By the time 1999 had hit the originality and quality of Horror cinema was slowly becoming a thing of the past. Sure, you had big films like Stigmata, The Blair Witch Project, and The Sixth Sense that year, but these were only a select few decent offerings. Altogether, the Horror genre had become more glossy and tamer than ever before.
A trend that would continue into the early 2000s with remakes galore and popularization of Teen Drama Horror, there was one film to emerge right before the new millennium that stood out ahead of the crowd, and it was Stir of Echoes. Released on September 10, 1999, much like many other decent Horror films, Stir of Echoes was inspired by literature. Based on Richard Matheson’s 1958 novel A Stir of Echoes, David Koepp (writer of films like 1993’s Jurassic Park and Carlito’s Way) based his story in a more modern setting and had a solid cast to work with, including leading man Kevin Bacon, plus supporting cast such as Kathryn Erbe (Law & Order: Criminal Intent series, Oz series), the award-winning Illeana Douglas, accomplished veteran Kevin Dunn, and a then unknown Jennifer Morrison (who would go onto make a big splash as Emma Swan in ABC’s Once Upon a Time).
All playing key parts in Stir of Echoes, the plot itself is something nightmares are made of. In short, you move into a house; however, that house has something haunting within the walls beyond your imagination. What some may call a simple ghost story, what separates Stir of Echoes from other films of this style that followed (2000’s What Lies Beneath or 2001’s The Others) is its exceptional pace.
Many times, stories about house hauntings tend to move slowly, but Stir of Echoes has a rhythm to it that picks up from the moment Kevin Bacon’s Tom Witzky awakens from hypnosis, aware of elements the average person is not. Now, Witzky is in a race against time to discover the insidious truth before it tears him and his family apart.
Simply good writing where you hang on each moment wondering what the outcome will be; sadly, Stir of Echoes’ true potential was never realized at the box office because of mega hits in the genre earlier that year like The Sixth Sense and The Blair Witch Project. Arguably a superior film to both of those, Stir of Echoes still managed to stay in the top ten of films at the box office for three weeks… so someone was paying attention.
Beyond everything else, there was also something rather enticing about the film’s Alternative Rock soundtrack, which plays an intriguing part in the mood. You had moments where you could hear Dishwalla’s 1998 track “Stay Awake” clearly in a scene, and of course, who can forget the usage of The Rolling Stones’ 1966 classic “Paint It Black.” The latter is a track that is woven into the fabric Stir of Echoes; what was really effective is that they optioned to use a heavier Punk Rock rendition of “Paint It Black” performed by Canada’s Gob.
Factors that made Stir of Echoes stand out during an era of generic Horror films made its way to VHS and DVD in the early 2000, a Special Edition DVD in 2004, before Blu-ray in 2006. Now, many years later, in 2024, Stir of Echoes arrives in 4K Ultra HD. Initiated to honor the film’s 25th anniversary, the 4K Ultra HD 2-disc set is packaged in a limited edition Steelbook… it could be the best home media option of Stir of Echoes ever pressed.
Released on December 10th through Lionsgate, before anything else, you get the film in absolutely pristine 4K. More clarified than you will remember, the colors are richer, and these aspects certainly amp up the mood. With that, you also get a load of extra features such as interviews, deleted scenes, and two brand new featurettes: Re-visiting Stir of Echoes and Establishing Shot with Fred Murphy. Well worth the time if you are someone who loves this film; bring everything together is the absolutely stunning Steelbook with a slipcover. Featuring newly commissioned art, normally nothing beats an original theatrical poster, but the holographic image of Bacon’s Tom Witzky eyes opening and closing with Morrison’s Samantha Kozac lurking behind is stunning.
Overall, Lionsgate did a superb job of putting together a well-deserved 4K Collector’s Edition for Stir of Echoes. Giving the film the attention it deserves, this is a must-have for fans or someone who may have missed it over the last twenty-five years… because Cryptic Rock gives this release 5 out of 5 stars.
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