If you grew up in the early aughts, chances are you’re familiar with the Stephen King made-for-television ritual. There were tons of them released during that era, some longer than others, and you had no choice but to squeeze in on the couch for, I don’t know, four-and-a-half hours of Storm of the Century. Stephen King has called it one of his favorite adaptations, but it’s a gauntlet for any kid.
Among them, I’ve got to give the most credit to Craig R. Baxley’s Rose Red, a miniseries adapting an original work of King’s. It also boasts a runtime over four hours, though its ghosts and goblins were more my vibe than snowbound Tim Daly. Rose Red has become a classic of sorts, a holiday seasonal event (that you can stream right now on Hulu). While it’s been reclaimed as one of King’s better works, especially among his teleplays, you might not know that the Rose Red saga didn’t end there. ABC aired an oft-forgotten prequel a year later, and now you can catch it streaming free online here.
Learn more about The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer below:
Per IMDB: The wife of an oil tycoon becomes engrossed in the sinister evil residing within her Seattle mansion.
Unlike its predecessor, The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer is a made-for-television movie, rather than a miniseries. It clocks in at a digestible 98 minutes, outlining the origins of Rose Red’s subsequent terrors. The movie itself is adapted from a fictional accompaniment novel, The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red, authored by Rose Red’s Joyce Reardon (though really Ridley Pearson). That’s a lot of Rose Red lore, aye?
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer was less successful than Rose Red. I vividly remember renting a copy from my local Blockbuster, and even at the time, I wasn’t sure I really got it. I mean, the narrative, yes, but the reason for being less so. There are some decent scares and performances, but it’s pretty standard haunted house fare, rendered worse by some regressive decisions, such as the house sitting atop, you guessed it, Native American burial grounds. But, for curiosity’s sake, I encourage you to check it out and consider your Rose Red education complete.
What do you think? Any plans to check out The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer online? If you do, let me know how it compares to Rose Red over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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