The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer
Tags: murder

Plot synopsis:
Based as a prequel to the Stephen King mini-serie's 'Rose Red', 'The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer' is based Rose Red, a haunted house with a disturbing past. The Seattle mansion was constructed at the turn of the 20th century by oil magnate, John Rimbauer, who built the house for his bride, Ellen, while on honeymoon in Africa. From the early stages of construction, the house is rocked by tragedy and scandal. Murders, suicides and mysterious disappearances suggest Rose Red has a mind of its own, choosing who shall vanish within its walls. The movie hears Ellen Rimbauer in voice over read her diary and are given a glimpse of the Seattle elite in the early 1900's. We see Ellen Rimbauer develop from a young bride to a tormented matriarch. The diary entries gradually become darker and more daunting. Guests to Rose Red vanish and Ellen is afraid of her own home. Societal pressures keep her married to John Rimbauer. Aside from the house's frightening faults, Mrs. Rimbauer candidly discusses the cruel and sexually-twisted intentions of her once-admired husband. The diary includes recollections of explicit erotic acts, serial murder and sexual ambiguity. 'The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer increases in disturbance until its abrupt end.'Rose Red' documents the fictional work of the fictional Dr. Joyce Reardon in her attempt to unlock the secrets of the house before it's demolished. The troubled history of Rose Red and its inhabitants are the subjects of Dr. Reardon's life-long work. Her mentor vanished from the house thirty years prior and its been her obsession ever since. In 1998, Dr. Reardon purchased Ellen Rimbauer's personal journal. The writings were "authenticated" and compiled for a publication titled The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red. (There was a book published as a tie-in promotion for the 'Rose Red' mini-series and authorship under the pseudonym Joyce Reardon. Controversy over authorship went on over years whether Stephen or Tabitha King could have possible tomed the book until it was determined that Ridley Pearson was actually the author.) The movie was based on this book and the voice-overs are tken directly from the diary entries although some liberty is taken with both characters, timelines, and plot.After watching The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer, you'll want to see the mini-series you will want to see Stephen King's Rose Red mini-series.

Review: A "creepy" movie, not a horror flick..
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer definitely held my interest enough and made me curious to see Rose Red.
In my opinion, Ellen Rimbauer was the better of the two.I loved the historical aspect of the movie, giving a definite history and personality to the house than a typical haunted house movie does.
It was unique and realistic in this way, perhaps one of the reasons I preferred it to "Rose Red".This movie contains much more mystery than "Rose Red" and is much less typical.
It's a great movie to make you think and wonder about the house, and does no more than insinuate answers, which leaves you in the mood, thinking, and drawing your own conclusions to the story, which I find much more satisfying.Left me dreaming about the Winchester Mystery House.
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: An unexpected prequel.
I wasn't aware that Stephen Kings Rose Red (2002) had a prequel, upon finding out I was quite excited as the potential was really quite good.Sadly this was not penned by Stephen King at all which I find to be a really strange decision.It tells the story of Rose Reds construction and how it came to be.
The setting, the cinematography, the writing is all quite good but feels forced.I enjoyed Rose Red, though I don't think it was exactly ground breaking it did manage to accomplish what it set out to do.
I don't think however that this does.Though it tells a great story it gradually falls apart and when the credits rolled I was left with a frustrating number of unanswered questions.I think perhaps it could have done with an additional 30-60 minutes to flesh it out, in it's present state it is passable but very underwhelming.The Good:Couple of great momentsLooks greatThe Bad:Few plot holesToo shortThings I Learnt From This Movie:I'm anti-remakes/reboots but this and Rose Red could perhaps be considered.
I have certainly seen bigger budgeted movies in the genre far worse than this effort, it is competently acted, has some nice visual touches, and the director knows how to best utilise the monolithic house.
That said, without genuine suspense it is hard to succeed in the genre, so without a fearful story as well it has little to no chance of making it.
