• Release year: 2023
• Director: Michael Fimognari and Mike Flanagan.
• Producers: Jamie Flanagan and Kathy Gilroy.
• Creator: Mike Flanagan.
• Cinematographer: Michael Fimognari.
• Music by: The Newton Brothers.

Shotgun Commentary: This work of art is a gift for all horror fans, especially if you like Victorian horror stories and impeccable cinematography.

Review

The mixture of adaptations and references creates a beautiful product, chilling as it is interesting. It showcases the talent of its creator Mike Flanagan, as well as his extensive knowledge and research on Edgar Allan Poe’s work. It will keep you glued to the screen, beginning to end.

Every episode reveals a piece of the puzzle that is the show’s story, as well as having its own development and conclusion. The way they are presented, each focusing on one character until their demise, reminds of a high-end slasher. It is what one would imagine Final Destination would look like had it been directed by Anna Wintour.

Bloody well done

The abundant use of gore is used as a way to enhance some moments, instead of an over exaggeration to scare the audience. This provides a great chance for the makeup department to showcase their abilities without stealing the spotlight from the performances or plot.

That is not to say it is not scary to see what the Ushers have become after death, there are plenty of jump scares that take advantage of that, but the horror atmosphere is not based on that, but rather on the constant uncertainty of what is to follow the present events.

Intricate and captivating

The construction and development of the characters, classic references aside, evidences very careful planning. The work and passion put into them is apparent and a delight to experience. They are complex and imperfect, their behaviour turns from unforgivable to understandable quite easily, as it happens with any real person once one knows the whole story. These qualities make them so realistic, and yet their appearance is so foreign.

The glam that the makeup, hairdressing and costume design departments add with their magnificent work is combined to perfection with the splendid talent display of the cast. The constant sway between contrast and match connecting appearances and personalities displays how one compliments the other, and it is quite hypnotic to witness.

As a side note, the representation of female characters is sublime. This is one of the few horror products in which I have seen strong females who make sound decisions and can be powerful without necessarily being insane, or at least, no more than any other individual in their position, regardless of their gender.

Never enough

All in all, it is very hard to find any defects in The Fall of the House of Usher. The only frustrating thing about it is how little you get to see certain characters. Verna (Carla Gugino) for example, is a fascinating character from whom very little is disclosed. The mystery adds to her persona, of course, but her charisma is so magnetic that keeps you wanting more of her.

Another character that appears frustratingly little is Camille L’Espanaye (Kate Siegel). She is a powerful, unapologetic woman with an insatiable thirst for knowledge and information. She isn’t remorseful about wanting what she wants and saying what she thinks, directly and without any courtesy.

While she has her fair share of defects, she is definitely one of the most inspiring female characters I have seen in horror, which, to be fair, is unsurprising if one looks at previous roles by Kate Siegel in Mike Flanagan’s work. Characters like Theo (The Haunting of Hill House, 2018) or Viola (The Haunting of Bly Manor, 2020) already set a pretty high bar for both Flanagan’s character creation and Siegel’s acting. Luckily, Camille is but another undisputable success.

The cherry on top

The cinematography and the soundtrack add the final touches to what probably is the best horror production of 2023. Every piece of music enhances the feeling of each situation, adding drama and gravity. As for the cinematography, combined with the art department’s work, it shows and hides different elements as needed by the plot and tells a non-textual story about each of the characters, their mentality, their principles and priorities, what they hold most dear and even their defects and flaws. This detailed visual narrative works as a silent proof of the flawless integration of elements that has made possible this marvellous work of art.

Advice to take from this movie:

• This review will not feature a list of advice to avoid any possible spoilers, the best advice I can give anyone after watching this is this: watch it, right now, tonight, the second you get some free time. It is a work of art that you will enjoy immensely, especially if you like horror and/or mystery.

What’s your take? Did you enjoy The Fall of the House of Usher as much as I did? Who is your favourite Usher? I’d love to hear all your comments about it, so don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀

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