For most of us cinephiles, we remember the first time we saw a movie, whether it be in the theater, or at home. If the film shakes you, positively or negatively, there’s a residue left that seeps into your memory and makes it challenging to let go. Well, I don’t want to- so I’m going to highlight some Kristy horror history for this wonderful, special, month of October.
Disclaimer: These are late, but still necessary, because it’s important to highlight horror:
When I first saw Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House I immediately fell in love. In my rewatches, including a lovely recent one, that affinity has remained.
While it is tempting to draw comparisons, The Haunting of Bly Manor shouldn’t be. If you are watching this with expectations in mind, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. I’d give the advice that this should be consumed, as much as you can, without Hill House on the brain. If you are able to do so, you will find that this is more of a gothic love story than it is a horror, that’s more heart over scares, with plenty to appreciate in the details.
This 9 episode series follows Dani (Victoria Pedretti)- yes, many familiar faces- becoming au pair to young orphaned Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Flora (Amelie Bea Smith). With quite the nefarious history, and the kids acting a bit off… it doesn’t take long for Dani to feel like something might be odd at Bly Manor, even as she seeks to escape her past, herself. There’s a lot of supporting characters, each with their own backgrounds and intertwining relationships. In many ways, this series is about the dynamics between people. The very human, flawed, and sometimes- unexpectedly lovely- matchings in life.
I can definitely see this being not everyone’s cup of “tea.” For more than one reason. Especially if you go into this thinking you’ll be delighted by the likes of ghosts galore. This is a much subtler take, and there’s more purpose in the “hauntings” than in the predecessor. It takes its time, languishes in making you wonder what’s happening. Plus creepy and cute kids! These child actors do such a terrific job, it reminds you how important it is to cast well in a genre like this, if they didn’t sell it- we’d be lost.
Perfectly Splendid
Are there issues? Absolutely. Some narrative areas are delved into that aren’t necessary, as well as some poor British accents, but for the most part, I can shrug those off. What’s more important to me was what it imparted, and how I felt as I let it slowly, leave me. The finale was quite beautiful, and it had me choked up. Even now, when I hear the Sheryl Crow song at the end, it makes my heart and stomach do a somber dance. There’s a lot to love in Bly Manor, and I think the most important takeaway is exactly that, the moments to appreciate, (much like life). I’d like to think as we leave existence, we don’t linger on the sadness.
Wow, I’m waning poetic. What’s happening? This is spooktober!
There’s nothing conventional about this ghost story. It’s a haunting, of another type, of the sort that lingers on forever, the most potent of sources: love. As someone in the series so poignantly says, this “isn’t a ghost story, but a love story.” Indeed. The two very well may shake hands. This isn’t a frightening series, not in the usual sense, but there’s still the seed of loss, much like the first series, but experienced in a very different way. While it has its problems, I admire the choice. I feel like it breathed purpose into a dusty corner of horror, that very rarely sees the light of day. In some ways, it reminds me of why I love this genre. Some of it might be dirty, it may not be flawless (what is?) but there’s so much to explore.
I went through phases of uncertainty, rode waves of emotions and disappointments with this series, but ultimately, by its end, I felt haunted, in a way I didn’t expect. A unique, imperfect look at life, death and love, The Haunting of Bly Manor is another strong entry from Mike Flanagan.
Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying 