts come out to snatch each member when least expected.
Now, I won’t say who lives and who dies on the team to avoid spoilers but I will say this. There are rules that must be followed when it comes to Rose Red and if you don’t follow them, there’s a good chance you’ll be dead.
- NEVER venture off alone.
- Always assume you’re being watched because, well, you are.
- Remember that Joyce is the worst.
- Repeat 1-3.
Again, understanding these rules is CRUCIAL to one’s survival and only some of the team did just that.
A Must Watch – Hulu
This TV movie that came out in the 90s is one of if not the greatest horror movies I’ve ever seen and that’s saying something. The acting, the mansion, the story, and everything in between make this a must-watch this Halloween season. If you’re into horror that takes place in an old mansion, this is the show for you.
Hermantown boy living in the desert.