Stir of Echoes
In this supernatural thriller, Tom Witzky (Kevin Bacon) is a fairly typical working-class guy living in Chicago with his wife Maggie (Kathryn Erbe) and his son Jake (Zachary David Cope). One night at a party, Tom gets into a lively discussion with his sister-in-law, Lisa (Illeana Douglas), who believes in psychic communication and the power of hypnosis. He challenges Lisa to hypnotize him, and she plants in him a post-hypnotic suggestion to be more open-minded. But the results aren't quite what Lisa or Tom expected; Tom now senses an air of terrible dread throughout his house and is convinced that evil lurks just around the corner. He also sees the spirit of a girl from the neighborhood who disappeared months ago -- and Jake sees the spirit as well. Stir of Echoes was based on a novel by Richard Matheson, whose work inspired such disparate films as Somewhere in Time and The Incredible Shrinking Man; it was written and directed by David Koepp, who wrote the screenplays for Jurassic Park and Mission: Impossible. more..
Director: David Koepp
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Kathryn Erbe, Illeana Douglas, Liza Weil, Kevin Dunn
Stir of Echoes is much more down and dirty (than "The Sixth Sense"), and the thrills are more visceral.
Kevin Bacon stars in one of his best performances.
The economical, fast-paced style and creepy mood are reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone."
A horror movie with a Hitchcockian veneer of the everyday, a story that taps into our fear not only of the paranormal but also of insanity and the secret evil that may lie beneath ordinary lives.
Needs less down-to-earth flavor and more unearthly force.
David Koepp
Gérardmer Film Festival (2000)
Best Movie
International Horror Guild (2000)
National Board of Review (1999)
Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actor Age Ten or Under
Young Artist Awards (2000)
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