> 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.
>