While the special effects in the three-part ''Rose Red'' made the house seem a cavernous enigma, the two-hour ''Diary'' (with little in the way of visual effects, special or otherwise) makes the place feel about as interesting as a suburban colonial.

"The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer" managed to stun this critic by being substantially more dreadful that the original, and offensive to boot.

The project is an elegantly staged and crisp haunted house primer that could have easily popped up as an A&E production or, minus a few gimmicks, even on PBS.

"Diary" isn't really scary or even creepy. And what's the use of a horror movie that isn't horrifying?