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THE FILM
Back in 1999 David Koepp wrote and directed an adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novel, A Stir of Echoes. Simply titled Stir of Echoes, this Kevin Bacon-led thriller became a modest hit, despite being uncharitably viewed as the lesser half of a Deep Impact/Armageddon duo of conceptually somilar releases alongside the much more successful The Sixth Sense. The two supernatural thrillers share a weaker connection than the asteroid disaster set, but it does make sense to make the connection, even if “kid who can talk to ghosts” is a concept that is found far and wide across the horror canon. Yet being deemed the lower class affair isn’t always a bad thing (and certainly not in the horror genre). While Shyamalan’s breakout hit shocked everyone with its big twist, and garnished Oscar nominations in multiple categories, Stir of Echoes became a sort of counter-programming to the Willis film, finding modest success through word-of-mouth, and ultimately becoming a bit of a cult favorite on home video.
I know this because I used to own the film on VHS … a Blockbuster “previously owned” VHS tape to be precise. Remember those?
In the years since its release, Stir of Echoes has enjoyed a positive reputation, but one which comes with the caveat of “if you’re into that sort of thing.” It’s almost as if it’s understood that the film is well-liked, even if it’s not very good. I carried that notion in my heart for a long time.
But now I say poo poo to that! Having just rewatched the film via its new 4K disc release, I can confidently say that not only is it better than I remember, but it deserves to go down as one of 1999’s great genre entries. No small feat during a year that saw the releases of The Blair Witch Project, Fight Club, and The Sixth Sense. One would suspect that the film loses rewatchability once you know its secrets, but it would seem that the opposite is true. To watch Stir of Echoes a second time is to see how thorough Koepp’s script is in dropping sly hints to its central mystery while also building strong characters through which we can experience the spooky events on display, giving weight to what a lesser movie could’ve easily glossed over while rushing toward a sturdy reveal. Much like The Sixth Sense, it’s the second viewing that highlights the strength of the craft.
Bacon is fantastic here. He plays against type as Tom, a working class man with a pregnant wife Maggie (Kathryn Erbe, who steals the film) and their young son Jake (Zachary David Cope, who gives an all-time great child performance and then never appeared in another movie ever again). Unbeknownst to his parents, Jake can see the dead, and frequently talks to a spirit named Samantha. Then one night while attending a party at the neighbor’s house, Tom allows himself to be hypnotized by his sister in-law (Ileana Douglas, who I miss seeing as often as I used to). She gives him a seemingly bland hypnotic suggestion: be a little more open-minded. But to Tom’s dismay, his mind is opened much further than anyone intended, and before long he’s communicating with the dead as well. Perhaps he can solve the mystery of the young girl who disappeared from town a few months back…
Echoes avoids jump scares, but still employs plenty of quick, grainy cutaways (all the rage in the late ‘90s and early aughts), which gives the film a sense of unease that remains ghoulishly effective a quarter century later. This is all bolstered by an incredible geography that is established across the film’s locations. For the most part it takes place on a single block, and even though we never see the location it at large (and per the commentary, it was an amalgamation of many very different locations), it feels as expressly mappable as Haddonfield did way back in Halloween. There’s a small-town neighborly feel that offers comfort, only to be subverted by the events of the film. If it’s Tom’s burden to be more open-minded, so too it is ours to consider that surface level appearances may not offer a fulsome picture of anyone or anything.
And that, my friends, is how you scare an audience.
THE LOOK
This two-disc package features both a 4K UHD and blu-ray presentation of the film, both of which have it looking more crisp than ever before (certainly more than a used VHS tape!), despite a few notable instances of clipping/artifacts left over from the transfer. It’s a tricky thing, when upgrading an older film, to preserve its initial look while also making a case for the improved visuals. Sometimes they end up doing too much and ultimately rob a film of its character. Other times you wonder if they even upgraded anything at all. For Stir of Echoes, the upgrade works for the most part. Being a generally darker film, it’s nice to see contrast that wasn’t noticeable in previous editions.
THE SOUND
Both discs feature Dolby ATMOS and Digital Surround, which benefits the movie greatly. There are a lot of sound cues hidden in the aural periphery of the film, and you’re not apt to miss any of it!
SPECIAL FEATURES
New features are highlighted in bold. The rest are legacy features that have existed in previous editions. That said, the legacy commentary is a GREAT commentary. Koepp is very informative in exploring the technical and artistic choices he made during production, often relating humorous anecdotes from the set. While it would have been nice to stack the disc with newer commentaries, perhaps from cast members, these days it’s a blessing to get any special features at all.
– Audio Commentary with Director David Koepp
– Visions of the Past: Re-visiting Stir of Echoes (2024 NEW featurette)
– Establishing Shot with Fred Murphy (2024 NEW featurette)
– Flipping the Switch: Directing Stir of Echoes
– Maggie’s Memories: Inside Stir of Echoes
– Opening the Door: Designing Stir of Echoes
– Making of Stir of Echoes
– Sight of Spirits: Channeling the Paranormal
– Behind the Echoes
– The Mind’s Eye: Beneath the Trance
– Special Effects
– Production Design
– Interviews with Cast and Crew
– Behind the Scenes
– Scene Comparisons
– Screen Tests
– Deleted Scenes
– Promotional Materials
– Breathe Original Music Video
– Theatrical Trailer
All in all, the special features add a ton of value to this package. It’s a throwback to a time where all physical media dutifully put forth a wealth of bonus materials, and it took me right back to 1999 to spend an evening perusing what the disc has to offer. Between the new featurettes, the commentary track, and the deleted scenes, it took me multiple evenings to get through it all, and I came out of it feeling like I got a bit of an education. I’m a dweeb, so I love that shit.
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