User reviews

I've recently seen this movie again after at least 15 years. The first time it scared me a lot, probably for the weird look in Ivy's eyes and the screaming scenes...

Keep in mind that reincarnation was not a very common subject at the time, and I took it just as many other people, as a poor Exorcist copy. Now, knowing a lot more on the subject, I think it was not too bad given the time it was filmed. The hipnotic regression scene is well done, even though the ending probably can't happen in real life after a regression to a past life.

It was great also watching a young Anthony Hopkins in such role. As always, he convinces you of what he is feeling, and the movie, not being excellent, keeps you interested.

I gave it a 6, considering the good original screenplay (for 1977), and the performances of Anthony Hopkins and Marsha Mason. I must say she seems a little "too dramatic", but that was her style.

If you like Anthony Hopkins and you want to watch a good old thriller, you must see "Magic" too.

"Audrey Rose" is a strange little tale of reincarnation. The story centers around a Janice (Marsha Mason) and Bill (John Beck) Templeton, a New York city couple who have a wonderful daughter named Ivy. Their lives are fairly normal, that is until a stranger (Anthony Hopkins) begins to stalk Ivy, claiming that within her body is the reincarnated spirit of his daughter, Audrey Rose, who burned to death in a horrible car accident. Of course, the Templetons think this stranger, named Elliot, is a madman. But when Ivy begins having horrible nightmares, running through her room, and banging on her bedroom window with her fists, they begin to wonder if Elliot's claims may just be true...

From the director of the horror classic, "The Haunting", Robert Wise, comes this bizarre but spooky little tale of reincarnation. The story is based on Frank DeFelitta's novel of the same name, and the plot is interesting. Reincarnation was a topic that hadn't really been addressed at the time, but while this film is constructed all around the basic idea of reincarnation, many people have mistaken it for some sort of "Exorcist" rip-off, mainly because of the fact that it displays horrible events plaguing a young girl. It's an intelligent premise and a well-written plot, but the problem with the film is that it is quite plodding and almost too slow for it's own good.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with slow-going stories, but I think most people can agree that the pacing here is a little tedious at times. On the plus side, there are some genuinely frightening hysteria sequences involving the young Ivy, along with the awful car crash death in the beginning that is the basis of the film. As far as the acting goes, it was all good - some of the hysteria scenes were obviously overacted, but aside from that it wasn't bad. Marsha Mason conveys a very emotional, frantic mother, while John Beck isn't given much to work with. The brilliant Anthony Hopkins plays Elliot (in one of his earlier roles, before "The Silence Of The Lambs" fame that he earned later in his career) quite well, which isn't surprising because he's always good. And Susan Swift (who much later appeared in a "Halloween" sequel), plays the tormented Ivy. I'm surprised we didn't see more of her as an actress, she seems to have had the potential.

To sum things up, "Audrey Rose" is a decent horror movie. The storyline is excellent, but unfortunately the pacing here breaks a lot of tension. On the plus side, there are some frightening scenes and a few memorable sequences, plus the story is intelligent and original. While it's a decent horror movie, it's not the kind of movie you can sit down and watch if you're in a tired mood, because it will likely bore you. Go into it with an open mind, but don't expect anything in terms of "The Haunting" or Wise's other films. 6/10.

In New York, Janice Templeton (Marsha Mason) is happily married with the executive Bill Templeton (John Beck) and they live in a comfortable and fancy apartment with their eleven year-old daughter Ivy (Susan Swift).

One day, Janice is stalked by a weirdo and she tells her husband. Soon the stranger contacts them and invites the couple to meet him in a restaurant. Elliot Hoover (Anthony Hopkins) tells to Janice and Bill that his daughter Audrey Rose died eleven years ago burned in a car crash and her soul would have reincarnated in Ivy's body. Bill and Janice believe that Elliot is nuts and Bill tells his lawyer to get a restraining order against Elliot.

However, Ivy has dreadful nightmares and only Elliot is capable to calm her down. When Elliot abducts Ivy, Bill and Janice go to the court to arrest him. But Elliot wants to prove that Ivy and Audrey Rose are the same soul.

When I saw "Audrey Rose" in the 70's, I found it a great film of reincarnation. I have just seen it again on DVD and this time I found it a reasonable film only with a flawed screenplay. Maybe the film is dated, with the present behavior of people.

