Rose made his feature directorial debut with "Paperhouse" (1988), an intriguing drama about a young teen whose dreams begin to merge into real life. He has subsequently made several other films which feature offbeat outsiders of sometimes explosive temperament, an interest in the links between fantasy and reality, and a striking, sometimes stylized use of the violence which often results. "Chicago Joe and the Showgirl" (1990), though less well received than Rose's debut, looked at the increasingly brutal crime spree embarked upon by a WWII soldier and a prostitute. Rose emigrated to the USA to make "Candyman" (1992), writing his first feature screenplay based upon executive producer Clive Barker's story. The result was one of the less formula-bound, more haunting Hollywood horror films of its day, as a sociology student investigates the horrors, both supernatural and societal, of Black urban America.
Rose ventured back to the 19th century but still showed an interest in mystery with "Immortal Beloved" (1994), a handsome biography of Beethoven centered around the sought-after identity of the romantic inspiration for much of his work. His follow-up was a remake of the Tolstoy classic "Anna Karenina" (1997), starring Sophie Marceau.