The Fall of the House of Usher

[chutnut]

Pretty much, yes.

It's about a family dynasty whose members are all fucked up in different ways but I wouldn't say it's too monologue heavy. It doesn't take itself seriously at all and isn't as po-faced as some of Flanagan's other work.

Cheers I might give it a go then!

[Blue Jam]

Nice nod to The Hudsucker Proxy in Ep 5! Actually aren't all those NYE scenes also a nod to that film?

Following on from this: Froderick's pad?  Morella's home medical suite reminds me of Arthur Digby Sellers' iron lung in The Big Lebowski , plus there's a little bowling alley, plus the entire home looks a bit like Jackie Treehorn's gaff... just me?

[Average Comedy Enjoyer]

I quite want to watch this but I'm really not a fan of Mike Flanagan in general. Does this one have constant overdramatic monologues about people's childhoods and stuff?

Also Mike Flanagan hater here. Enjoyed this very much on its own merit, clearly he has taken some notes about having more fun with the subject matter and dropping the schmaltz.

[Norton Canes]

This sounds okay but I've watched the trailer and it looks a bit... modern. Is it as good as old telly, like something from say 1987?

[neveragain]

Well, I think it's brilliant. Just onto the last episode now. Strong characters and atmosphere. A load of creepy, intermittently gory fun. Surprisingly funny too. It makes me want to watch the rest of Flanagan's stuff, after initially getting bored with Hill House quite early on.

I also think it's a really nifty way to approach taking on Poe's short stories.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

side note, I love the term "po-faced"

[mjwilson]

Mike Flanagan back in good books after having been struck off for the Haunting of Blythe Manor

I notice you've forgotten Midnight Club, although to be fair, so has everyone else.

[Easy_To_Assemble]

I was initially wary of this, as I've found the recent TV/film trend of dissecting the lives of the ultra-rich a bit annoyingly superficial; both moralising over it, yet indulging in the visual feast of billionaire bacchanalia, when it suits. Succession, Billions, Infinity Pool, etc. etc. But, I liked Hill House a lot, so trusted that this would hit similar notes. And, this manages to strike those similar notes of tragedy amongst the horror ("Stephen King-esque" I suppose you'd call it).

The theme of

Spoiler alert

The Opioid Epidemic and unbridled ambition

[close]

was soapboxed in a way that would give Aaron Sorkin a run for his 10-minute Right-On-monologue money. But - as attempts at trying to write a horror around a grand narrative of greed go - it did pretty well.

I really liked Henry Thomas in this. So many layers adding to the ultra-weirdness of his character. Everything, from the physical mannerisms to the vocal delivery was great. I've seen him in Hill House, and probably an episode of Law and Order or something, but not much else. How frequently does he do TV work?

[Better Midlands]

I never watch horror and everything I know about Edgar Allen Poe is from The Simpsons but I thought this was an excellent romp, great cast of which Bruce Greenwood was the standout, would recommend.

I would have liked to have seen Mark Hamill have his own episode to flesh the character out a bit more, I guess that wouldn't have fulfilled the premise.

[Mobius]

Do you need to watch all his other shit or is this standalone

[Average Comedy Enjoyer]

Do you need to watch all his other shit or is this standalone

Absolutely not. Only if you want to feel proud of his tremendous improvement in quality. Might recommend listening to some Poe short stories maybe.

If you like it you can give Hill House a go.

[Mobius]

Nice I will check it out then cheers. Looks quite good

[Icehaven]

Only halfway through episode 3 so only skimming the thread but enjoying this a lot so far, biggest difference to me from the others is it seems much rawer, harsher, bloodier and swearier where others were generally more "family". That in itself doesn't make it better of course but it's just got a bit more about it and if a harder edge has replaced some of the shmaltz then so much the better, although I'm a bit pre-sold as I love Poe already. I thought Midnight Mass was the best of the bunch before but I still got on enough with all the others to finish them (Bly was weakest.) 

[Pete23]

I thought the humour in this was great. Still laughing at

Spoiler alert

the way they kept showing the yellow sports car outside that guys apartment - we all know what's going to happen, right? - and then when he did his dive off the balcony he completely missed it

[close]

.

[neveragain]

I thought the humour in this was great. Still laughing at

Spoiler alert

the way they kept showing the yellow sports car outside that guys apartment - we all know what's going to happen, right? - and then when he did his dive off the balcony he completely missed it

[close]

.

