In American animation, talking animal movies are a dime-a-dozen, but the "Kung Fu Panda" series is a gem. A big part of the appeal comes from the charming lead performance of Jack Black as Dragon Warrior Po (read /Film's interview with Black on the "Kung Fu Panda" circuit here). Another reason is the Wuxia-inspired action, where the bouncy CGI complements the characters' acrobatics and allows filmmakers to execute "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" style wire-fu with no need for actual wires.
Then there's the other secret ingredient: the villains. In each of the four films made so far (with the "Kung Fu Panda 4" box office making it likely another chapter won't be far behind), Po faces a new adversary, one with a new power he must overcome while also advancing on his own spiritual journey. Pretty typical hero's journey stuff, but like in martial arts, it's all about the proper execution.
Then there's the other secret ingredient: the villains. In each of the four films made so far (with the "Kung Fu Panda 4" box office making it likely another chapter won't be far behind), Po faces a new adversary, one with a new power he must overcome while also advancing on his own spiritual journey. Pretty typical hero's journey stuff, but like in martial arts, it's all about the proper execution.
- 5/5/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Another year, another May 4th, has come to our galaxy. The unofficial holiday is known as Star Wars Day began in 2011 and quickly caught on as the date, May the fourth, sounded very similar to the phrase “May the Force Be With You.” Since then, fans worldwide have gathered to celebrate their favorite characters and moments from that franchise, and Disney often takes advantage of that.
A 2024 May Fourth video was posted on the official Star Wars YouTube Channel. While the video shows what you would typically expect with clips from the films and shows, interviews with the actors, and fans cosplaying, there is a noticeable absence.
The video, meant to celebrate the franchise as a whole, seemingly ignores the controversial Sequel Trilogy. In the beginning, we see Kylo Ren taking off his helmet for half a second, but there is little to no trace or acknowledgment of those three films.
A 2024 May Fourth video was posted on the official Star Wars YouTube Channel. While the video shows what you would typically expect with clips from the films and shows, interviews with the actors, and fans cosplaying, there is a noticeable absence.
The video, meant to celebrate the franchise as a whole, seemingly ignores the controversial Sequel Trilogy. In the beginning, we see Kylo Ren taking off his helmet for half a second, but there is little to no trace or acknowledgment of those three films.
- 5/4/2024
- by Mr. Milo
- Pirates & Princesses
While the first season splattered the Invincible logo with blood as the episodes progressed, symbolizing the lies and the violence that Mark is going to face going forward, Season 2 sees the title crack and chip, revealing a black and blue version of it, which super-fans know does not bode well for the enemies of Invincible.
Mark, in his classic blue, yellow, and black suit
Coming to the Season 2 finale, Mark will most probably switch his suit colors to the second iteration of his outfit, one that Art makes for him because the first suit has ‘too many colors’. In addition to the color switch, which will be black and blue, the suit will also no longer have knee and elbow pads, given that it makes no sense for someone called Invincible to wear so much protective gear.
Fans are hyped for Invincible’s ruthless era
Invincible’s new suit
The...
Mark, in his classic blue, yellow, and black suit
Coming to the Season 2 finale, Mark will most probably switch his suit colors to the second iteration of his outfit, one that Art makes for him because the first suit has ‘too many colors’. In addition to the color switch, which will be black and blue, the suit will also no longer have knee and elbow pads, given that it makes no sense for someone called Invincible to wear so much protective gear.
Fans are hyped for Invincible’s ruthless era
Invincible’s new suit
The...
- 3/31/2024
- by Anuraag Chatterjee
- FandomWire
Exclusive: Filipino actress and singer Lovi Poe (Seasons) is joining Adam Beach (Windtalkers) in the untitled Paul Fullerton project produced and directed by Garry A. Brown (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
The movie, which is due to shoot in Dallas, Texas later this year, is based on the true story of Paul Fullerton (Beach), a decorated Native American fire captain whose life is turned upside down when a career-ending accident draws him into marijuana and a collision course with the local district attorney and his small group of rogue police.
In 2016, Fullerton and his wife Marie’s (Poe) home was raided by a multi-agency task force and the couple was unjustly accused of selling and distributing marijuana. Aspects of the case are still going through the court process today.
Brown, who is best known for producing and directing on multiple seasons of shows Prison Break and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., will serve as the producer.
The movie, which is due to shoot in Dallas, Texas later this year, is based on the true story of Paul Fullerton (Beach), a decorated Native American fire captain whose life is turned upside down when a career-ending accident draws him into marijuana and a collision course with the local district attorney and his small group of rogue police.
In 2016, Fullerton and his wife Marie’s (Poe) home was raided by a multi-agency task force and the couple was unjustly accused of selling and distributing marijuana. Aspects of the case are still going through the court process today.
Brown, who is best known for producing and directing on multiple seasons of shows Prison Break and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., will serve as the producer.
- 3/21/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s hard to believe it’s been 47 years since we first witnessed the adventures of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, but across the nine-movie Skywalker saga, two standalone movies, a multitude of TV series, and one questionable Holiday Special, we’ve learned it’s a big ol’ galaxy out there. With enough characters to fill a Death Star, it’s inevitable that not every player in this grand space opera would get the same attention as Luke, Han, and Leia.
In fact, the franchise has allowed a few characters to slip to the sidelines. From major players who were discarded into the trash compactor to those who didn’t resonate with fans and were quietly pushed to the side, here are 12 Star Wars characters who deserved better.
Rose Tico
Kelly Marie Tran was a fantastic addition to the Sequel Trilogy in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but while she quickly settled in alongside Rey,...
In fact, the franchise has allowed a few characters to slip to the sidelines. From major players who were discarded into the trash compactor to those who didn’t resonate with fans and were quietly pushed to the side, here are 12 Star Wars characters who deserved better.
Rose Tico
Kelly Marie Tran was a fantastic addition to the Sequel Trilogy in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but while she quickly settled in alongside Rey,...
- 2/26/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Severin follows up their 2023 collection of Italian gothic titles with an essential second volume that brings together three films and a miniseries. Each work takes a very different approach to the gothic as both a visual aesthetic and a set of thematic preoccupations. The results range from virtually archetypal to resolutely revisionist. For this well-appointed set, Severin provides a veritable bounty of bonus materials: new restorations, alternate cuts, commentary tracks, cast and crew interviews, visual essays, even a soundtrack CD.
Antonio Margheriti’s Danza Macabra, from 1964, is one of the very best Italian gothic films. It simply oozes with atmosphere courtesy of Riccardo Pallottini’s moody monochrome cinematography, and, while the violence remains relatively restrained, Margheriti brazenly pushes the envelope when it comes to nudity and some suggestive sexual content. Likely as a bid to cash in on Roger Corman’s Poe Cycle, Danza Macabra not only claims to be...
Antonio Margheriti’s Danza Macabra, from 1964, is one of the very best Italian gothic films. It simply oozes with atmosphere courtesy of Riccardo Pallottini’s moody monochrome cinematography, and, while the violence remains relatively restrained, Margheriti brazenly pushes the envelope when it comes to nudity and some suggestive sexual content. Likely as a bid to cash in on Roger Corman’s Poe Cycle, Danza Macabra not only claims to be...
