Every now and again, I see the re-release of a movie on DVD that most people either missed or dismissed at the theatres. In some cases I haven’t a clue as to why any studio would re-release a movie like that, but a good portion of the time, I’m glad they do. “Stir of Echoes” is one of those movies. Originally released into theatres in 1999, “Stir of Echoes” pretty much didn’t stir up anything at the box office. I went to see it, because the premise looked interesting and I think Kevin Bacon often delivers some terrific performances. In this case I was right on both counts. I walked out of the theatre completely unnerved, and yakked about the movie all the way home with my wife. Then it disappeared from theatres before I had the chance to tell everyone I know to go see it. Bacon stars as Tom Witzky, a Chicago bred electrician who finds himself the subject of a party joke when his sister-in-law (Illeana Douglas). Who dabbles in hypnotism talks him into letting her put him under. It works, only a little too well.

After he comes out of the trance, it is obvious that something is a little different about Tom. He starts to have strange little visions that increasingly become worse, and more frightening. They come without warning and at the worst of times. He is pushed further over the edge by the fact that his son often appears to be talking to someone who isn’t there.

“Stir of Echoes” is phenomenally creepy and deserved a bigger audience than it got back in 1999. A subsequent DVD release did a little to help, but now I’m hoping the film will get a new lease on life with a brand new Special Edition from Lion’s Gate. This time around we get more than just a director’s commentary, but also a whole slew of extras (more on this later). I’ve been recommending this move for years because it delivered everything I wanted when I went to see it. Some of the imagery in the film was so scary as to be almost nightmare inducing, and better yet, I couldn’t predict the outcome. More often than not, plot points came up that I didn’t see coming. When that happens and it makes sense to me, it is the mark of a good film.

The film also becomes a bit of a mystery as pieces of a puzzle start to emerge. Slowly but surely, we are given a little bit more of the story, which allows us to do a little of our own detective work in our heads to try and solve it. Good luck if you do, though. The clues are often vague, but when they all come together, it is crystal clear. And though the movie is at times very depressing as well as disturbing, the ending is quite satisfying.

The new DVD comes complete with a brand new transfer that looks and sounds awesome. This definitely enhances the experience of watching the film, especially during the more extreme visions. I mentioned the director’s commentary by David Koepp before, and I have to mention it again here. It is one of the better commentaries I’ve heard lately as he not only delves into a lot of the background of the movie, but he actually takes the time to pick some of it apart, where he might have done something different. You don’t often hear director’s critiquing their own films, but Koepp isn’t at all above that.

As for the special features, there are quite a few. There is an awesome Behind the scenes documentary that runs a little over 20 minutes that focuses on a lot of the making of the film. It includes several interviews with the cast and crew and we learn a little more about author Richard Matheson’s original story. You’ll also find a ten minute featurette that focuses on the subject of hypnotism and how it relates to this movie. Plus there’s even another ten minute look at the idea of ghosts and those who hunt them for study.

Since the movie offers up some very disturbing images, which required a lot of special effects work to create, I found the featurette on the effects to be fulfilling, but at 4 minutes, I would have liked a bit more detail. Along with this is another 4 minute featurette focusing on the film’s production design, and a really cool feature that compares some behind the scenes footage to the final shot in four of the scenes. And as if that wasn’t enough, they studio included 3 deleted scenes, and some screen test shots of some of the character’s makeup in the film. Finally, there’s a music video for the song “Breathe” by Moist.

“Stir of Echoes” was a much underrated movie when it first came out, and I’m hoping it won’t continue to be one with this new DVD release. By the way, I forgot to mention the menu. I love the look of the menu as it stays very much in line with the style of the film. It was almost as creepy and disturbing as the movie itself. The new DVD for “Stir of Echoes” is a keeper on all counts.

Directed by: David Koepp
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Katheryn Erbe, Ileanna Douglas, Kevin Dunn
Extras: Director’s Commentary, “Breathe” Music Video by Moist, Making of Stir of Echoes - Behind the Echoes, The Mind’s Eye - Beneath the Trance, Sight of Sprits - Channeling the Paranormal, Special Effects Featurette, Production Design Featurette, Screen Test Clips, Final Shot Comparisons, Deleted Scenes
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, 6.1 DTS ES Discreet
Studio: Lion’s Gate
Release Date: 8/17/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R (For Violence, Sexuality and Language)
Website

We'll give Stir of Echoes: Special Edition an A.