Stir of Echoes (1999)

After being hypnotized by his sister-in-law, a man begins seeing haunting visions of a girl's ghost and a mystery begins to unfold around him.

Director:

David Koepp

Writers:

Richard Matheson (novel), David Koepp (screenplay)

Stars:

Kevin Bacon, Zachary David Cope, Kathryn Erbe

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Zachary David Cope	...	Jake
Kevin Bacon	...	Tom
Kathryn Erbe	...	Maggie
Illeana Douglas	...	Lisa
Kevin Dunn	...	Frank
Conor O'Farrell	...	Harry
Lusia Strus	...	Sheila
Stephen Eugene Walker	...	Bobby
Mary Kay Cook	...	Vanessa
Larry Neumann Jr.	...	Lenny
Jennifer Morrison	...	Samantha (as Jenny Morrison)
Richard Cotovsky	...	Neighborhood Man
Steve Rifkin	...	Kurt
Chalon Williams	...	Adam
Liza Weil	...	Debbie the Babysitter

Storyline

A man is hypnotized at a party by his sister-in law. He soon has visions and dreams of a ghost of a girl. Trying to avoid this, nearly pushes him to brink of insanity as the ghost wants something from him - to find out how she died. The only way he can get his life back is finding out the truth behind her death. The more he digs, the more he lets her in, the shocking truth behind her death puts his whole family in danger.

---

Plot Keywords:

disappearance | post hypnotic suggestion | hypnosis | seeing a ghost | hearing voices | 

---

Taglines:

Some doors weren't meant to be opened.

---

Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 September 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Stir of Echoes

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,811,664, 12 September 1999

Gross USA:

$21,142,914

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$21,142,914

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artisan Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kevin Bacon, Illeana Douglas and Kevin Dunn were also in the Jennifer Aniston movie "Picture Perfect" together.

---

Goofs

When Tom breaks the window with a stone a Virgin Mary statue is visible behind it. The glass falls to pieces and the statue collapses to the floor. When the camera comes back to the window, Virgin Mary is still standing there, behind the broken window, as nothing has happened.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Jake Witzky: [to someone] Okay. Guess who came over to play...
[singing]
Jake Witzky: Superheros. I was Black Power Ranger. He was Batman.
Tom Witzky: Jake, you okay in there buddy?
Jake Witzky: I'm okay.
[to whoever else]
Jake Witzky: Can I ask you a question?
Tom Witzky: Okay, time to hit the sack.
[coming into the bathroom]
[...]

---

Alternate Versions

On the DVD director's commentary, David Koepp states that for the home video release, the two scenes where words appear blurred on a theatre screen were blurred even more with digital effects. He states that this is because on video, what the text said was obvious well before it should be known to the audience.

---

Connections

References Bonanza (1959)

---

Soundtracks

Hello
Performed by Poe
Written by Poe, Ronnie Estelle and R.J. Rice
Published by ong/ATV Songs LLC
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp. by arrangement with Warner Special Markets

User Reviews

Had the bad luck it was released right after "The Sixth Sense".

Before 1999 this type of supernatural thrillers/horror didn't really existed. This all changed after the release of "The Sixth Sense". It was an huge hit and the movie was the talk of the year. It launched a totally new genre of movies. Every movie of the same 'type' released after "The Sixth Sense" was considered by everyone lame, unoriginal and a rip-off and a movie to quickly cash in after the success of "The Sixth Sense". "Stir of Echoes" was released only a month after "The Sixth Sense" and people wanted to know nothing of it. Completely unfair, also since I thought that the script was even being written before "The Sixth Sense" was and I also thought that filming completed earlier but yet it was released later in cinemas. Who knows what would have happened to this movie if it was released before "The Sixth Sense...It surely would had been appreciate more than it was now.

I'm glad that the movie by now is finally starting to receive the credit it deserves.

You also have to remember that in 1999 these type of movies were still fresh and new, so everything about it was original. However by todays standards the movie perhaps doesn't really seem that original anymore, since dozens like this sort of movie are being made every year now.

The story is greatly written by David Koepp, who really is one of the best writers in the business. Everything is build up perfectly slowly and mysteriously. You never know what is going to happen next and the movie offers more than enough surprise. In the beginning you really don't know what the movie is going to be about or were its trying to head to. You don't know if its real what is happening or is it just the main character imagining things. It provides the movie with mystery and an uneasy atmosphere.

The movie above all is a supernatural thriller (that also definitely has some similarities by the way with "The Sixth Sense", which also might be a reason why it was received so coolly) but the movie also features some real horror elements. And remember again, this was all quite new and refreshing for 1999 standards. I was actually quite blown away by the movie when I first saw it, which must have been in 2000 or something.

Kevin Bacon is really know for being the biggest Hollywood lead and he normally plays supporting roles, especially before this movie. This movie is perhaps the first one that truly allows Bacon to shine and show his skill as an actor and proof to the world that he can really carry a movie. It was nice and refreshing to see Kathryn Erbe in something different than "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" for a change. She plays such a different character. It shows how good as an actress she actually is.

The movie is well directed by David Koepp himself and he knows how to bring his own story to the screen. The movie further more features some nice special effects, that are used only in the right places. The movie is still definitely much better and more refreshing than most genre movies being released today.

Deserves to become a real genre-classic!

9/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/