The crux of the matter is that the story really isn't that interesting, we have seen and read about this plot on numerous occasions, so for a TV movie to win you round it really is asking way too much.
Basic ingredients are all here, creepy house, pretty wife confused, servant with big role to play, and of course the genre staple of sexual deviant husband with dark overtones.
The film moves along sedately which is fine if the pay off is worth the wait, sadly it isn't here and it limps over the finish line instead of leaping over as the build up had promised.Just below average for me, but a gentle round of applause for effort to those involved, 4/10..
I am disappointed because the film never explains the disappearances or the circumstances around Rose Red. I think it would have been better if they tried to convey the cause of the mysterious disappearance of April, Ellen, Sukeena, and anybody else who vanished for no reason.
I wish Rose Red existed so we can visit but it's too far-fetched and it doesn't explain the paranormal around the house to the audience.
The house Rose Red mini-series should have answered what happened to the people trapped in the house whether by body or spirits.
This movie fails to capture any bit of the mystery and intrigue of the best selling book it was based upon.
It's a shame the movie turned out so bad because the book was so wonderfully done that I found myself believing that Ellen Rimbauer actually existed and wrote those words herself.
The movie did not capture Ellen's innocence and naiveness when she first entered into John's life nor her gradual descent into insanity.
Using the Stephen King characters from "Rose Red," THE DIARY OF ELLEN RIMBAUER is a prequel to that little saga of a monstrous house that seems to be devouring its victims.This version of the Rose Red story is handsomely photographed and well acted but suffers from a script that never really bothers to explain anything.
The viewer is left pondering plot details up until the very end, when again there is a letdown of even more ambiguity.Nevertheless, it manages to impress with the performances, the settings, the costumes and the plot itself is a mixed bag of so many thrillers from the past, even including the more genteel JANE EYRE or any of the Victorian novels that dealt with a house of dark decay and a sinister leading man.STEVEN BRAND is the darkly handsome head of the household whose soul is corrupted by carnal desires, an unfaithful man who brings his bride LISA BRENNER to live in Rose Red, where she is gradually subjected to all sorts of vague fears and terrors and things that go bump in the night.It's really silly stuff, not to be taken seriously, but does give rise to some goosebumps once in awhile.
I had nightmares from the horrible plot which never develops; just rent these movies instead: Poltergeist, Burnt Offerings, House.
The acting is OK at best, maybe more believable if there was some background to work with, but NOT.Even though its made for TV I have to say they should have done much better.The cast, location and props are well done but without character development and a plot with background information...
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer was supposed to be the prequel to answer some of the questions about Rose Red's history from last years mini-series.
Instead, it seems like Rose Red answers more questions about The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer.
It starts out with the building of Rose Red and how there was a nurder the day the a young and engaged Ellen Rimbauer first lays eyes on the place.
My first and perhaps biggest complaint was the fact the place and the atmosphere seemed foreboding and dark, there was not  as much a supernatural element to it as Rose Red. People disappeared in it, but if I recall correctly one was a famous lady who disappeared.
Instead we get to see the horrors of how much a philandering, sex  addicted and possibly sypohilis infected  bastard John Rimbauer was and how everybody he slept with then disappeared in the house.
He was basically the worst seen being in the Rose Red mansion.
The movie also came up short in that it stopped before Ellen and her faithful friend from Africa also disappeared or had something happen to them in the house.
There was not the horror or even suspense element that had been in Rose Red.The house's history had been made somehow less scary than what it had been in the subsequent movie that followed it.
Like, I said the movie was decent, but it left you wanting more of everything.
It was a decent movie about a mysterious place and the sadness suffered by a women with a sex addicted and philandering husband but little else.
So the Diary of Ellen Rimbauer was a supplemental book done after Stephen King's Rose Red aired.Now, I never read the Diary of Ellen Rimbauer, but I did watch the TV movie they produced, which was based on that book.
And frankly, I can't see how they could ever justify the book or the movie existing.The movie is just basically a re-hashed story of Ellen Rimbauer's history with the house and her lousy husband.