- 2/7/2024
- by Budd Wilkins
- Slant Magazine
Much can be said about "Star Wars" but if there is one thing that it contributed to the greater landscape of cinema, it's a legacy of advancing on-screen visual effects. From the very beginning, George Lucas and the team at Industrial Light and Magic managed to do things that nobody could have imagined were possible beforehand. To this day, Lucasfilm continues that tradition under the Disney umbrella, with shows like "The Mandalorian" continuing to break new ground with VFX. But it was the sequel trilogy that showed what modern "Star Wars" could truly look like with the might of Disney backing these productions.
Beginning with "The Force Awakens," these massive-scale blockbusters represented much of what this franchise had been in the past, as well as what it could be in the future. But what goes into making a lightsaber look real? How do you bring a Porg to life? How...
Beginning with "The Force Awakens," these massive-scale blockbusters represented much of what this franchise had been in the past, as well as what it could be in the future. But what goes into making a lightsaber look real? How do you bring a Porg to life? How...
- 2/5/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Horror movie star Vincent Price and classic rock god Paul McCartney were two very different types of celebrities in the 1960s. However, Paul showed up on the set of one of Price’s movies for personal reasons. The director of the movie had no idea who The Beatles were!
Paul McCartney was on the set of 1 of Vincent Price movie based on an Edgar Allan Poe story
From 1963 to 1968, Paul dated actor Jane Asher. Among horror fans, Asher is most known for her role in the classic The Masque of the Red Death, an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story of the same name. In the film. Price plays Prince Prospero, a wealthy Satanist living in a secluded castle while a disease called the Red Death ravages his country. Asher played Francesca, a Christian peasant whom he kidnaps.
The film was directed by B-movie king Roger Corman. In a 2021 interview with The Guardian,...
Paul McCartney was on the set of 1 of Vincent Price movie based on an Edgar Allan Poe story
From 1963 to 1968, Paul dated actor Jane Asher. Among horror fans, Asher is most known for her role in the classic The Masque of the Red Death, an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story of the same name. In the film. Price plays Prince Prospero, a wealthy Satanist living in a secluded castle while a disease called the Red Death ravages his country. Asher played Francesca, a Christian peasant whom he kidnaps.
The film was directed by B-movie king Roger Corman. In a 2021 interview with The Guardian,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A long time ago, in a movie theater not too far away… a series of films came out that captured the imagination of movie fans everywhere. The Star Wars franchise has been a giant among the most loved movies ever made. The original trilogy has been held up as sacred. When it came time for the Prequels, original fans were a little let down, but young fans embraced them. They have finally aged into their place in Star Wars canon.
When Lucasfilm was sold to Disney for a staggering $4.5 billion, fans knew it was only a matter of time before we finally got some films with some of our favorite characters returning to the big screen. The first two divided audiences, but the third may have been the one that really made fans wonder what was happening behind the scenes. There didn’t seem to be a plan for the new films,...
When Lucasfilm was sold to Disney for a staggering $4.5 billion, fans knew it was only a matter of time before we finally got some films with some of our favorite characters returning to the big screen. The first two divided audiences, but the third may have been the one that really made fans wonder what was happening behind the scenes. There didn’t seem to be a plan for the new films,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Bryan Wolford
- JoBlo.com
When Nicolas Cage won the Best Actor Oscar in 1995 for his devastating portrayal of a heartbroken alcoholic with a death wish in Mike Figgis' "Leaving Las Vegas," he was 31 years old and soaring into the prime of an already impressive career. He had access to the best screenplays in town and the interest of just about every A-list director. So Cage did what any reasonable movie star would do: he made three of the decade's zaniest blockbuster action movies.
For those of us who fell in love with Cage as the good-hearted punk Randy in Martha Coolidge's lovable 1983 film "Valley Girl," he kind of owed us. Though he's utterly brilliant in "Leaving Las Vegas," Figgis' grimy drama makes "The Lost Weekend" look like "Arthur." It's a brutal, frankly unrewarding ordeal. For close to two hours, we watch Cage's financially/personally ruined screenwriter grimly follow through on his promise to speedily drink himself to death.
For those of us who fell in love with Cage as the good-hearted punk Randy in Martha Coolidge's lovable 1983 film "Valley Girl," he kind of owed us. Though he's utterly brilliant in "Leaving Las Vegas," Figgis' grimy drama makes "The Lost Weekend" look like "Arthur." It's a brutal, frankly unrewarding ordeal. For close to two hours, we watch Cage's financially/personally ruined screenwriter grimly follow through on his promise to speedily drink himself to death.
- 1/21/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
While I’m pretty sure that only parents can properly fathom the indescribable horror of discovering that your child is missing, I think anyone can relate to the desperation of losing a loved one. That’s why it makes sense that this premise has been used as a jumping off point for all sorts of revenge narratives since time immemorial, with badass protagonists often doing whatever it takes to either recover or avenge missing family members.
However, there is one film that explores a much less glamorous side of these cinematic vendettas, and that would be Denis Villeneuve’s 2013 thriller Prisoners, a modern classic that explores just how far a desperate man might go when he’s convinced that his terrible actions are completely justified.
Originally a spec script by Aaron Guzikowski that wound up on the 2009 Black List, Prisoners would only get off the ground when Mark Wahlberg stepped...
However, there is one film that explores a much less glamorous side of these cinematic vendettas, and that would be Denis Villeneuve’s 2013 thriller Prisoners, a modern classic that explores just how far a desperate man might go when he’s convinced that his terrible actions are completely justified.
Originally a spec script by Aaron Guzikowski that wound up on the 2009 Black List, Prisoners would only get off the ground when Mark Wahlberg stepped...
- 1/16/2024
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Stephen King is inarguably one of the most adapted authors in the world. The reigning overlord of the horror genre has seen his work translated to film and TV almost continually since his first novel, Carrie, was adapted in 1976. While he’s had his ups and downs in terms of success in those venues, it’s almost a certainty that the King adaptations will continue as the author himself keeps working well into his sixth decade as a published writer.
Naturally, most of the adaptations of King’s work focus on his horror or horror-adjacent output: just about everything from 1,000-page behemoths like the post-apocalyptic The Stand to 10-page short stories like the single-setting monster tale “The Boogeyman” have found their way to the screen. But while filmmakers and creators gravitate toward the King material that they think will scare audiences – after all, that’s his brand – some of the...
Naturally, most of the adaptations of King’s work focus on his horror or horror-adjacent output: just about everything from 1,000-page behemoths like the post-apocalyptic The Stand to 10-page short stories like the single-setting monster tale “The Boogeyman” have found their way to the screen. But while filmmakers and creators gravitate toward the King material that they think will scare audiences – after all, that’s his brand – some of the...
- 1/15/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
In director J.J. Abrams' 2019 film "Star Wars: Episode IX -- The Rise of Skywalker," heroes Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe (Oscar Isaac) are searching for something called a Sith Wayfinder, a widget that would allow them to locate a hidden planet called Exogol: the place where the evil Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is hiding out and building a fleet of warships. To find the Wayfinder, however, the heroes must first decipher some runes written in an ancient, forbidden Sith language etched onto the Blade of Ochi. Their translation droid C-3Po (Anthony Daniels) can translate the runes, but the information about the Sith language is embedded deep within his programming, and to extract it, a droid expert named Babu Frik has to wipe out C-3Po's memory entirely.