The unstable Janice Templeton, performed by Marsha Mason, is an inconsistent and irritating character. Her attitudes are ridiculous and she never supports her husband, even in court when she is summoned to testify. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "As Duas Vidas de Audrey Rose" ("The Two Lives of Audrey Rose")

Elliot Hoover (Anthony Hopkins) believes that 11-year-old schoolgirl Ivy Templeton (Susan Swift) is the reincarnation of his daughter, who was burnt alive in a car wreck. Is he a nutter? Ivy's parents (Marsha Mason and John Beck) think so… at first.

IMDb categorises Audrey Rose as horror, and the film is listed in my trusty Aurum Encyclopedia of Horror, but it's not in the least bit scary, shocking, or disturbing: the only freaky thing about the whole film is the titular character's 'Crazy Frog' expression, all bug eyes and manic grin. Rather than a sense of fear, all I felt was irritation every time the girl cried, whimpered or screamed, or gave the camera one of her unconvincing smiles or vacant looks of bewilderment.

As if Swift's performance wasn't grating enough, the rest of the cast seem to do their utmost to compete: John Beck's character is a total asshole, Mason's histrionics are hard to bear, and Anthony Hopkins adds to the overall annoyance with his repetitious calling of his little girl's name in an attempt to soothe her. Audrey Rose! Audrey Rose! Audrey F**ing Rose! Aaaaarrrggggh! Put a sock in it, Hopkins!

The final straws that broke this camel's back were the dull 'made-for-TV movie-of-the-week' direction and the choppy editing, the film jumping awkwardly from one scene to another. All told, this is a weak effort, horror or not!

Robert Wise may have directed "West Side Story" and "The Sound of Music." But he has done a fair share of horror films and thrillers, including "The Curse of the Cat People," "The Day The Earth Stood Still," but most notably, "The Haunting." However, hardly anybody seems to remember a 1977 film called "Audrey Rose." It is another film from the famed director that, in my eyes, is very memorable and atmospheric.

Janice and Bill Templeton are leading a very happy marriage with their daughter, Ivy. The last thing they want is a strange man by the name of Elliot Hoover stalking them. Worst of all, he sets his eye on Ivy. Soon enough, they are able to talk to Hoover. He explains that his wife and daughter, Audrey Rose, died in a horrible car accident, and that his daughter may have crossed over into Ivy. Of course, Janice and Bill dismiss Hoover as a lunatic. But that's when Ivy begins to exhibit strange behavior. Could Hoover be correct? Is Ivy really the reincarnation of Audrey Rose?

Now, when "Audrey Rose" first came out in 1977, it was subject to mixed reviews, mostly because it was seen as a horror film, and I can understand why. It was released a few years after "The Exorcist," when horror films were becoming more modern and faith was being challenged. But I don't see "Audrey Rose" as a horror film. Instead, I perceive it as a supernatural thriller with a touch of family drama. And it's a very good one.

Based on the novel by Frank De Felitta, creator of "The Entity" and director of "Dark Night of the Scarecrow," "Audrey Rose" is a nifty thriller for three reasons.

First, Robert Wise gives superb direction. He registers the exact amount of passion that he had for "The Haunting" and he has chosen an effective story that challenges the beliefs of the viewer. Do we choose to believe Hoover in that his daughter has come back in the form of Ivy? Or is Ivy simply an ill child in need of psychiatric help? It is a great story.

Second, the acting is quite good. Anthony Hopkins and John Beck give very nice performances as Hoover and Bill. The wide-eyed newcomer Susan Swift is especially believable in the scenes in which Ivy shows off the nightmarish behavior of Hoover's dead daughter. But I, and many other people who have seen the movie, feel that the greatest performance belongs to Marsha Mason, star of "The Goodbye Girl," as Janice. Once Audrey Rose takes over Ivy, Janice's fear of losing her daughter shows and Mason's acting intensifies as the movie goes on.

Third, the film has a tremendous atmosphere. The scenes of rain pattering on the windows as Ivy screams for her daddy are incredibly creepy, and so are the scenes at Ivy's school and inside the banal hospital.

There are plenty of movies about possession and bad seeds, but a reincarnation thriller is very uncommon. "Audrey Rose" may be a little long, but it is a super-effective supernatural thriller that is very creepy. It will leave you with questions, and raise ideas about reincarnation. Robert Wise has given us a thriller to remember.

This movie absolutely terrified me. I watched it alone one night and that was a very big mistake. I almost wet myself. I literally turned the lights in the house on about half-way through the movie. I love a good scare, but this was a little much for me. Things kinda settled down by the ending. Thank God.

