“The Fall of the House of Usher”, review: classic horror film with Mark Hamill

Shadow of the recently completed Continuity, is still very long. So much so that Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of the story Fall of the House of Usher Edgar Allan Poe, more like him than expected. In fact, the eight chapters of the series could easily be the HBO version, but in the horror genre. What allows history Navigate through terrain that is cohesive, different and, without a doubt, bolder than the original story.

As you know, the story published in Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine in 1839 detailed the mystery of the Usher family estate. Inherited by its last members, they were doomed to destruction due to a series of terrible secrets. Poe’s greatest interest, however, was delving into the supposed horrors of the unexplained supernatural legacy that bound the Ushers to the walls of the house. On the contrary, its new version is more focused on a more modern and therefore more practical type of darkness. For what’s at stake, nThese are not the immortal souls of the titular family, but rather their vast heritage and the mysteries, not always legal, that surround them.

Despite this, Mike Flanagan tries to give the plot a darker feel, which becomes more emphasized towards the final chapters. Instead, the former are simply a representation of the main characters and the tragedy that surrounds them. This is how it is introduced into the story. Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), the patriarch with all the power he could hope for. However, the script, also written by Flanagan, immediately indicates that this is not the case. We are talking about a ruthless shark swimming in financial waters. Rather, he is a man who understands the severity of mistakes.

It’s obvious that the plot is trying to make the gothic story more interesting for new audiences. Thus, the dense tirades with which Poe described the dilapidated mansion and its dangers are transformed into a public company. Much more than that, it is a pharmaceutical conglomerate that bears some ethical sins. It’s clear that the production focuses all its energy on tying the root of the original story to this malignant version of power. But this is not always possible.

Debts are paid in blood

What does have parallels with Poe’s work is that Roderick, like his literary counterpart, goes through a stage of deep regret. Which directly links it to the profits and mistakes made at Fortunado Industries, Usher’s company. The script spends time and interest trying to create some empathy for its characters. In fact, when the story begins, everyone is dealing with the grief of a recent loss. Chapters one and two are thus an exploration of the grief already prevalent in Mike Flanagan’s work.

Controversies in classical history

But this time, the usually competent showrunner is faced with the problem of trying to make his people redeemed when they’re not. Because of this, much of the plot of chapters three and four requires more effort to convince that each character can be forgiven for their failures. Something that would be believable if it weren’t for spending so much time – and narrative effort – doing the exact opposite. Fall of the House of Ushercopes with this contradiction as best he can, but this is not always possible. This causes a disconnect between the overall goal of the story—to demonstrate that there is always something good, even in betrayal—and the actions of its main characters..

Each episode explores how a series of dark family members died—and what caused them to die. In what appears to be a progressive extermination, everyone dies, is killed, or is killed in a fatal accident. All because of their actions and, to a lesser extent, inaction and decisions. What Makes Mike Flanagan’s Tendency to Excessive? explain the behavior of its main characters and the main lines of its story, become more obvious.

The Fall of the House of Usher is more a survey of greed and pain than a reinvention of the haunted house. And that’s a good thing, because it gives the adaptation a much more modern feel. However, the dark speculations of Poe’s work are overlooked. especially in his need to equate human evil with his environment.

Edgar Allan Poe for a New Generation

However, the film adaptation could not do without the presence of the writer. Each chapter is named after one of his stories. “One Dark Night”, “The Masque of the Red Death”, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”, “The Black Cat”. They have direct links to the original work. Bye, Tell-Tale Heart, Gold Bug, Pit and Pendulum And Crowthere are many more conclusions about the work as a whole. But even so, the tribute to the American’s work and legacy is worth noting.

Of course, the most remarkable thing is the cast. Madeline (Mary McDonnell) as twin sister Roderick, has a touching emotional performance. On the other hand, young Lenore (Kylie Curran), the patriarch’s new wife Juno (Ruth Codd) and the lawyer, played by Mark Hamill, form a tight-knit group. The latter, in particular, offers one of the most elegant and well-constructed performances of his extensive career.

However, the series fails in part because it covers more than its script can accommodate. In trying to look like a creepy power play, it misses the complex vision of the seemingly invisible doom hanging over the family. But when the secret is revealed, the script loses all its effectiveness. Closer to a documentary series than to the denouement of a work based on a gothic horror film. Fall of the House of Usher disappointing. But what’s worse is that, amidst the controversy and opposition, Mike Flanagan almost managed to find a hybrid work that was much more interesting than the final result.

The showrunner is saying goodbye to Netflix, leaving the door open for other possible anthologies like his. But this is a minor farewell compared to the rest of his adaptations. A woeful failure in what could have been the director’s greatest narrative audacity.