This was not the first time C-3Po's memory had been wiped. At the end of the 2005 film...
This was not the first time C-3Po's memory had been wiped. At the end of the 2005 film...
- 1/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
(Welcome to The Movies That Made "Star Wars," a series where we explore the films and television properties that inspired George Lucas' iconic universe. In this edition: The classic jidaigeki film "Three Outlaw Samurai.")
As the first feature film from the legendary Japanese filmmaker Hideo Gosha, "Three Outlaw Samurai," holds a special place in the pantheon of Japanese films. It tells the story of three samurai who battle corruption and balance their honor and obedience to the system that produced them with doing what's actually right — something that feels almost radical in this style of filmmaking. The movie's stars — Tetsurô Tanba, Isamu Nagato, and Mikijirô Hira as the titular samurai — were reprising their roles from a television show with the same name that had started the year before. According to the essay by Bilge Eberi that accompanies the Criterion Collection's excellent Blu-ray transfer of the film, the original show seems lost to time.
As the first feature film from the legendary Japanese filmmaker Hideo Gosha, "Three Outlaw Samurai," holds a special place in the pantheon of Japanese films. It tells the story of three samurai who battle corruption and balance their honor and obedience to the system that produced them with doing what's actually right — something that feels almost radical in this style of filmmaking. The movie's stars — Tetsurô Tanba, Isamu Nagato, and Mikijirô Hira as the titular samurai — were reprising their roles from a television show with the same name that had started the year before. According to the essay by Bilge Eberi that accompanies the Criterion Collection's excellent Blu-ray transfer of the film, the original show seems lost to time.
- 12/20/2023
- by Bryan Young
- Slash Film
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Oculus and The Fall of the House of Usher.
Of all the horror creators currently working in the business, few have the ability to tear at our heartstrings like Mike Flanagan. Beginning with the 2018 hit miniseries The Haunting of Hill House, the director’s horrific Netflix shows are just as likely to elicit cathartic sobs as hysterical screams. However, with a cast of unlikeable characters and a cavalcade of grisly deaths, Flanagan’s newest series The Fall of the House of Usher may signal a return to the grim horror of his early career. Films like Absentia, Hush, and Ouija: Original of Evil all center harsh and unforgiving stories – a gut punch rather than a bittersweet embrace. Perhaps the cruelest of these is Oculus, the 2013 story of a haunted mirror. Ten years after its premiere, this nihilistic movie still feels like a lean...
Of all the horror creators currently working in the business, few have the ability to tear at our heartstrings like Mike Flanagan. Beginning with the 2018 hit miniseries The Haunting of Hill House, the director’s horrific Netflix shows are just as likely to elicit cathartic sobs as hysterical screams. However, with a cast of unlikeable characters and a cavalcade of grisly deaths, Flanagan’s newest series The Fall of the House of Usher may signal a return to the grim horror of his early career. Films like Absentia, Hush, and Ouija: Original of Evil all center harsh and unforgiving stories – a gut punch rather than a bittersweet embrace. Perhaps the cruelest of these is Oculus, the 2013 story of a haunted mirror. Ten years after its premiere, this nihilistic movie still feels like a lean...
- 12/11/2023
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
Roger Corman's 1960 feature films "House of Usher" was the first film in a long series of Edgar Allan Poe-based movies at American International Pictures. From 1960 to 1964, Corman directed eight Poe films, with all but one of them starring Vincent Price. After "House of Usher," Corman made "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The Premature Burial," the anthology film "Tales of Terror," "The Raven," "The Haunted Palace," "The Masque of the Red Death," and "The Tomb of Ligeia." Technically, 1963's "The Haunted Palace" isn't a Poe movie. It was named after Poe's 1893 poem but was in fact based on the 1927 short novel "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" by H.P. Lovecraft. Poe, it seems, was a bigger marquee name than Lovecraft, so the latter author's story was merely folded into Corman's short-lived but well-remembered Poe subgenre.
Fans of gothic horror would do well to marathon all eight movies. They're all...
Fans of gothic horror would do well to marathon all eight movies. They're all...
- 11/28/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
60th anniversary collector’s edition of Roger Corman’s The Terror on Blu-ray/DVD, 12th December 2023
Two-Disc Collection Packed With Special Features, Including Bonus Film The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) and Film Commentary by Star Jonathan Haze
The duality of Roger Corman is on display, showcasing his spooky gothic side with The Terror (1963) — marking the 60th anniversary of its release this year — and his more whimsical side with The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) in this double-feature, special-edition, two-disc, collector’s set, on Blu-ray and DVD 12th December 2023 from Film Masters.
In The Terror—with an all-new HD restoration from 35mm archival elements — an 18th century French Lieutenant in Napoleon’s army encounters the ghostly apparition of a young woman (Sandra Knight). Curiosity leads Lt. Andre Duvalier (Jack Nicholson) to the castle of Baron Von Leppe (Boris Karloff), where he notices a painting of the Baron’s late wife Ilsa, who looks identical to the ghostly woman. Determined to unravel the castle’s mystery, Duvalier learns that...
The duality of Roger Corman is on display, showcasing his spooky gothic side with The Terror (1963) — marking the 60th anniversary of its release this year — and his more whimsical side with The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) in this double-feature, special-edition, two-disc, collector’s set, on Blu-ray and DVD 12th December 2023 from Film Masters.
In The Terror—with an all-new HD restoration from 35mm archival elements — an 18th century French Lieutenant in Napoleon’s army encounters the ghostly apparition of a young woman (Sandra Knight). Curiosity leads Lt. Andre Duvalier (Jack Nicholson) to the castle of Baron Von Leppe (Boris Karloff), where he notices a painting of the Baron’s late wife Ilsa, who looks identical to the ghostly woman. Determined to unravel the castle’s mystery, Duvalier learns that...
- 11/20/2023
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Warning: The following contains major spoilers for The Fall of the House of Usher and the works of Edgar Allen Poe.
In recent years, Mike Flanagan has become known for emotional adaptations of classic horror literature. After a series of original films, Flanagan brought Stephen King’s famously unfilmable novel Gerald’s Game to life then set his sights on the work of Shirley Jackson. His Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House dramatically expanded the legendary story and brought us all to tears with an intimate examination of parenting through the years. Flanagan followed this with The Haunting of Bly Manor, a mind-bending take on The Turn of the Screw, and The Midnight Club, a spooky mashup of Christopher Pike’s YA bibliography.
For his latest Netflix series, Flanagan tackles the work of Edgar Allan Poe. Following the wealthy Usher family, the director takes some of his trademark liberties to...
In recent years, Mike Flanagan has become known for emotional adaptations of classic horror literature. After a series of original films, Flanagan brought Stephen King’s famously unfilmable novel Gerald’s Game to life then set his sights on the work of Shirley Jackson. His Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House dramatically expanded the legendary story and brought us all to tears with an intimate examination of parenting through the years. Flanagan followed this with The Haunting of Bly Manor, a mind-bending take on The Turn of the Screw, and The Midnight Club, a spooky mashup of Christopher Pike’s YA bibliography.
