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List Price: $14.94 | | Label: Sony Pictures
Salesrank: 8391
Released: June 22, 2004 |
| Our Price: $2.39 |
| Used Price: $0.23 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
MORT RAINEY, A WRITER JUST COMING OFF A TROUBLESOME DIVORCE WITH HIS EX-WIFE, AMY, FINDS HIMSELF STALKED AT HIS REMOTE LAKE HOUSE BY A PSYCHOTIC STRANGER WHO CLAIMS MORT STOLE HIS BEST STORY IDEA (CHANGING JUST THE ENDING). BASED ON A STEVEN KING NOVEL: SECRET WINDOW, SECRET GARDEN.
Description of Secret Window:
Johnny Depp gets high off another acting challenge in this tricky adaptation of a Stephen King yarn. Although the mood is too sinister to allow for the mischief of his Pirates of the Caribbean turn, Depp still manages to embroider his role here with plenty of quirky business. He plays a writer, depressed and nearly divorced, who's stuck in an isolated cabin (shades of The Shining) when a stranger (John Turturro) arrives, accusing him of plagiarism. Writer-director David Koepp (Stir of Echoes) does his best to make the rickety material compelling--he gets the maximum out of the cabin set, for instance--but the problems inherent in the King story eventually win out. The climactic scenes are particularly unpleasant, especially in contrast to the cleverness of Depp's performance. A Philip Glass score adds class, but this one ultimately feels like a disappointment. --Robert Horton
Secret Window Reviews:
Secret Window -- one of King's best short stories 
2009-09-07 - Johnny Depp is superb as the lead character 'Mort' in one of Stephen King's best short stories. Unusual for King that it is not set in the state of Maine, rather, rural New York state.
The ending is fantastic -- you really don't see it coming.
Would definitely recommend this DVD -- especialy for Stephen King fans.
Unsuspenseful, crappy ending but nice performance from Depp 
2009-08-13 - I like Stephen King's writing quite a bit. He knows what is truly scary: gutter-dwelling clowns, children, zombie pets, and menacing machines. Unfortunately, when King's stories make the leap from the page to the screen, they often lose their psychological suspense. Perhaps it's because the tension of King's stories come from what takes place within the protagonist's mind rather than external forces.
Another difficulty is that King can write amazingly tense stories with endings that go flat. For example, IT was truly scary...creepy clowns...scary sounds coming from the sewer...but it turns out to be a giant spider? Not so scary.
"Secret Window" is another attempt to bring one of King's novellas to the screen, but it falls flat because it lacks suspense and has a poor ending you can see from a mile away. I'm not a particular fan of Johnny Depp; however, it's Depp's skill as an actor that saves this movie from being a waste of time.
stunning look and acting
2009-03-06 - i love this "fantastic" movie.
this is the 1st role i found confirmation in depp's beauty and talent.
depp's subtle yet profound presence is felt in each scene. subtlety is not often found in king's stories.
fast paced yet drawn out, this movie is underrated and is or certainly will be a cult classic. in this movie, i find johnny depp gorgeous, stylish and sublime.
joannaha.com
"Sowing Season" 
2009-02-19 - This may not be an excellent thriller, but it really was entertaining to watch. Writer and Director David Koepp gives Stephen King's novella a very nice flow and atmosphere, but it does tend to slow down in a few parts. The shocks and thrills aren't as strong as, say, the ones found in Asian horror films, but all of the gore effects make it more disturbing than shocking. The very good performances by Depp, Turturro, Bello, Dutton, and Hutton should be worthwhile to those who are about to watch this film. I won't give any details to what happens at the end; you should see for yourself.
Grade: B+
Another fine thriller by S. King
2009-02-01 - Mort Rainey, the famous author of King-type stories and books (yes, another one of those "author-tales" by Stephen King) played by Johnny Depp has moved out to his remote cabin after nearing the end-phases of a rather ugly divorce from his wife Amy (played by the rather "purty" Maria Bello). All that remains of their marriage is Rainey's refusal to sign the final divorce papers by use of various excuses, probably in part brought on by his hatred of his wife's new boyfriend; Ted Milner. These two clash throughout the film, but mostly Rainey is just the typical Depp-character we've seen in so many films. In addition to the stress of the divorce-business, there suddenly appears a Southern Gentleman; John Shooter (played by John Turturro) at Rainey's door one afternoon, claiming Rainey stole and plagiarized his story from years back; "Secret Window". The film consists of flashes from both past and future throughout, as we gradually realize what kind of an awful net Mr. Rainey has gotten himself entangled up into.
The film is rather typically "Kingish", and I guess most people will see the major plot of the story rather early on, but that doesn't really take anything away from its excellence. Rainey and Shooter's clash over intellectual property quickly turn violent, and Rainey becomes increasingly more paranoid over who's really chasing him and why. I won't tell much more of the story since that would give too much away, but I've seen it perhaps 3 times now, so I can vouch for its good qualities if that is anything to go by. You have simply got to see this if only for Turturro's excellent performance as a Southern Gentleman farmer-poet on a mission. Also, there is one quite amusing scene where you can tell who's paid for the film, because of its pathetic Semitical correctness; Morton Rainey is looking for an overweight African-American private detective he's hired and that he was supposed to meet at a local café. He can't find him where they were supposed to meet, so he asks the lady behind the counter in the all-Euro-American tiny town something like "Has anyone been looking for me? A New York type detective?" I mean, who wouldn't say "A fat (or big) black guy", if that is what one is desperately looking for!? I like those little amusing give-aways of finance.
To summarize, if you like King's good work (and I'll be the first to admit he's made his more than fair share of trash literature) and any of these actors, or just a good thriller, then be sure to check out this fine film. 4 stars.
