Horror master Mike Flanagan returns just in time for Halloween The Fall of the House of Usher, a series that is darker, more macabre and more frightening than its previous offerings.
All families have their demons. But those of the Usher clan are, well, different. And above all, deadlier. Because the pharmaceutical empire that gave them access to the upper echelons of society was actually based on foundations that were much less shiny and honest than what they want people to believe.
And it is also on the verge of collapse. The patriarch of the Usher clan will reveal his secrets one by one to an old friend, while his children die one by one in dark, mysterious and, above all, terribly violent circumstances. We experience each of these deaths over the course of eight one-hour episodes, all released today on the Netflix platform.
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Back to the classics
As the title suggests, “The Fall of the House of Usher” – or in the original version “The Fall of the House of Usher” – is a sequel to Edgar Allan Poe’s short story of the same name. But of course, this film went into Mike Flanagan’s twist and was then peppered with allusions to Poe’s universe, only to carve out a plot that was decidedly more modern, expansive, and darker.
When the result is a quilt made from parts of these embroidered classics, the series is much less colorful than expected, masterfully embroidered by Mike Flanagan.
The American had already established himself as a messiah in the horror industry, signing the hit series “The Last Mansion of the Hills” and “Bly Manor: the Last Mansion” in quick succession, before moving on to “Midnight Sermons”, which is still on Netflix running. But this time he takes his mastery of dark atmospheres, scares and gothic environments even further. Every episode, even every shot, shines with his passion for the genre as well as his obvious joy in delighting telephiles who have fallen into his clutches. From hour to hour, it slowly envelops them with a feeling of paranoia and a severe fear that they won’t be able to shake easily.
All of this is carried at a distance by a frankly amazing and practically flawless cast. Of all of them, Bruce Greenwood is particularly strong in the role of the father of this dynasty, who carries the rest of the story on his shoulders. Kate Siegel – Flanagan’s muse and wife – is also nothing short of brilliant as the cold and uncompromising heiress.
In short, here is a delicious sweet that Mike Flanagan is serving us today. And of course we couldn’t wait until Halloween to enjoy.
- The Fall of the House of Usher series is available on Netflix.