h***@yahoo.com
2006-12-13 20:34:09 UTC
This was something I posted to the Rose Red IMDB board, but I'll post
here, too, just slightly edited.
For some reason, I was on an IMDB board and started thinking about
"Rose Red" and wondering if someone had come to the same conclusion
that I have. I checked out a couple of the more recent threads and
found that the IMDB posteed named BlackJoker came really close in
"UGLIEST actor in the world! UCK!".
The first time I watched "Rose Red", I found Emery to be my favorite.
But, I missed the full importance of certain events related to his
character.
I believe that the house was absolutely terrified by Emery's presence.
The first instance of this is shown early in the movie. However, it's
so well done that I didn't understand the real implication until a
later viewing. After talking with the professor, Emery sees blood and
gore in his refrigerator. He makes it go away and he says, "Read my
lips: save the warnings for someone who's not broke!" The scene did
what it was supposed to do masterfully. It made me think that the house
was up to some sort of supernatural antics that you would find in a
good haunted house story. You know, inducing fear in the characters
before they actually get there. And introduced the type of humor Emery
would become known for. And the humor undercut the seriousness a tad.
Which was what it was supposed to do. Because at the time I didn't
think of why none of the others were getting special visitations BEFORE
going to the house. So, it WAS trying to scare Emery away. Why? We
learn later that psychic energy is more filling to the house than
normal mundane energy. Or something to that effect. So, what would make
the house forego such a tasty snack?
Well, two reasons. Emery can see through the illusions that the house
puts up. That would certainly be terrifying for the house. However,
it's the other talent that's probably far more deadly to the
house...and he's the only one who can do it. Emery can make all of the
ghosts/illusions/what-have-you completely disappear. BlackJoker
described him as "the psychic equivalent of an off switch." (Nicely
put!)
And you know what's funny? It seems that one character knows that the
house fears him: Annie. Why? Well, it's the scene with the armor. When
Emery has made the decision to kill her or at least knock her out, the
armor starts to move. Why? Well, it's been a while since I've seen it
and since I don't have access to a copy of "Rose Red" right now, I'll
have to cover all possibilities. The first possibility is that the
house animated the armor in order to kill Emery and Annie stopped it
from killing him. The second is that she animated it to keep him from
killing her and then stopped it just before it killed him. Either way,
the only way she could communicate that she wasn't his enemy was to
save him from the armor. Anyway, she did seem nice to him after the
incident with the house so she doesn't feel any animosity toward him
afterward.
Anway, I like this sort of twist. The house that everybody fears
suddenly learns just what means to be afraid.
here, too, just slightly edited.
For some reason, I was on an IMDB board and started thinking about
"Rose Red" and wondering if someone had come to the same conclusion
that I have. I checked out a couple of the more recent threads and
found that the IMDB posteed named BlackJoker came really close in
"UGLIEST actor in the world! UCK!".
The first time I watched "Rose Red", I found Emery to be my favorite.
But, I missed the full importance of certain events related to his
character.
I believe that the house was absolutely terrified by Emery's presence.
The first instance of this is shown early in the movie. However, it's
so well done that I didn't understand the real implication until a
later viewing. After talking with the professor, Emery sees blood and
gore in his refrigerator. He makes it go away and he says, "Read my
lips: save the warnings for someone who's not broke!" The scene did
what it was supposed to do masterfully. It made me think that the house
was up to some sort of supernatural antics that you would find in a
good haunted house story. You know, inducing fear in the characters
before they actually get there. And introduced the type of humor Emery
would become known for. And the humor undercut the seriousness a tad.
Which was what it was supposed to do. Because at the time I didn't
think of why none of the others were getting special visitations BEFORE
going to the house. So, it WAS trying to scare Emery away. Why? We
learn later that psychic energy is more filling to the house than
normal mundane energy. Or something to that effect. So, what would make
the house forego such a tasty snack?
Well, two reasons. Emery can see through the illusions that the house
puts up. That would certainly be terrifying for the house. However,
it's the other talent that's probably far more deadly to the
house...and he's the only one who can do it. Emery can make all of the
ghosts/illusions/what-have-you completely disappear. BlackJoker
described him as "the psychic equivalent of an off switch." (Nicely
put!)
And you know what's funny? It seems that one character knows that the
house fears him: Annie. Why? Well, it's the scene with the armor. When
Emery has made the decision to kill her or at least knock her out, the
armor starts to move. Why? Well, it's been a while since I've seen it
and since I don't have access to a copy of "Rose Red" right now, I'll
have to cover all possibilities. The first possibility is that the
house animated the armor in order to kill Emery and Annie stopped it
from killing him. The second is that she animated it to keep him from
killing her and then stopped it just before it killed him. Either way,
the only way she could communicate that she wasn't his enemy was to
save him from the armor. Anyway, she did seem nice to him after the
incident with the house so she doesn't feel any animosity toward him
afterward.
Anway, I like this sort of twist. The house that everybody fears
suddenly learns just what means to be afraid.