7. Stir Of Echos (1999) - Film
Now you can add Richard Matheson to the six degrees of Kevin Bacon. That is because of his role in the film adaptation of Matheson's 1958 novel, A Stir of Echos. This supernatural thriller was directed by David Koepp, who also wrote the screenplay. The story is about a Chicago phone company worker (played by Kevin Bacon) and his son's ability to communicate with the deceased. Bacon's character at first denies his son's abilities but eventually discovers that there is a "tortured soul" that is trying to make contact with him. Even though it was released the same year as The Sixth Sense, it was still able to draw modest numbers at the box office and received decent reviews from film critics. Bacon's performance was also hailed by critics and fans of the original material. The story stays true to Matheson's novel for the most part with only a few minor changes to the characters and the plot. A lesser known sequel was released as a made for TV movie in 2007 starring Rob Lowe. It was complete departure from the first film and was poorly received by critics and fans.