Yes, I loved that.

Just finished the show and adored it all. I recognised a few of the allusions to other Poe stories around the edges (names and so forth) but can anyone here tell me if

Spoiler alert

Verna's deal regarding wiping out the bloodline

[close]

was from a piece of Poe or newly written? Thought it worked so well as an idea.

The performances were all brilliant as well. Although it took me a little while to warm to Napoleon. Probably my least favourite in terms of perf, but then there was a scene where he was looking for a cat and he was so effortlessly charming in his semi-flirting that I thought "ah, that's why you were cast."
I also found it amusing how little we saw of Bill-T until the Gold-Bug episode. Don't know why that amused me but I suppose with his own nickname I thought he'd have more to do.

Best death has to be

Spoiler alert

Prospero.

[close]

Oh, and also... I found the family more Arrested Development than Succession.

[Average Comedy Enjoyer]

I found the family more Arrested Development than Succession.

I our house the older version of the sister didn't quite track from the younger. From Lady Macbeth to Lucille Bluth. And now you mention it there's a great deal about the kid's desperation to impress dad that matches AD neatly!

Also, why did the sister take off her wig, only to reveal another, smaller wig in the last episode?

[neveragain]

I our house the older version of the sister didn't quite track from the younger. Lady Macbeth to Lucille Bluth.

I felt that too, although she did regain her Lady M status a bit later on.

Also, why did the sister take off her wig, only to reveal another, smaller wig in the last episode?

Haha, yes. No idea.

[Icehaven]

Very glib observation but near the start of episode 5 when they're in the bar, there's an old 60s or 70s song playing (or it sounds old anyway) that sounds noticeably like I Don't Feel Like Dancing by the Scissor Sisters, so much so that I even thought it must be an "inspiration" for it. Then Madeline tells Roderick to dance, and he says "I don't feel like dancing". It's probably not deliberate but it made me laugh anyway.

[Mobius]

Finished this now it was really enjoyable. What of his other shows are worth checking out ?

[El Unicornio, mang]

The Haunting of Bly Manor is good, although I remember finding the child actors slightly annoying

[Viero_Berlotti]

Finished this now it was really enjoyable. What of his other shows are worth checking out ?

I thought 'Midnight Mass' was very good, probably my favourite Mike Flanagan series to date.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

There's not a lot between them, but I would rate them:

1. Midnight Mass
2. The Fall of the House of Usher
3. The Haunting Of Hill House

Midnight Mass just pips it by being the most emotionally engaging - perhaps because it was Flanagan's long held passion project. I've yet to watch Bly Manor, but it seems to be most people's least favourite one.

[chutnut]

Oculus is the best thing he's done imo

[mjwilson]

There's not a lot between them, but I would rate them:

1. Midnight Mass
2. The Fall of the House of Usher
3. The Haunting Of Hill House

Midnight Mass just pips it by being the most emotionally engaging - perhaps because it was Flanagan's long held passion project. I've yet to watch Bly Manor, but it seems to be most people's least favourite one.

This is Midnight Club erasure

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I'm sure Erasure were popular in clubs at all times of the night.

[Blue Jam]

Giving The Haunting of Hill House a go now. Noted a blatant reference to

Spoiler alert

Pipes from Ghostwatch

[close]

heheheh, nice

[Mobius]

I watched the first episode of The Haunting Of Hill House last night

Compared to Usher, I found it a tad dull. Bit drier, think the Succession sorta vibe of Usher helped me a lot. And all of the kids being a bit ridiculous.

[Swift]

I liked the movies I've seen of his (Oculus, Gerald's Game, Doctor Sleep) and Hill House but gave up on the guy halfway through Bly Manor. The trailers didn't indicate this would be something I'd like either but it sounds fun and I've read most of Poe's stories, so based on this thread, I may have to give this a go.

[Average Comedy Enjoyer]

You can now own all sorts of old tut. I wonder if Mark Hamill's gusset is the right size for me?

https://propstoreauction.com/lot-details/index/catalog/388/lot/122201

[Blue Jam]

Looks like the asking price for most of the costumes is less than they would have cost to assemble. Some expensive stuff in there:

https://productplacementblog.com/tag/the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher/

It's not like a limited series is going to run for long enough for any of the props to become iconic, but it's for charity so what the hell.