This film shows an insight to something that could very well be true. Although I don't believe in reincarnation, this movie made me wonder. But, I still don't believe in it. It was good to see Anthony Hopkins as a younger man again. When I first saw him, I didn't know who he was. I was shocked when I finally realized who he was. Marsha Mason and John Beck play the parents of their daughter Ivy (Susan Swift) who is having night-time terrors of reminiscing about a life she never lived.

See this movie if you are horror buff, see it even if you aren't. You will be absolutely horrified. AUDREY ROSE: 5/5.

This film proved to be far better than anticipated. I believe it is not really a Horror movie, as modern moviegoers have come to expect. Marsha Mason tends to overact in a number of scenes, but at the conclusion I found her performance to be Award worthy. The actress who played the young girl was outstanding. She possesses a maturity beyond her years (in much the same way as Dakota Fanning). This movie was on late and I was about to switch off the television. I am pleased I watched it right through. It is not Anthony Hopkins best work by any means, but it was still very good and no doubt would have been responsible for future casting. A very satisfying watch and definitely thought-provoking. The tension is not as tight as one would expect and for fans of the gore-fest, it will disappoint.

Anthony Hopkins stars in this supernatural piece but it's certainly not a notable moment of his career.

It tells the story of a happy couple and their young daughter who come across a man who believes their daughter is the reincarnated spirit of his late daughter. Interesting concept, but it doesn't really go anywhere.

Also starring Marsha "Drop Dead Fred" Mason it's a slow burning tale full of unlikable characters, overacting and a dreadful child actress who thankfully stopped acting in 1995.

At no point did I care about the characters plight or care to know the outcome of the movies great mystery. It's just so un-engaging it's a tribute to my steadfast belief that you have to watch a movie all the way through if you have a right to criticize it.

Audrey Rose is a rare miss for Hopkins and a tiresome bore.

The Good:

Erm....

The Bad:

Susan Swift

Ultimately goes nowhere

I like Robert Wise movies and I think he was a brilliant stylist who could always be counted on to express the zeitgeist of the age. This film, however, is a serious misfire on his part. Its basic (and only) premise is to treat the possibility of reincarnation as something dramatic, shocking and even potentially scary. Even admitting reincarnation does exists, the heroine's story doesn't make a whit of sense on any level or plane of reality you can name. In this film, reincarnation is just another disease of the week used to justify a soap opera where Marsha Mason can shed as many Oscar-baiting tears as she wants, act all motherly, irrationally change her mind every five minutes while crumpling her handkerchief and filling the screen with the sound of mucus. Whereas Anthony Hopkins is a compelling presence stating an interesting case in an interesting way, John Beck, as Ivy's biological father, is clearly a studmuffin-with-buns-of steel-of-the-month actor whose part demands nothing more than the ability to look tough, use his fists occasionally and remain an uncompromising and uncomprehending lantern-jawed heel from beginning to end. The film starts with a stomach-churning idyllic exposition of what a fun place Manhattan can be for families who have no money worries and whose bread winner exercises an unidentified profession that vaguely has something to do with advertising. The Templetons live in the bosom of luxury with their pampered and obnoxious daughter, in the apex of gracious living quarters, in an era when burnt orange, brown, beige and dark oak were considered an acceptable colour scheme and off-white neo-colonial plush furniture was considered the epitome of good taste. That itself is scarier than anything else the script can come up with. Historical note: the mixture of horror scenes and a trial setting could have given interesting results if one is to judge by the recent "Exorcism of Emily Rose" (very good film but no relation, unfortunately), but in this film it just adds another layer of absurdity to the proceedings. Robert Wise has always been able to absorb the spirit of his times without being subservient to it (e.g.: Eleanor's car trip and the spiral staircase scene in "The Haunting" are an homage to the same scenes in Hitchcock's "Psycho" and "Vertigo" respectively, while remaining personal); but in this film, one senses a willingness to compete with the memory of "Rosemary's Baby", "The Exorcist" and "Don't Look Back" as well as the impossibility to do so because the underlying material and the reason to care are simply absent. I for one was thankful to stop hearing the little brat whine at the end of the film. But the thing that dates the movie the most and definitely relegates it to the putrid pile of 70's "new age crap" is the fact that, nowadays, the person who would be put on trial for murder is the irresponsible hypnotist quack whose work we are asked to respect and take seriously.

