The Fall of the House of Usher isn't for everyone. It's a slow-burning, ponderous journey into the heart of madness and the mind of opulence.
But, Mike Flanagan understood his assignment.
Though this miniseries is very loosely based on the Edgar Allen Poe short story of the same name, it has almost nothing to do with it. Instead, it uses some of Poe's best works and his most poignant prose to tell a unique tale through the lens of surreal, horrific rapacity.
On that note, the horror elements on display are mostly subdued and thematic, sans a couple of admittedly shocking, fun death scenes. Thus, if you're looking for a visceral horror experience, then you should look elsewhere.
Instead, The Fall of the House of Usher is a strange, dark descent into the soul of a broken family. A family that has been dealing with the devil in bad faith for so long that evil is a pervasive normalcy. A family that has an inevitable price to pay for every deed.
Or is it the tale of the Fortunato pharmaceutical company told from the vengeful perspective of Montresor Flanagan?
Either way, the series is shot exceptionally and the acting is top-tier.
I learned recently that Mike Flanagan has a wave of haters, as all successful creators have, but I've seen him as somewhat of an auteur in the horror genre since he burst onto the scene with Absentia and Oculus. He's a master storyteller, and he understands the essence of horror like few other directors.
You know what the greatest filmmakers and the Adult Film industry have in common? When you see them, you know it.
I just know a Flanagan project when I see it, because he has a defined cinematic style and a measured approach to writing. Everything is both whimsical and grounded at once, which can lend surprising levity to often complex, or even convoluted, plot structures.
And that's probably The Fall of the House of Usher's biggest shortcoming. The pacing is all over the place, especially considering such an outrageous story.
Oddly, I sometimes feel the same way about Poe's stories, so maybe that disparity is intentional.
Still, I found many of the slower scenes, and there are many, to be meandering and circular. Exposition is delivered in long closeups to the background of long strings focusing on long faces.
I think if this were a six hour movie instead of an eight hour movie, it would have been a masterpiece.
But, what I got is still a beautiful, haunting delve into the world of Edgar Allen Poe and the mind of Mike Flanagan. The Fall of the House of Usher was clearly a passion project for all involved, and the story ended with a satisfying finale that gave me chills, just like Poe's best works.
Will I watch it again? Nevermore. But I'm not mad that I did.
I recommend this one to fans of slow-burn cerebral horror or tragic, dark family drama.
8/10 - Great.
