But Mom, my previous life ate the cookies, not me!!!

AUDREY ROSE


The subject of reincarnation is portrayed in this 1977 film, albeit in a disappointing fashion. By all technical standards, this is not a horror film outright. Yet it poses, based on your personal beliefs, phenomenon of a supernatural level and brings to light paranormal possibilities that we as a culture do not accept, especially when contrasting with more common religious backgrounds. (Just to throw my 2 cents in, my personal belief is that if an idea can be conceived, it is already a reality, if not in this physical existence than in an alternate one. Swallow THAT with your spoonful of sugar!) Enough of that before we get into a tissy over the “right” faith to follow. Whatever it is that works for you, go with it!

“Doc Noc, will you stop preachin’ and get on with the damn review?!?!?” Ok, ok. The flick begins with a nasty car crash in the rain, including gratuitous car flipping and soon after a fire. (Ok, not that gratuitous, no 4th of July shenanigans here.) As the credits roll, we witness a happy family frolicking through the park, bicycling and what not. Unbeknownst to this Kodak moment, a mysterious stranger is spying on them…

Shortly thereafter, the Templetons as we find out become aware of this apparent stalker, and fear he is after their eleven-year-old daughter Ivy (Susan Swift), and ponder what his purpose is. Father and King of the Martinis Bill (John Beck) seeks help from the police, to no avail. Mother June Cleaver offspring Janice (Marsha Mason) is precise in picking her daughter up from school with this bearded creep roaming around. One day, however, she is late, and later finds that Ivy had been escorted safely to her dwellings via stalker, who by this time is calling to check on her well being on the phone, sending a purse for her upcoming birthday, etc. Eventually, this mystery man invites the parents to a late dinner for a much needed explanation.

Surprise!!! It’s none other than our old friend Anthony Hopkins, and clean shaven to boot, as he discusses an unusual tale: his wife and child were killed in a car accident (yes, brainboy, the very one seen at the beginning of the film), his encounters with two psychics saying his daughter is still alive, followed by his travels to India and discovering their culture’s beliefs in reincarnation, and how it has led him to N.Y.C. …. And Ivy…. Preposterous, Janice and Bill believe. Why the very notion…. but wait! What about the recurring nightmares Ivy has, predominantly around her birthday? The screaming, the cries for her mother, the uncontrollable chaos! It’s as if she’s possessed…

This leads to Elliot Hoover (Hopkins) meeting Ivy under such circumstances, and an unveiling of previously unknown theories showing signs of being true. So true that Elliot eventually kidnaps Ivy, ever so briefly, before being taken in by authorities. Months later, it’s taken to court, where the truth comes out. Or does it? Consider the concept: how can Hoover be prosecuted for kidnapping if his daughter’s soul is in Ivy as well?

Speaking of concept, this is a really good one in my eye. (I’ll leave it to the imagination if I only have one eye or not! HEHEHE) Sadly, this interpretation falls flat along the way. Take away a good performance from Swift and the mere presence of Hopkins, and you have nothing more than a TV movie of the week. Besides the possession layout not being shown as effectively as it could have, the acting (primarily Ivy’s parents) doesn’t convince me that this is how you would react in this kind of situation (not that I have anything to compare). It just has that thrown together feeling, especially in the second half. What starts as what could’ve been a decent paranormal thriller stumbles into “message” film noir, and left me rather annoyed by the end. John Hillerman (Higgins on Magnum P.I.) has a small role as the lawyer representing the Templetons, and adding a little more to that T.V. movie feel. I find the movie Audrey Rose GUILTY of misleading the jury to believe it could stand next to legitimate thrillers, and I do welcome an attempt of a remake. (You can bring back Hannibal, too!)