I saw the movie last night, and I have to say that I was shocked by the poorness of the plot, the bad acting and the absence of the director touch; the producers tried to get a good hit with a really low budget, and it would be interesting to know how the film did in 1977.

The movie is full of awkward scenes: the girl screams and runs into thing, and the parents just look at her and run to the phone; the tribunal scenes are going nowhere.

M. Mason is overacting beyond any limits and, poor woman, she has to support over her shoulders one of the worst scripts ever: A. Hopkins seems lost and the actor playing the role of the father is useless (and have a very bad written character). I guess she thought she would film the new Exorcist, and she found herself in a low level exploitation of that trend.

Watch The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, and The Omen series. They are way better directed and have a strong script. And they are much scarier and leave you with a sense of unease that lasts.

The only interesting scene, and there you see the director's touch, is when the little girl has a crisis and runs all over the house followed by the mother: everything is filmed from behind a window, and you can only hear the noise of the rain. Too bad the scene is then ruined at the next take.

A stranger (Anthony Hopkins) attempts to convince a happily married couple that their daughter (Susan Swift) is actually his daughter reincarnated.

The film mixes horror and religion, but the typical Catholic religion of the horror tradition. Here it is Hinduism, with all the good and bad that can come of reincarnation. The movie even uses a quotation from the Bhagavad-Gita: "There is no end. For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does it ever cease to be. It is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval." This very much sums up the tone of the film.

The film has been called a ripoff of "The Exorcist", and given it is the story of a girl in the 1970s who may have the spirit / soul of another inside her, that may be a fair assessment. New York Times critic Vincent Canby went through every effort to draw parallels between the two.

In contrast, English professor Adrian Schober wrote that the film "is more a reaction to and reworking of The Exorcist than a 'rip-off', minus the sensationalism, special effects and vulgarity." This is more fair, because for those not watching the film in the 1970s, it may not be obvious how much this film could be compared to the "Exorcist".

Comparisons aside, we get some good acting from Susan Swift, especially in the third act. This was her debut performance, and she has only acted sporadically since. Horror fans may know her from "Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers", where she played Mary. Mark Hasan writes that the film "remains a fine example of horror conveyed through emotion, circumstance and atmosphere instead of visual and aural pyrotechnics."

Unfortunately, the best home release available right now (2015) is from Twilight Time. Their Blu-ray is limited to only 3000 copies, which has the side effect of driving the price way up. Good luck finding one new for under $40, which is out of the price range for most fans (especially when it can be seen for free on Netflix).

The only thing worthwhile about this embarrassment is the opening 20 seconds or so. Very moody, intriguing, even brave.

Everything after that is hopeless. Clearly aping The Exorcist (Marsha Mason isn't fit to drink from Ellen Burstyn's shoe), the film ends up being a weird hash of TV movie and student film... even Marsha Mason bashed it one year after it came out (!). Really, Wise must've been directing this from the catering truck or something.

A few things that had me almost hating this ting from the opening credits (none are spoilers). Everyone is smiling so hard their faces will break, even when doing something no real person would smile during.... like being alone in a dark room. Ear to ear smile in a home dark room looking at the 10000000th shot of your kid? No. When the girl is handed a single balloon by her dad in the park she practically explodes with glee, running around like a person with some sort of a problem. All of this serves to fulfill a dreadful movie cliche: all of these people are soon to be miserable so let's see the counterpoint. Look how far they've fallen. It's on the level of junior high emotional appeal...

Then, mom waits outside her daughter's school door. The instant the bell rings - in fact I believe the ringing overlaps this - kids begin pouring out of the doors. That's not how it works. Kids don't line up against the door looking at their parents through the glass waiting for a bell that allows them to open the door.

That's the kind of movie this is.

Finally, the worst part. Cinematography. Some of the ugliest, phoniest garbage I have ever seen outside of 1970s network tv shows. Any sequence in the apartment is utterly hideous, with light glaring off actors' cheeks and coming from all directions. Nobody's house interior ever looked like this.

Oh. I spent a good stretch of the film with the subtitles on and sound muted because the girl's performance has got to be one of the most annoying things I've ever heard. See this and tell me you aren't moved into any other emotion than annoyance at all the whining.

Flabbergastingly awful.

I only wrote this review bec so many seem to be lukewarm about it.