At no point during the movie do they actually ever explain more than what Rose Red already established.It doesn't explain the hauntings, or the disappearances or anything like that.
To add further insult to injury, they couldn't even get the original cast member from Rose Red to play Ellen in the Diary of Ellen Rimbauer.The movie also contradicts Rose Red in a few instances, which is honestly insane.
There is nothing in this film that isn't covered in Rose Red. Almost every scene in this film is an extended cut of the flashbacks from the first film.Rose Red was just shy of a masterpiece but unless you really really want to see for yourself, the 90 minutes spent watching this film could be used to watch something else...anything else really.Performance and visual style are excellent, but does that matter when we've seen it all before?(I am writing this to meet with IMDb's quota of lines for an individual review...
I haven't seen the original Rose Red yet, but I did pick up this dvd at the rental store.
It was decently acted, had appropriately scary mood music, in other words everything you needed to make a good horror flick.
I'd pass on this, unless you've seen Rose Red and wanted to see it's history.
I'll possibly pick up Rose Red at the video store one of these days, or maybe not -- just wasn't compelling enough from this prequel.
Better than Rose Red. Being that Stephen King had something to do with this prequel to the horrible Rose Red, I was hesitant.
Wow. What a good little ghost story.
The Diary of Eleen Rimbauer is creepy by all means,but an alright film to add at that.The Diary of Ellen did what (The Others) did, make a scary ghost story without any gore.The problem is that this is a prequel and it dosen't answer a lot of qustion to led to the first one, Stephen King's Rose Red. Rose Red was scary and had you on the edge of your,but the acting was alright(in which this one improves on).It made us wonder what the hell is wrong with the house.This calls for a prequel=the origin of a film or television show.
The acting was surperb,I mean all actors was excellent.Steven Brand who played Ellen's husband stole the role and film,with his wicked sideburns.
The events that happen in that house - Rose Red - made me wonder and wait for a creepy if not unexpected explanation.
The movie is not creative enough although it has a pretty good start and a lot of elements to play with.
For example the origins of the black woman, the girl's handicap, the sexual behavior of the husband and the secrets of the house discovered by Ellen.
A much better film than Rose Red..
This film describes the events chronicled by Ellen Rimbauer the wife of John Rimbauer.
John who is shown in the film as a man who indulged in sexual excess and numerous affairs with women before and after marriage to Ellen.
John gifts the mansion Rose Red to Ellen after a safari to Africa where Ellen falls prey to a mysterious ailment.
A bizarre and genuine manifestation occurs however during one of the seances.The suspense in the film is excellent and builds up gradually.
John is portrayed by a handsome Steven Brand and Ellen by beautiful Lisa Brenner.
Baxley and overall a better film and prequel to Rose red..
I saw the movie Rose Red, and was wondering if anyone knew whether or not the house still stands, or did Steve Rimbauer tore it down already?
I love how Stephen King gave his view of what Joyce's team would encounter while in Rose Red. Does anyone know that Rose Red is a true story but me?
so whats up with Rose Red?
So is it possible that something like in the movie the Poltergeist happened?
I have to agree that 'The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer' was better than 'Rose Red', but I did wish that they kind of used more of Ellen and John's marital woes.
I saw Rose Red not too long ago, and not too long after having read the book.
I was traveling on my own, making a documentary for the University of California, and literally on my last day in Spain, I noticed a book called My Life at Rose Red, by Stephen King, at a liquor store in a town called Benidorm on the southeastern coast.
Having been a Stephen King fan for most of my life (I opened the floodgates of horror novels when I read `It' in 6th grade), I was amazed at how much of a character study the book was, but the movie dealt with the mystery of the haunted Rose Red, not with it's construction, which is what the book is all about.
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer, I think, makes an honest attempt to go back and tell that part of the Rose Red story.
