Kevin Bacon’s Most Overlooked Horror Gem Is Free to Stream Right Now
An underrated Kevin Bacon shocker is now free to stream: the 1999 cult chiller Stir of Echoes, directed by David Koepp and adapted from Richard Matheson’s novel—prime time for a spine-tingling revisit.
If you missed Kevin Bacon doing haunted dad mode back in the late 90s, good news: the movie is finally easy to find. Lionsgate just put the whole thing on YouTube for free. No rental, no subscription, just hit play.
What just dropped
It is 'Stir of Echoes,' released in U.S. theaters in September 1999. David Koepp directed it, adapting Richard Matheson’s 1958 novel. It is one of those supernatural thrillers that never got its due at the box office but stuck around because it is actually solid.
- Director: David Koepp
- Based on: the 1958 novel by Richard Matheson
- Cast: Kevin Bacon, Illeana Douglas, Zachary David Cope, Jennifer Morrison (and more)
- Where to watch free: Lionsgate’s official YouTube channel (the full movie is up)
What it is about (no spoilers)
Kevin Bacon plays Tom Witzky, a blue-collar Chicago guy who thinks ghosts are nonsense until his wife’s sister, Lisa (Illeana Douglas), hypnotizes him as a party trick. After that, things get weird fast: Tom starts sharing a psychic link with his young son, Jake (Zachary David Cope), and getting vivid, unsettling flashes tied to a missing teen from their neighborhood, Samantha (Jennifer Morrison). Tom becomes convinced the visions mean something and goes digging. It does not make his life safer.
Reception then vs. now
Critics and audiences were into it, just not stampeding to theaters. On Rotten Tomatoes, it sits at 69% on the Tomatometer and 70% with audiences. Financially, it barely made a ripple at the time, pulling in about $23.1 million worldwide. That underperformer status is probably why most people file it under 'underrated.'
Yes, there was a sequel
In 2007, the Sci Fi Channel aired a made-for-TV follow-up called 'Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming.' Ernie Barbarash directed, with Rob Lowe starring as Ted Cogan. The cast also includes Marnie McPhail, Katya Gardner, Zachary Bennett, Ben Lewis, and a pre-breakout Tatiana Maslany. It never landed a Tomatometer score and the audience score sits at 20%, so… temper expectations.
Bottom line
If you like your paranormal thrillers a little grimy and grounded, this one holds up. And again, it is free on Lionsgate’s YouTube channel. That alone is a good enough excuse for a late-night rewatch.