Ivy is an eleven year old daughter of Janice and Bill Templeton.Janice and Bill both begin noticing a mysterious bearded stranger lurking about,who seems to have an unusual interest in young Ivy.As things slowly begin to unravel,Ivy is plagued by a recurring series of nightmares that seem to occur every year near her birthday.When Elliot the stranger appears he believes their child to be the reincarnated soul of his dead daughter Audrey Rose,who died in auto accident only moments before Ivy was born.Mildly creepy horror flick heavy on drama.The first half-hour is done well,but it is the drawn out middle portion that kills the tension.Still the acting is splendid with young Anthony Hopkins giving excellent performance as a nervous Elliot.The nightmare scenes of Ivy are pretty eerie and disturbing.Despite few stylish set-pieces and competent direction "Audrey Rose" suffers from a general lack of suspense.7 out of 10.

I remember seeing this movie in 1979 on television and being pretty rather freaked out by it then, but I was a kid, so I recently rented it and found it to just as disturbing and actually very sad, too. I think the actress playing Ivy/Audrey, Susan Swift, turned in a VERY good performance as the tormented child. I'm not quite sure what another reviewer on here is even referring to about being "whiny" at all. An Marsha Mason's empathetic performance is enough to bring you into the insanity of the situation she's forced into. No surprise that Anthony Hopkins is also incredibly good in this film as the mourning father of Audrey Rose. I do find it interesting how similarly the movie deals with a possessed daughter and distraught mother as "The Exorcist" did, albeit with much less violence and gore.

A fine movie centering on a mysterious stranger , Anthony Hopkins , attempts to convince a happy marriage , Marsha Mason , John Beck that their daughter , Susan Swift , has been reincarnated , cementing the fears of the unsettling mother and indeference of the incredulous father . Parents of the young girl are terrified when their small child is having dreadful dreams. The nightmares go on suggesting that none other than Lucifer could be at work . Ultimately , the story contains a staggering misjudged final . And a moving trial at the Criminal Court with a defender lawyer : Robert Walden , a state prosecutor : John Hillerman and an accused Man: Anthony Hopkins .

This one deals with thorny subject of reencarnation , but not one in the long line of demonic kiddie pic , though some critics have considered this one as a slow-moving take-off on The Exorcist . This is a very impressive , and sober-minded film in medium budget with adequate interpretations . Terrific acting by Anthony Hopkins as the widower persuades Mason and Beck that their daughter may be his dead child who died by a car crash and nowadays returning to life. Very good cast is hampered by slow-moving and some boring filmmaking , adding a tense and suspenseful musical score by Michael Small, as well as an atmospheric cinematography . The movie is notable for giving a strikingly sober portrait of the incompatibilities of marriage and especially focusing on the emocional plight of the paranormal malarkey , however, packing a weak staged ending . Adapted by writer Frank De Felitta from his best seller novel .

The picture was well made by Robert Wise giving a hard-hitting direction . This American filmmaker whose work became more variable as his career progressed , generally at his best with sinister issues or small-scale . His break as a filmmaker came when producer Val Lewton hired him for The Curse of the Cat People . His best films are rightly clustered in the ten years that followed from 1944-1953 as The Body Snatchers , furthermore Born To Kill , Blood on the Moon and The House on Telegraph Hill . But the best movie from this top-notch period is The Set-Up with a typically gritty interpretation from Robert Ryan. Subsequently, he made a movie that triggered the revival of Science Fiction genre : The Day the Earth Stood Still . After that , he directed two flag-waving WWII films : Destination Gobi and The Desert Rats about the African campaign . The known drama I Want To Live ¡ won an Academy Award for Susan Hayward . The successful and superb ghost story : The Haunting considered to be a terror Cult Movie. And the extremely Oscarized West Side Story and The Sound of Music and the really spectacular The Sand Pebbles , The Hindenburg , Star Trek the Motion Picture , and the intelligent Sci-Fi movie : The Andromeda Strain , among others.

I don't know if the prestigious director Robert Wise wanted to make a thriller with this story of a young girl who happens to be the reincarnation of another girl (Audrey Rose) who died the same day that she was born. I've said that I don't know if he wanted to make a thriller 'cause the fact is that the movie is so boring, so slow and so reiterative. The way it ends it looks more like a propagandist manifesto in favor of the Oriental philosophies, the "karma" and all that stuff I couldn't care less about. Besides, the actors are not that brilliant and it's one of the poorest works of Anthony Hopkins (as far as I remember).

In short: a movie without any real attractions.

*My rate: 4/10