Stir of Echoes [Blu-ray]

Director: David Koepp David Koepp

Overview

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.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/29/2006
UPC:	0012236203476
Original Release:	1999
Rating:	R
Source:	LIONSGATE - 600000-AEC LGE
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround EX, Digital Theater Systems]
Language:	English
Time:	1:34:00
Sales rank:	16,915

Special Features

1080p high definition; 16x9 widescreen version; Dts HD high resolution ES audio; 5.1 Dolby digital surround EX audio; English and Spanish subtitles; Audio commentary with director, David Koepp; Sight of Spirits: Channeling the Paranormal; Deleted scenes; Interactive menus powered by Metamenu technology

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Kevin Bacon	Tom Witzky
Kathryn Erbe	Maggie Witzky
Illeana Douglas	Lisa,Actor
Liza Weil	Debbie Kozac
Kevin Dunn	Frank McCarthy
Conor O'Farrell	Harry Damon
Jenny Morrison	Samantha
Zachary David Cope	Jake Witzky
Lisa Lewis	Debbie's Mother
Eddie Bo Smith Jr.	Neil the Cop
Mary Kay Cook	Vanessa
Louie Meza	Gothic Street Punk
Steve Rifkin	Kurt
Lusia Strus	Mrs. McCarthy
Stephen Eugene Walker	Bobby
Chalon Williams	Adam
Larry Neumann Jr.	Lenny
Richard Cotovsky	Neighborhood Man
George Ivey	Security Guard
Mike Bacarella	Train Station Cop No. 1
Christian Stolte	Train Station Cop No. 2
Hyowon K. Yoo	Korean Woman
Jim Andelin	Elderly Man,l'homme âgé
Karen Vaccaro	Upset Woman
Antonio Polk	Homey
Rosario Varela	Latin Woman
Duane Sharp	Polish Priest
David Zucker	Actor
Roger Delgado	Hasmid
Eddie Bo Smith, Jr.	Neil The Cop
Kevin Scott Greer	Bit
James Newton Howard	Composer

Technical Credits

David Koepp

Richard Matheson

David Koepp	Director,Screenwriter
Casey Cannon	Special Effects
Mary Colquhoun	Casting
Judy Hofflund	Producer
Rick LeFevour	Stunts
Van Ling	Special Effects
John Milinac	Special Effects
Gavin Polone	Producer
Richard Matheson	Screenwriter
Michele Weisler	Producer,Executive Producer
Gregg Barbanell	Sound Effects
Jim Brookshire	Sound Effects
Daniel J. Richter	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

An effectively creepy thriller by Hollywood scribe David Koepp (who penned the blockbuster Jurassic Park), this film explores hypnotism and delusional horror with an acuteness unusual for a film of its genre. Eschewing gore and fake shock tactics, Koepp uses his material as a means of exploring his main character's psyche. To this end, Kevin Bacon's resourceful portrayal perfectly embodies the archetype of a family man threatening to be done in by his demons. The film's momentum dissipates as it draws nearer to its semi-predictable conclusion, but the engrossing storyline and excellent use of Chicago locations create a tangible world for the tale, and make it easier to relate to on a human level. In an luckless bit of coincidence, The Sixth Sense was released just a few weeks prior to Stir, and the similarly ghoulish ghost story (both involve the use of a young boy as an oracle for otherworldly devices) all but crippled this film's opportunity to reach the moviegoing masses.