What is truly odd, however, is that the movie that actually tells the story of Ellen and John Rimbauer, the story of the construction of Rose Red, about which Stephen Kings' book is written, is actually based on a journal of Ellen's that was written by a different author.
King's book is actually in the form of Ellen's diary, although he delves suspiciously close to novel writing at many times.
Its interesting that the miniseries needs a prequel to tell the story of the book upon which it is based.Okay, I'm getting a little repetitive.
Much more digestible at less than half the length of Rose Red, the movie unfortunately never really comes out of the shadow of the movie that its content precedes, always coming across as a prequel that leads up to something else.
Maybe it's because it didn't have enough life of its own or because I always got the feeling that it was purposely covering the holes left by Rose Red, providing an excuse for that movie having so little to do with the book upon which it was supposedly based.
Either way, taken together the two movies provide a pretty interesting ghost story, one about a haunted mansion that actually has such a turbulent past leading to why it is haunted (hence the need for this prequel).
It's just too bad that it takes a total of more than six hours for them to tell that story.
Although I have not seen Rose Red, i thought it was an okay movie.
To clarify some of the comments that were made about this movie, The film DOES explain the disappearances of the characters indirectly.
The characters that disappeared had either a close relationship to Ellen, or had something to do with her husband (who had a very large sexual appetite).
Rose Red is more or less a spirit controlling the house that was quite fond of Ellen.
The house grew to love Ellen.
The mysterious happenings occurred so that Rose Red could get her to see that her husband was really a shaky and unfaithful character.
They also occurred because the house wanted Ellen to remain fond of only Rose Red, which is why April disappeared as well.
Basically, Rose Red grew jealous of Ellen's and April's relationship.
Sukeena never disappeared, Ellen's husband just had her put in jail after April disappeared thinking that she was the cause.With certain horror movies, every detail, every word should be payed attention to, otherwise you will have questions afterwards..
A very strange story in this film.
A story that does not look like Stephen King's traditional stories.
Strangely enough it comes after the film "Rose Red" that is posterior in story time.
The element that is typically Kingian is the haunted house with some connection to Indians behind.
The story itself is some kind of distorted and warped "Gone with the Wind" in a setting that looks like and sounds like a Victorian house from England's 19th century, the Bronte Sisters maybe.
The main character, Ellen Rimbauer herself is more like one of these feminine characters from this English literary period.
Little to do with Stephen King's social approach and even historical time.
Yet the film is outstanding and mesmerizing in its slow rhythm and its slow building of the terror that is attached to the man of the house, to the man that has to be eliminated.
What's more there are so many corners in the house that are not on the blue print that we would like to know how all that is possible.
But that is original for Stephen King.
There are several other haunted houses in King but never a house that has the power of growing, even if the Dark Tower could be seen as such, though it is not and it is only the character that is growing through mythical and maybe mystical time as he is going up the tower.
And in this case the evil that haunts the house is not very clear, clearly identified.
Ellen Rimbauer's Diary clearly explains that there were Native American workers, an accident, a subsequent curse, and so the ground is soured as in the Mic Mac burial grounds in Stephen King's Pet Sematary.
It also pointedly states that because of John Rimbauer's "sins," atonement had to be made."Build me to the heavens" was the house's price for that atonement.
The subsequent disappearances were a direct result of Ellen's bargain with the house (and the ground upon which it lay), as these victims were taken and used as builders from "the other side." The house had two distinct sides; one that was here and one which was on the other side of the veil.
That idea was further explained in the actual movie, "Rose Red" when you see Emory's mother coming at him through the mirror.
Mirrors are oftentimes used as portals; gateways through the Veil.I did, however, have issues with this supplemental in that the movie goes out of its way to plainly document the passing of Rimbauer's partner, Posey.
Otherwise, I found this quite informative, beautifully done, and praise-worthy considering what it attempts to do.Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to its own expectations and thereby disappointed the fans who needed this necessary back-story to feel a kinship with the house and the story that is "Rose Red."It rates a 6.4/10 from...the Fiend :.