For his latest Netflix series, Flanagan tackles the work of Edgar Allan Poe. Following the wealthy Usher family, the director takes some of his trademark liberties to...
- 11/10/2023
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
Edgar Allan Poe may have enjoyed some amount of popularity during his lifetime, but he certainly could not have predicted just how influential his writing would become in the ensuing years. Even over two centuries later, we’re still seeing reverential homages to his work in modern media, and that’s not even including the immeasurable impact the author had on the horror genre as a whole.
And with Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher reinventing the author’s stories for the streaming generation, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six of the best Poe adaptations to watch after binging Netflix’s horrific treat. After all, there’s something for everyone when it comes to reinventions of Edgar’s tales of mystery and imagination.
And with hundreds of adaptations to choose from, we won’t be limiting ourselves to either film or...
And with Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher reinventing the author’s stories for the streaming generation, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six of the best Poe adaptations to watch after binging Netflix’s horrific treat. After all, there’s something for everyone when it comes to reinventions of Edgar’s tales of mystery and imagination.
And with hundreds of adaptations to choose from, we won’t be limiting ourselves to either film or...
- 11/2/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Tannaz Anisi and sales team to present first-look footage next week.
13 Films has boarded worldwide sales for AFM on Bk Studios’ psychological thriller My Sister’s Bones starring Olga Kurylenko, Jenny Seagrove and Anna Friel and produced by the late Bill Kenwright.
Heidi Greensmith, whose debut feature Winter earned a 2015 Bifa nomination, directs the Bk Studios feature based on Nuala Ellwood’s novel of the same name about a woman who returns from war-torn Iraq following the death of her mother.
While packing up her mother’s belongings she begins to believe something terrifying is happening in the house next door.
13 Films has boarded worldwide sales for AFM on Bk Studios’ psychological thriller My Sister’s Bones starring Olga Kurylenko, Jenny Seagrove and Anna Friel and produced by the late Bill Kenwright.
Heidi Greensmith, whose debut feature Winter earned a 2015 Bifa nomination, directs the Bk Studios feature based on Nuala Ellwood’s novel of the same name about a woman who returns from war-torn Iraq following the death of her mother.
While packing up her mother’s belongings she begins to believe something terrifying is happening in the house next door.
- 10/27/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive Interview: Richard Bailey (The Dark Sisters) Prior to getting into filmmaking what was your background and what life experiences have you brought into the film world?
I grew up on a small farm in Texas, and so the idea of making movies seemed pretty remote. I found that I had a cinematic imagination. Chores like feeding cows, mowing fields and mending fences were all invested with cinematic flourish. I saw apocalypse-inducing machinery in large rusty tractors. I saw my ghost every day in the fading glass of an antique mirror. I imagined lens flares and tracking shots in all my labours. I’m grateful for the digital technology that makes it possible for people like me to make movies. I’d have no way forward if it wasn’t for digital.
What can you tell us about your horror film The Dark Sisters (2023), without giving any spoilers?
There are these two sisters,...
I grew up on a small farm in Texas, and so the idea of making movies seemed pretty remote. I found that I had a cinematic imagination. Chores like feeding cows, mowing fields and mending fences were all invested with cinematic flourish. I saw apocalypse-inducing machinery in large rusty tractors. I saw my ghost every day in the fading glass of an antique mirror. I imagined lens flares and tracking shots in all my labours. I’m grateful for the digital technology that makes it possible for people like me to make movies. I’d have no way forward if it wasn’t for digital.
What can you tell us about your horror film The Dark Sisters (2023), without giving any spoilers?
There are these two sisters,...
- 10/26/2023
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Bill Burr’s directorial debut “Old Dads” debuted on the Netflix Top 10 list as the streamer’s most-watched title during the Oct. 16-22 viewing window. After three days of availability, the film recorded 13.3 million views. Coming in second on the English-Language films list is “The Devil on Trial” documentary, which opened on Oct. 17, and recorded 8 million views.
“The Fall of the House of Usher” jumped to first place on the English-Language TV list with 7.9 million views in its first full week of availability, dethroning David and Victoria Beckham’s docuseries. “Beckham” moved to No. 2 on the list with 6.9 million views.
The Edgar Allen Poe-inspired limited series originally debuted in second place on the English-Language TV chart during the Oct.9-15 viewing window as it conjured up 6.3 million total views in its first four days of availability. Hailing from “The Haunting of Hill House” creator Mike Flanagan the chilling limited...
“The Fall of the House of Usher” jumped to first place on the English-Language TV list with 7.9 million views in its first full week of availability, dethroning David and Victoria Beckham’s docuseries. “Beckham” moved to No. 2 on the list with 6.9 million views.
The Edgar Allen Poe-inspired limited series originally debuted in second place on the English-Language TV chart during the Oct.9-15 viewing window as it conjured up 6.3 million total views in its first four days of availability. Hailing from “The Haunting of Hill House” creator Mike Flanagan the chilling limited...
- 10/24/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
[This story contains spoilers for The Fall of the House of Usher.]
With Mike Flanagan’s latest, the Edgar Allen Poe-inspired The Fall of the House of Usher, production designer Laurin Kelsey had a lot of houses on her hands.
The Netflix horror series goes full-tilt into Poe, complete with episode titles referencing one of his notable works, and the main home of the series’ patriarch (played by Bruce Greenwood) being a twist on the one featured in the late writer’s original short story. It also stars Mary McDonnell, Henry Thomas, T’Nia Miller, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Kate Siegel, Sauriyan Sapkota, Kyliegh Curran, Carla Gugino, Carly Lumbly, Zack Gilford and Willa Fitzgerald.
The Fall of the House of Usher follows the lives (and deaths) that surround siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher, the ruthless founders of the Fortunato Pharmaceuticals empire. Literally built on the pain of others, their family’s wealth, privilege and power...
With Mike Flanagan’s latest, the Edgar Allen Poe-inspired The Fall of the House of Usher, production designer Laurin Kelsey had a lot of houses on her hands.
The Netflix horror series goes full-tilt into Poe, complete with episode titles referencing one of his notable works, and the main home of the series’ patriarch (played by Bruce Greenwood) being a twist on the one featured in the late writer’s original short story. It also stars Mary McDonnell, Henry Thomas, T’Nia Miller, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Kate Siegel, Sauriyan Sapkota, Kyliegh Curran, Carla Gugino, Carly Lumbly, Zack Gilford and Willa Fitzgerald.
The Fall of the House of Usher follows the lives (and deaths) that surround siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher, the ruthless founders of the Fortunato Pharmaceuticals empire. Literally built on the pain of others, their family’s wealth, privilege and power...
- 10/21/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Every time spooky season rolls around, there are a few traditions that brighten up our jack-o-lanterns. One of the funniest is a new episode of The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror.
A new year of gruesome and campy tales that brings our favorite family into unexpected chaos. From horror movie parodies to pop culture references, Treehouse of Horror is the chance to break away from the main story with some Halloween treats. And some tricks along the way!
With nearly 33 specials, The Simpsons has covered it all.
Each episode typically has three spooky segments, some arguably better than others. But with decades of stories (which you can watch online via TV Fanatic), there are many to choose from.
