The Fall of the House of Usher - A Sense of Insufferable Gloom

Mike Flanagan is undoubtedly one of the best gothic television series makers of the contemporary industry. Flanagan’s The Haunting series, The Midnight Club and Midnight Mass are the much praised examples of his style and work. Adding to his finest collection is his adaptation of Edgar Alan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”.

Divided into 8 episodes the series is a brilliant and modern tribute to Poe’s most celebrated short story. While Poe’s story of Usher remains the heart of the series, it is unified to the body by attaching different organs based on other works of Poe including The Masque of the Red Death, Murder in the Rue Morgue, The Black Cat, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Raven, and many more. The nefarious Patriarch of the Usher family, Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), whose legacy is maintained through his several wicked and selfish children , his equally ruthless twin sister Madeline (Mary McDonnell) who is loyal towards her brother and their opiate empire Fortunato and the investigator C. Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly), who serves as the recurring character in Poe’s stories , and the ever masquerading supernatural figure Verna (Carla Gugino) are the main characters of Flanagan’s series.

As Roderick narrates his story and the bizarre and terrifying fate of his children and his part in it to Dupin, Flanagan plays with guilt, obsession and vengeance with his favourite actors. Without much jump scares, the series presents the eerie and bloody deaths in the dysfunctional Usher family as a result of their own moral corruption and obsession which eventually results in the fall of the dynasty. The viewers get to feel the constant presence of death hovering over each episode that has come to take what’s due from a family that profited off the pain of others.

Just like Poe, Flanagan uses gothic to explain the psychological thinking of the characters who lack morality and human values. Flanagan’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” is an excellent amalgamation of Poe’s works and its characteristics with a great ensemble and is indeed a treat to the fans of his other shows.

Comments

The Women of Rifle Club

Over the decades, Malayalam cinema has often used female characters to uphold male protagonists, reinforcing the power dynamics in favor of men. This pattern, normalized and celebrated as long as the hero “wins” the situation, has shaped narratives for years. However, in recent times, audiences have begun to unlearn this ingrained bias, recognizing it as something that needs to be critiqued rather than celebrated. Aashiq Abu’s Rifle Club breaks away from this mold, igniting the fiery tension of a wild war in the Western Ghats. What sets this film apart is its portrayal of women— each female character is uniquely strong and layered, claiming her identity with confidence. From being mocked for being “just a woman” to owning the scene, characterisations of women in Malayalam cinema are beginning to emerge as unstoppable forces. Society often perpetuates the stereotype that women, being emotional, are inherently weaker or less stable in grave situations. Instead, the movie shows that ...

I Let Myself Sink Into You

I let myself sink into you, Taking deep dips, Not letting myself float. You kept the rhythm of ocean Calm and said the waves To come another day. I got lost in the tranquility of your arms, Seeking an abode for eternity, Reaching out in bliss. Maybe If I could live here forever, I would dance at a different pace, guided by the warmth of your heart. I see no lines seperating us, Shutting down the little fragments of overthinking, I place you close to my bosom, Never to let you go. Making all the falsities disappear, I'm riveted by the hold of your hands, the sheer joy on your face At the movement of my eyelashes, Making me fall all over again. You asked me if you could join in my agony, If you could make me think of Things of joy, Checking my pulse and it's dramas, You dived deep into me, Untangling the mysterious cords, that encircled me....

One Pathetic Little Heart

Black and white photographs Hanging on the wall, behind me, Dance at the company Of sheer curtains. Fresh coffee rings on the table Cuddle with the lacquer crying for my attention. The chandelier wonder At the brightness of daylight, And my little heart Wonders at the lies I heard. I feel nauseous at how I Put up with all those lies. I'm just so tired of the notion of truth. what a pathetic little heart! What naivety and vulnerability has Consumed you. You made me think I own the autumn, That I can have him all for myself In my private abode. That spurious affection was Afterall nothing but a lie, And my foolish heart created fake scenarios, with every word of Autumn, who would give a peck on the neck, With a pat on the back. What a pathetic little heart! You never understood What seasons meant, You never realized they belong to each othe...

THE FORGOTTEN STORIES

Search This Blog