Le journal d'Ellen Rimbauer

I have certainly seen bigger budgeted movies in the genre far worse than this effort, it is competently acted, has some nice visual touches, and the director knows how to best utilise the monolithic house. That said, without genuine suspense it is hard to succeed in the genre, so without a fearful story as well it has little to no chance of making it. The crux of the matter is that the story really isn't that interesting, we have seen and read about this plot on numerous occasions, so for a TV movie to win you round it really is asking way too much. Basic ingredients are all here, creepy house, pretty wife confused, servant with big role to play, and of course the genre staple of sexual deviant husband with dark overtones. The film moves along sedately which is fine if the pay off is worth the wait, sadly it isn't here and it limps over the finish line instead of leaping over as the build up had promised.

Just below average for me, but a gentle round of applause for effort to those involved, 4/10.

The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer was supposed to be the prequel to answer some of the questions about Rose Red's history from last years mini-series. Instead, it seems like Rose Red answers more questions about The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer. The story and acting were well done and pretty easy to follow. To say the least, it does keep your interest. It starts out with the building of Rose Red and how there was a nurder the day the a young and engaged Ellen Rimbauer first lays eyes on the place. The Diary of ER was entertaining, it still left a few unanswered questions and a wanting for more. My first and perhaps biggest complaint was the fact the place and the atmosphere seemed foreboding and dark, there was not as much a supernatural element to it as Rose Red. People disappeared in it, but if I recall correctly one was a famous lady who disappeared. Instead we get to see the horrors of how much a philandering, sex addicted and possibly sypohilis infected bastard John Rimbauer was and how everybody he slept with then disappeared in the house. He was basically the worst seen being in the Rose Red mansion. The movie also came up short in that it stopped before Ellen and her faithful friend from Africa also disappeared or had something happen to them in the house. There was not the horror or even suspense element that had been in Rose Red.The house's history had been made somehow less scary than what it had been in the subsequent movie that followed it. Like, I said the movie was decent, but it left you wanting more of everything. It was lacking in detail and horror. It was a decent movie about a mysterious place and the sadness suffered by a women with a sex addicted and philandering husband but little else. A little more hooror and suspense, not to mention detail would have been nice.

How did Ellen Rimbauer end up haunting the Rose Red mansion?

At the turn of the 20th century an oil baron builds a huge mansion for his new bride. But what secrets lie in its creation and what terrors are await the young woman as she lives out her life in Rose Red?

Although included in the Stephen King Collection the story is actually written by Ridley Pearson for both printed and broadcast media. Technically, the film is based on the characters created by Stephen King.

The shorter format, just 85 minutes, allows the story to move more fluidly but as a result perhaps more is left to the audience to decipher. The purpose and motive of Rose Red are there, if you look hard enough. It is a direct prequel of Rose Red, both as an explanation for/of the research by Professor Reardon and the actual events many years before.

Things to look out for: wonderful sets and atmosphere, a house playing with the minds of those around them, understated (as required) performance of Lisa Brenner

Rating: interesting to those that have seen Rose Red, ok.

I wasn't aware that Stephen Kings Rose Red (2002) had a prequel, upon finding out I was quite excited as the potential was really quite good.

Sadly this was not penned by Stephen King at all which I find to be a really strange decision.

It tells the story of Rose Reds construction and how it came to be. The setting, the cinematography, the writing is all quite good but feels forced.

I enjoyed Rose Red, though I don't think it was exactly ground breaking it did manage to accomplish what it set out to do. I don't think however that this does.

Though it tells a great story it gradually falls apart and when the credits rolled I was left with a frustrating number of unanswered questions.

I think perhaps it could have done with an additional 30-60 minutes to flesh it out, in it's present state it is passable but very underwhelming.

The Good:

Couple of great moments

Looks great

The Bad:

Few plot holes

Too short

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

I'm anti-remakes/reboots but this and Rose Red could perhaps be considered

This definitely qualifies as one of them. Twice as good as the mini-series, and only one-third the length! Good period detail. Suitably creepy all the way through. I give it four stars, to the original's two-and-a-quarter!