Below, we've picked out 25 stories from The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror that capture our love of the season. They're great binge-watches to get in the mood for Halloween. Check them out below!
"Bad...
A new year of gruesome and campy tales that brings our favorite family into unexpected chaos. From horror movie parodies to pop culture references, Treehouse of Horror is the chance to break away from the main story with some Halloween treats. And some tricks along the way!
With nearly 33 specials, The Simpsons has covered it all.
Each episode typically has three spooky segments, some arguably better than others. But with decades of stories (which you can watch online via TV Fanatic), there are many to choose from.
Below, we've picked out 25 stories from The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror that capture our love of the season. They're great binge-watches to get in the mood for Halloween. Check them out below!
"Bad...
- 10/21/2023
- by Justin Carreiro
- TVfanatic
When cinephiles of a certain sensibility talk about the best decades for horror, they’ll probably point to the 1980s with its explosion of cutting-edge special effects and home video-induced demand for material. Or they might point to the era of Universal Pictures’ domination in the 1930s, followed up then by the moody Val Lewton thrillers of the 1940s. Maybe even a very unpopular kid will try to make an argument for the 2010s, at least until everyone pulls the A24 hat over his eyes and kicks him out.
But moviegoers would be foolish to overlook the 1960s. The decade saw not only two amazing horror flicks from Alfred Hitchcock but also caught the genre in an interesting time of transition. Filmmakers built on the Gothic approach of previous decades by adding a psychological dimension, finding new chills in an established model. Furthermore, the decade saw the first steps toward the ho,...
But moviegoers would be foolish to overlook the 1960s. The decade saw not only two amazing horror flicks from Alfred Hitchcock but also caught the genre in an interesting time of transition. Filmmakers built on the Gothic approach of previous decades by adding a psychological dimension, finding new chills in an established model. Furthermore, the decade saw the first steps toward the ho,...
- 10/21/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
This article contains spoilers for The Fall of the House of Usher.
The Fall of the House of Usher features many gruesome deaths as each member of the Usher family is killed in equally bizarre ways. But for all of the blood and gore we see throughout the series, there’s one death in particular that left some viewers worried about the fate of a furry member of the Usher clan. Thankfully though, series creator Mike Flanagan reassured fans that not everything is what it seems in episode 4.
Episode 4 titled “The Black Cat” focuses on Napoleon “Leo” Usher’s (Rahul Kohli) death and is based on the Edgar Allan Poe short story of the same name. The episode begins with Leo finding his partner Julius’ (Daniel Jun) cat Pluto brutally murdered. After getting blackout drunk the night before, Leo worries that he killed the cat and quickly disposes of the...
The Fall of the House of Usher features many gruesome deaths as each member of the Usher family is killed in equally bizarre ways. But for all of the blood and gore we see throughout the series, there’s one death in particular that left some viewers worried about the fate of a furry member of the Usher clan. Thankfully though, series creator Mike Flanagan reassured fans that not everything is what it seems in episode 4.
Episode 4 titled “The Black Cat” focuses on Napoleon “Leo” Usher’s (Rahul Kohli) death and is based on the Edgar Allan Poe short story of the same name. The episode begins with Leo finding his partner Julius’ (Daniel Jun) cat Pluto brutally murdered. After getting blackout drunk the night before, Leo worries that he killed the cat and quickly disposes of the...
- 10/17/2023
- by Brynnaarens
- Den of Geek
Netflix's new series, The Fall of the House of Usher, had to remove its controversial leading star during filming due to criminal accusations.
The new series, based on Edgar Allan Poe's iconic short story from 1839, was recently released on Netflix.
It follows Carla Gugino as Verna and Bruce Greenwood as Roderick Usher. The series is loosely based on the original story and also includes story elements and references to other Poe stories like The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart.
Read full article on The Direct.
The new series, based on Edgar Allan Poe's iconic short story from 1839, was recently released on Netflix.
It follows Carla Gugino as Verna and Bruce Greenwood as Roderick Usher. The series is loosely based on the original story and also includes story elements and references to other Poe stories like The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart.
Read full article on The Direct.
- 10/16/2023
- by David Thompson
- The Direct
The Fall of the House of Usher showrunner Mike Flanagan has been largely keeping quiet amid the rollout of his latest Netflix horror series, but he took to Twitter/X late last week to clarify a burning question from a fan. And if you’re going to take a single question from the internet, it might as well be about a cat.
The question: “What did cats ever do to you?” in reference to episode four’s gory battle between the ill-fated Leo (Rahul Kohli) and a black cat named Pluto in a story that’s loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “The Black Cat.”
Flanagan wanted to make it clear that after the cat goes missing, the menacing replacement cat he adopts is entirely a hallucination caused by the mysterious Verna (Carla Gugino) and that Pluto is alive and well.
“Okay. So… ‘The Black Cat’ was written by Edgar Allan Poe,...
The question: “What did cats ever do to you?” in reference to episode four’s gory battle between the ill-fated Leo (Rahul Kohli) and a black cat named Pluto in a story that’s loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “The Black Cat.”
Flanagan wanted to make it clear that after the cat goes missing, the menacing replacement cat he adopts is entirely a hallucination caused by the mysterious Verna (Carla Gugino) and that Pluto is alive and well.
“Okay. So… ‘The Black Cat’ was written by Edgar Allan Poe,...
- 10/16/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Spoilers for "The Fall of the House of Usher" follow.
You might call Carla Gugino Mike Flanagan's secret weapon. The actor has worked with Flanagan on multiple occasions, from "The Haunting of Hill House" to "Gerald's Game," and beyond. Their latest collaboration is "The Fall of the House of Usher," an Edgar Allan Poe-infused series now streaming on Netflix. In the series, Gugino plays Verna, a mysterious, supernatural woman who has a habit of popping up seemingly everywhere in various forms. And believe it or not, one of those forms is that of a chimpanzee. Sort of.
In the series, the wealthy, corrupt Usher family, which made a fortune in the pharmaceutical industry, finds themselves being picked off one by one in increasingly gruesome ways (inspired by Edgar Allan Poe stories). In an episode inspired by Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue," Usher daughter Camille (Kate Siegel...
You might call Carla Gugino Mike Flanagan's secret weapon. The actor has worked with Flanagan on multiple occasions, from "The Haunting of Hill House" to "Gerald's Game," and beyond. Their latest collaboration is "The Fall of the House of Usher," an Edgar Allan Poe-infused series now streaming on Netflix. In the series, Gugino plays Verna, a mysterious, supernatural woman who has a habit of popping up seemingly everywhere in various forms. And believe it or not, one of those forms is that of a chimpanzee. Sort of.
In the series, the wealthy, corrupt Usher family, which made a fortune in the pharmaceutical industry, finds themselves being picked off one by one in increasingly gruesome ways (inspired by Edgar Allan Poe stories). In an episode inspired by Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue," Usher daughter Camille (Kate Siegel...
