If you’re familiar with Netflix’s 2016 thriller Hush, then you know the madness and horror behind writer/director Mike Flanagan. His films and episodic series adapted from popular novels have brought new life to authors from the past and the present.
Before the release of The Haunting of Bly Manor in October of this year, Flanagan struck Netflix gold when he left viewers holding onto a dreadful apprehension of death and the afterlife with, The Haunting of Hill House. The episodic series is loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel of the same name. While the stories may share a few character names, the background that surrounds Hill House is very different.
What makes The Haunting of Hill House stand out is how it intertwines between the “then” and the “now” of the characters. The series follows Hugh and Olivia Crain and their five children as they renovate an old manor. The idea is simple, buy a fixer-upper, sell it for a profit and begin building them a forever home. This is where simplicity got the best of the family. While the paranormal veer from Hugh and Olivia, the horror isn’t lost on their kids.
Hill House opens with the Crain’s oldest child, Steven, giving a brief narration of the house. From the start, loops of the past and present are revealed. The story moves very quickly, shifting back and forth between characters and time. The trauma from their childhood has a different effect on all five kids. Whether it’s acceptance, drugs, or denial, each family member deals with their past differently.
Flanagan utilizes incredible cinematography to convey each of their traumatic experiences. The most talked-about aspect of his series is the use of his extras as hidden ghosts. Within each show, during the flashbacks of the family’s time at Hill house. The haunting characters lurk in the background, some easily visible while others need to be sought out.
Flanagan’s intricate adaptation of Jackson’s novel is fascinating for an audience that appreciates uncovering a mystery before the series ends. I’d advise film buffs to watch episode 6, “Two Storms,” constructed in five lengthy takes. It was a bold move that is a cinematic marvel. I’d recommend The Haunting of Hill House for all those that enjoy a good story as well as something beautiful to watch.