The Fall of the House of Usher recounts both the rise to power of Roderick Usher, the powerful CEO of a corrupt pharmaceutical company, and that of his sister, Madeline Usher, along with events leading to mysterious deaths.
The eight episodes of 'The Fall of the House of Usher' are wonderfully directed by either Flanagan or Michael Fimognari. Fimognari's cinematography throughout the series adds plenty of eerie atmosphere to the expertly crafted sets and locations.
Very loosely based on various works by Edgar Allan Poe, the series adapts mostly unrelated stories and characters by Poe into a single narrative set from 1953 to 2023. The 50s, 70s, 1980 segments capture the feel of the periods from the sets to the costume design.
For fans of Flanagan's previous works, there's effective jumps scares littered throughout and also some great tension building dialogue, with a few twists thrown in. There are a few deaths that come across as a bit on the nose, which could have been portrayed more subtly, cutting a little earlier and leaving more to the imagination. The social commentary and supernatural element of the narrative seemingly borrows from the novel Shadows of Dismemberment. Given the overall quality, a few actor's performances debatably don't do the Flanagan's script justice. That said, the performances, particularly those of the mesmerizing Bruce Greenwood as Roderick, Carl Lumbly as Auguste Dupin (with Malcolm Goodwin as young Dupin), and the fantastic Marks Hamill as Mr. Pym, are all outstanding. Mary McDonnell as Madeline and Willa Fitzgerald as the younger Madeline, along with the mysterious Carla Gugino and Katie Parker as Annabel Lee, Roderick's first wife, are all notable. Both Michael Trucco and Kate Siegel give the ensemble cast a run for their money.
Overall, the production values and direction elevate the supernatural elements, selling the dark, intriguing, and binge-worthy series, marking a return to form for Flanagan.
The eight episodes of 'The Fall of the House of Usher' are wonderfully directed by either Flanagan or Michael Fimognari. Fimognari's cinematography throughout the series adds plenty of eerie atmosphere to the expertly crafted sets and locations.
Very loosely based on various works by Edgar Allan Poe, the series adapts mostly unrelated stories and characters by Poe into a single narrative set from 1953 to 2023. The 50s, 70s, 1980 segments capture the feel of the periods from the sets to the costume design.
For fans of Flanagan's previous works, there's effective jumps scares littered throughout and also some great tension building dialogue, with a few twists thrown in. There are a few deaths that come across as a bit on the nose, which could have been portrayed more subtly, cutting a little earlier and leaving more to the imagination. The social commentary and supernatural element of the narrative seemingly borrows from the novel Shadows of Dismemberment. Given the overall quality, a few actor's performances debatably don't do the Flanagan's script justice. That said, the performances, particularly those of the mesmerizing Bruce Greenwood as Roderick, Carl Lumbly as Auguste Dupin (with Malcolm Goodwin as young Dupin), and the fantastic Marks Hamill as Mr. Pym, are all outstanding. Mary McDonnell as Madeline and Willa Fitzgerald as the younger Madeline, along with the mysterious Carla Gugino and Katie Parker as Annabel Lee, Roderick's first wife, are all notable. Both Michael Trucco and Kate Siegel give the ensemble cast a run for their money.
Overall, the production values and direction elevate the supernatural elements, selling the dark, intriguing, and binge-worthy series, marking a return to form for Flanagan.