- 10/14/2023
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
The Fall of the House of Usher is mesmerizing it its own right; it’s a powerful meditation on life, death, corruption, and the destructive power of familial bonds. But if you weren’t an English major (or don’t remember your Poe unit from high school English class), you might’ve missed just how intricate the show is—and how carefully it interweaves many of Poe’s familiar works. Here, we break down many of the major references to Edgar Allan Poe poems and short stories within the Netflix limited series’ eight episodes. A Midnight Dreary Much of “A Midnight Dreary” is devoted to setting up the conflict and characters, but one of the key events is derived from Poe’s works. In the show’s opening, Roderick (Bruce Greenwood) and Madeleine’s (Mary McDonnell) mother mysteriously returns from the dead, having clawed her way out of a grave—a premature burial,...
- 10/14/2023
- TV Insider
“The Fall of the House of Usher” is an adaptation that has no qualms about referencing its source material. The miniseries is almost gleeful in its nods to iconic Edgar Allan Poe imagery such as black cats and ravens. But in its final episode, the Netflix series takes its love of Poe a step further, fully reading a fairly obscure poem from the gothic author. Spoilers ahead.
In the final moments of “The Raven,” Verna (Carla Gugino) visits the graves of the nine deceased Ushers. She lays a trinket on each of their graves while reading a poem in a voiceover. That poem is none other than Poe’s “Spirits of the Dead.”
Originally titled “Visits of the Dead,” “Spirits of the Dead” was published as part of Poe’s first poetry collection, “Tamerlane and Other Poems,” which was published in 1827. The collection was only credited to “a Bostonian” at the time.
In the final moments of “The Raven,” Verna (Carla Gugino) visits the graves of the nine deceased Ushers. She lays a trinket on each of their graves while reading a poem in a voiceover. That poem is none other than Poe’s “Spirits of the Dead.”
Originally titled “Visits of the Dead,” “Spirits of the Dead” was published as part of Poe’s first poetry collection, “Tamerlane and Other Poems,” which was published in 1827. The collection was only credited to “a Bostonian” at the time.
- 10/13/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
This article contains spoilers for Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher.
As its title suggests, Mike Flanagan’s latest project for Netflix, The Fall of the House of Usher, is an intensely Edgar Allan Poe affair. The eight-episode series, which follows the modern day rise and fall of fictional opioid giant Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, is based on not only Poe’s epic “The Fall of the House of Usher” but many of his other seminal classics as well.
Fittingly, pretty much every character on the show is named after an Edgar Allan Poe creation. These range from the blindingly obvious (Bruce Greenwood’s Roderick Usher and Mary McDonnell’s Madeline Usher) to the less obvious (Katie Parker’s Annabel Lee) to the downright obscure (T’Nia Miller’s Victorine Lafourcade). One of The Fall of the House of Usher‘s most important characters, however, doesn’t appear to have...
As its title suggests, Mike Flanagan’s latest project for Netflix, The Fall of the House of Usher, is an intensely Edgar Allan Poe affair. The eight-episode series, which follows the modern day rise and fall of fictional opioid giant Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, is based on not only Poe’s epic “The Fall of the House of Usher” but many of his other seminal classics as well.
Fittingly, pretty much every character on the show is named after an Edgar Allan Poe creation. These range from the blindingly obvious (Bruce Greenwood’s Roderick Usher and Mary McDonnell’s Madeline Usher) to the less obvious (Katie Parker’s Annabel Lee) to the downright obscure (T’Nia Miller’s Victorine Lafourcade). One of The Fall of the House of Usher‘s most important characters, however, doesn’t appear to have...
- 10/13/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Anyone who’s read Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” knew the Netflix series was going to end with horror, vengeance and a dilapidating house symbolizing the ruin of a once-great family. But leave it to show creators Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy to turn a literary classic on its head.
While paying homage to the short story it’s named after, “The Fall of the House of Usher” managed to wrap up its complicated story of familial greed and failure while also sneaking in a couple of extra Poe Easter eggs. Consider this your guide on how this creepy miniseries ends.
How does “The Fall of the House of Usher” end?
In Episode 8 “The Raven,” Roderick (Bruce Greenwood) finally explains to Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly) exactly why he’s responsible for the deaths of his children.
Years ago, he...
While paying homage to the short story it’s named after, “The Fall of the House of Usher” managed to wrap up its complicated story of familial greed and failure while also sneaking in a couple of extra Poe Easter eggs. Consider this your guide on how this creepy miniseries ends.
How does “The Fall of the House of Usher” end?
In Episode 8 “The Raven,” Roderick (Bruce Greenwood) finally explains to Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly) exactly why he’s responsible for the deaths of his children.
Years ago, he...
- 10/13/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
The ending of The Fall of the House of Usher is a rather depressing one. Not only because we have to say goodbye to the wonderful show and Flanagan’s stint with Netflix, but also because the show has a rather bleak ending. We’ve established that Verna is Lady Death herself, but we don’t know what the deal was that the twins struck with her in ‘79. On top of that, why did the kids have to die as a result of it? Auggie has been hearing Madeline in the basement this whole time, but she hasn’t shown up all night, which is very odd. On this one night, Auggie has felt cheated, threatened, and a little bit scared. This episode is titled “The Raven,” which seems like the most literal adaptation in the whole show. The poem is about a raven that visits a student grieving his lost love.
- 10/13/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
Mike Flanagan’s final series for Netflix is “The Fall of the House of Usher,” and it’s available to stream now. The limited eight-episode series is based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, and that is reflected in every facet of the series, right down to its production design.
In the series, “Ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege, and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.”
The Usher family is played by Bruce Greenwood (Roderick Usher), Mary McDonnell (Madeline Usher), Henry Thomas (Frederick Usher), T’Nia Miller (Victorine Lafourcade), Samantha Sloyan (Tamerlane Usher), Rahul Kohli (Napoleon “Leo” Usher), Kate Siegel (Camille L’Espanaye), Sauriyan Sapkota (Prospero “Perry” Usher), Kyliegh Curran (Lenore Usher), and Zach Gilford and Willa Fitzgerald as young Roderick and Madeline respectively.
In the series, “Ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege, and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.”
The Usher family is played by Bruce Greenwood (Roderick Usher), Mary McDonnell (Madeline Usher), Henry Thomas (Frederick Usher), T’Nia Miller (Victorine Lafourcade), Samantha Sloyan (Tamerlane Usher), Rahul Kohli (Napoleon “Leo” Usher), Kate Siegel (Camille L’Espanaye), Sauriyan Sapkota (Prospero “Perry” Usher), Kyliegh Curran (Lenore Usher), and Zach Gilford and Willa Fitzgerald as young Roderick and Madeline respectively.
- 10/13/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The house of Usher as it appears in Mike Flanagan's Netflix series "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a far cry from the "mansion of gloom" described in Edgar Allan Poe's original story. It definitely has the "gloom" part down, but it's only a humble house at the opposite end of the street from a true mansion, where the young Roderick and Madeline Usher's biological father lives but refuses to acknowledge them. Whereas Poe told the story of an "old money" family, fallen from greatness due to an implied family tradition of inbreeding, Flanagan tells a new money fable of the Ushers' meteoric rise and their grisly downfall.
The series folds in story elements and Easter eggs from many of Poe's works, ranging from the most famous to the more obscure. Of equal influence is the real-life scandal of the Sackler family, whose crimes have been...
The series folds in story elements and Easter eggs from many of Poe's works, ranging from the most famous to the more obscure. Of equal influence is the real-life scandal of the Sackler family, whose crimes have been...
- 10/13/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "The Fall of the House of Usher."
Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" may only be a few thousand words long, but in Mike Flanagan's sprawling and savage new Netflix series, it takes a whole lot longer for the members of House Usher to reach their ultimate fate. Across the series' eight episodes, members of the wealthy pharmaceutical family die disturbing and complex deaths at the hands of a curse patriarch Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) and his sister Madeline (Mary McDonnell) agreed to years ago. In a clever twist, though, each death ties back to a famous (or lesser-known) story or poem from the famously bleak author, all of them reimagined for a modern audience.
Flanagan's "The Fall of the House of Usher" is entertaining whether or not you recognize the stories behind its goriest moments, but the filmmaker...
Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" may only be a few thousand words long, but in Mike Flanagan's sprawling and savage new Netflix series, it takes a whole lot longer for the members of House Usher to reach their ultimate fate. Across the series' eight episodes, members of the wealthy pharmaceutical family die disturbing and complex deaths at the hands of a curse patriarch Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) and his sister Madeline (Mary McDonnell) agreed to years ago. In a clever twist, though, each death ties back to a famous (or lesser-known) story or poem from the famously bleak author, all of them reimagined for a modern audience.
Flanagan's "The Fall of the House of Usher" is entertaining whether or not you recognize the stories behind its goriest moments, but the filmmaker...
- 10/12/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
The Fall of the House of Usher is filmmaker Mike Flanagan’s gloriously morbid remix of author Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known stories and poems, and it’s winning raves from critics (with a 92 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes). Even those totally unfamiliar with Poe probably found some glimmer of recognition amid the show’s nods to his best-known tales — such as “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Raven” and “The Cask of Amontillado” — given how Poe’s stories have threaded through pop culture over the last 175 years or so.
But even Poe superfans probably couldn’t spot all the references — because there are dozens scattered throughout the show’s eight Gothic episodes.
So here they are (The Hollywood Reporter compiled this based on notes supplied by the show’s production team — I’m not going to pretend to be this smart; also, there’s always a chance that a...
But even Poe superfans probably couldn’t spot all the references — because there are dozens scattered throughout the show’s eight Gothic episodes.
So here they are (The Hollywood Reporter compiled this based on notes supplied by the show’s production team — I’m not going to pretend to be this smart; also, there’s always a chance that a...
- 10/12/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Spoilers for "The Fall of the House of Usher" follow.
As horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan has gone from production to production, he's assembled a wholesale acting troupe along the way. Kate Siegel (his wife), Henry Thomas, Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Carl Lumbly, Michael Trucco, Rahul Kohli, Annabeth Gish — they're all in Flanagan's latest, "The Fall of the House of Usher," and if you look back through his filmography, you'll recognize their faces somewhere.
That said, Flanagan always includes a few actors who are new to him, and "House of Usher" is no different. One of those new faces is one that's otherwise eminently familiar: Mark Hamill. Like the rest of the main cast, Hamill's part is named after an Edgar Allan Poe character. In his case, the eponymous protagonist of "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket."
In Flanagan's "House of Usher," Pym is the titular family's ruthless lawyer...
As horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan has gone from production to production, he's assembled a wholesale acting troupe along the way. Kate Siegel (his wife), Henry Thomas, Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Carl Lumbly, Michael Trucco, Rahul Kohli, Annabeth Gish — they're all in Flanagan's latest, "The Fall of the House of Usher," and if you look back through his filmography, you'll recognize their faces somewhere.
That said, Flanagan always includes a few actors who are new to him, and "House of Usher" is no different. One of those new faces is one that's otherwise eminently familiar: Mark Hamill. Like the rest of the main cast, Hamill's part is named after an Edgar Allan Poe character. In his case, the eponymous protagonist of "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket."
In Flanagan's "House of Usher," Pym is the titular family's ruthless lawyer...
- 10/12/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
It’s interesting to read the description of each episode of Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher. Victorine’s death was especially brutal, with Roderick witnessing the whole thing. Episode 6 is titled Goldbug after Tamerlane’s product, but it is also the title of one of Poe’s short stories. Tamerlane’s story is one of obsession; she’s incapable of thinking about anything outside of her big launch, even if four of her siblings have just died. Let’s see how her obsession becomes her downfall.
Spoilers Ahead
Tamerlane’s Loss Of Time
We know Tamerlane hasn’t been sleeping at all, thanks to her fear that the Goldbug launch might flop. Because of this, she starts to lose time while working on the launch. She doesn’t realize when she’s crossed out the whole speech just to write her own name in capital letters.
Spoilers Ahead
Tamerlane’s Loss Of Time
We know Tamerlane hasn’t been sleeping at all, thanks to her fear that the Goldbug launch might flop. Because of this, she starts to lose time while working on the launch. She doesn’t realize when she’s crossed out the whole speech just to write her own name in capital letters.
- 10/12/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
Following the breakout success of Shirley Jackson adaptation "The Haunting of Hill House," horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan returned to Netflix with a number of other spooky tales, and today opened the doors to his final cursed house in "The Fall of the House of Usher." Loosely based on the collected works of Edgar Allan Poe, the series explores the corrupted legacy of pharmaceutical magnate Roderick Usher and the grim deaths of his spoiled adult children.
Flanagan is known for slow-burn stories that are heavy on emotion, but "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a little different. In Flanagan's own words, "'Hill House' is kind of a string quartet, and '[The Haunting of] Bly Manor' is this delicate, kind of beautiful piece of classical piano music, and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is heavy metal." This latest serving of scares certainly has a lot more gore than any of Flanagan's previous works,...
Flanagan is known for slow-burn stories that are heavy on emotion, but "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a little different. In Flanagan's own words, "'Hill House' is kind of a string quartet, and '[The Haunting of] Bly Manor' is this delicate, kind of beautiful piece of classical piano music, and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is heavy metal." This latest serving of scares certainly has a lot more gore than any of Flanagan's previous works,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Medical horror has always been central to the mysterious Edgar Allan Poe short story, "The Fall of the House of Usher." It opens when an unnamed narrator receives a letter from the ill Roderick Usher, whose sister, Madeline is experiencing cataleptic trances from an illness of her own. When she eventually passes, Roderick fears her body will be analyzed for medical study and embalmed. Instead of giving her over for an autopsy, Roderick decides to keep her in the family tomb for two weeks. Alas, in typical Poe fashion, it is revealed at the end that Madeline was entombed before she had actually passed.
In Mike Flanagan's "The Fall of the House of Usher," the titular family's relationship with medicine is generational. In this updated story, Roderick and Madeline's mother Eliza worked for a pharmaceutical company while also being a devout woman who believed God could heal better than any medicine.
In Mike Flanagan's "The Fall of the House of Usher," the titular family's relationship with medicine is generational. In this updated story, Roderick and Madeline's mother Eliza worked for a pharmaceutical company while also being a devout woman who believed God could heal better than any medicine.
- 10/12/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
For the absurdly wealthy, it can seem like nothing in their lofty lives of opulence and egomania is the same as anything in our own. Their luxuries (indefinite trips around the world) are not our luxuries. Their worries our not our worries. Their rules are not our rules — even, it turns out, the golden one. Within Mike Flanagan’s interpretation of the Usher family, at least, the well-known advice of “do unto others” is little more than a punch line. Roderick (Bruce Greenwood), the patriarch of the pharmaceutical scions, explains how a joke he once told his children morphed into an accidental family motto. “It was in a comic book,” he says during an early episode of “The Fall of the House of Usher.” “‘The Wizard of Id’ — No. 4, I think, late ’60s — and the cover had a stout little king standing in a green tower.” The king bellows out to his pupils,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Mike Flanagan brings back several of his favorite actors for his new Netflix series “The Fall of the House of Usher,” including wife Kate Siegel, Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood and Henry Thomas. You’ll also recognize several cast members from the canceled-too-soon “Midnight Club” and a few from the film “Doctor Sleep” and the limited series “Midnight Mass.”
And you might need help keeping track of who’s who within the Usher family, headed up by Roderick and Madeleine Usher. Flanagan drew on various Edgar Allan Poe writings for this macabre tale, including the title story, as well as “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Raven” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.”
Here’s a complete “Fall of the House of Usher” cast and character guide.
Netflix
Bruce Greenwood as Roderick Usher
Roderick Usher is a wealthy pharmaceutical patriarch who proudly welcomes all his children by different mothers. The...
And you might need help keeping track of who’s who within the Usher family, headed up by Roderick and Madeleine Usher. Flanagan drew on various Edgar Allan Poe writings for this macabre tale, including the title story, as well as “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Raven” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.”
Here’s a complete “Fall of the House of Usher” cast and character guide.
Netflix
Bruce Greenwood as Roderick Usher
Roderick Usher is a wealthy pharmaceutical patriarch who proudly welcomes all his children by different mothers. The...
- 10/12/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
This article contains spoilers for The Fall of the House of Usher.
To say there’s a lot going on in The Fall of the House of Usher is to put it lightly. This Netflix title is…
– The latest (and likely final) spooky Netflix series from horror maestro Mike Flanagan before he moves on to his new overall deal at Amazon.
– A deeply angry allegory about the human wreckage wrought from the opioid crisis.
– An adaption of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher.”
– An Easter egg and reference bonanza of the rest of the Gothic literature titan’s classic works.
While all of those elements are of equal importance, it’s the Poe aspects that really shine through. Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher may just be the most effusive love letter to America’s spooky uncle that has ever been penned.
To say there’s a lot going on in The Fall of the House of Usher is to put it lightly. This Netflix title is…
– The latest (and likely final) spooky Netflix series from horror maestro Mike Flanagan before he moves on to his new overall deal at Amazon.
– A deeply angry allegory about the human wreckage wrought from the opioid crisis.
– An adaption of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher.”
– An Easter egg and reference bonanza of the rest of the Gothic literature titan’s classic works.
While all of those elements are of equal importance, it’s the Poe aspects that really shine through. Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher may just be the most effusive love letter to America’s spooky uncle that has ever been penned.
- 10/12/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
There’s at least one death in almost every episode of The Fall of the House of Usher. Well, in seven out of eight, if I have to be specific. There’s also a lot of cynicism, self-reflection, long monologues, both in prose and poetry, and a whole lot of Edgar Allan Poe in it. As you all know by now, the series is an adaptation of Poe’s famous short horror tale of the same name, by modern-day horror master Mike Flanagan. But it is more than just that, as Flanagan has folded in a lot of other macabre horror tales of Poe, as well as so many references and easter eggs.
If you are familiar with Flanagan’s style of adapting classic horror into morbid, deeply moving sentimental pieces, then this should not surprise you. However, Poe’s work is unlike anyone else’s, and Flanagan has done total justice to that here.
If you are familiar with Flanagan’s style of adapting classic horror into morbid, deeply moving sentimental pieces, then this should not surprise you. However, Poe’s work is unlike anyone else’s, and Flanagan has done total justice to that here.
- 10/12/2023
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
This post contains spoilers for episodes 3 & 4 of "The Fall of the House of Usher."
Horror director Mike Flanagan rarely relies on frequent jumpscares to deliver shocks and thrills, and his oeuvre primarily consists of raw, emotion-driven stories that aim to excavate the depths of the human psyche. To no one's surprise, his "The Fall of the House of Usher" — a modern reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's short story of the same name, amalgamated with a dozen references to his work — also dives deep into the rot of emotions that fester, until they're potent enough to topple a formidable personal empire. Apart from the grisly deaths that mark almost every episode in this limited series, there are two instances of fairly graphic animal harm/death that can be potentially disturbing, especially for those who love and adore cats, whose presence takes on a special significance in the context of the Ushers and Poe's work.
Horror director Mike Flanagan rarely relies on frequent jumpscares to deliver shocks and thrills, and his oeuvre primarily consists of raw, emotion-driven stories that aim to excavate the depths of the human psyche. To no one's surprise, his "The Fall of the House of Usher" — a modern reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's short story of the same name, amalgamated with a dozen references to his work — also dives deep into the rot of emotions that fester, until they're potent enough to topple a formidable personal empire. Apart from the grisly deaths that mark almost every episode in this limited series, there are two instances of fairly graphic animal harm/death that can be potentially disturbing, especially for those who love and adore cats, whose presence takes on a special significance in the context of the Ushers and Poe's work.
- 10/12/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
The Fall of the House of Usher is Mike Flanagan’s last series as part of his overall deal with Netflix, and it may just be one of his best yet. Adapting various works from Edgar Allan Poe, this show depicts the glorious rise and horrific fall of the Usher family. As with all of his projects thus far, Mike Flanagan has assembled a stacked ensemble cast full of familiar faces and relative newcomers including heavy-hitters like Mark Hamill, Mary McDonnell, and Bruce Greenwood.
Here are the actors that bring the Usher clan, their allies, and their adversaries to life.
Bruce Greenwood is Roderick Usher
The patriarch of the prestigious Usher family and CEO of Fortunato Pharmaceuticals is played by Bruce Greenwood, who you might recognize from Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Resident, and I Know This Much is True. Greenwood has also appeared in other Mike Flanagan...
Here are the actors that bring the Usher clan, their allies, and their adversaries to life.
Bruce Greenwood is Roderick Usher
The patriarch of the prestigious Usher family and CEO of Fortunato Pharmaceuticals is played by Bruce Greenwood, who you might recognize from Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Resident, and I Know This Much is True. Greenwood has also appeared in other Mike Flanagan...
- 10/12/2023
- by Brynnaarens
- Den of Geek
Now that we’ve been introduced to the Ushers, it’s time to see them laid to rest one by one. The Fall of the House of Usher Episode 2 revolves around Prospero Usher, aka Perry, the youngest son of Roderick. Prospero, the egotistic, proud son, who came into his wealth not long ago. Perry’s debaucherous ideas aren’t really to the taste of the twins, and they’ve already turned down his idea. But you’re only young once, and Perry takes it upon himself to show the Ushers what he’s really made of and that the numbers will add up. Every episode is titled after a different short story written by Mr. Poe himself; this one is called The Masque of the Red Death. A story about a wealthy man named Prospero who tries to escape a plague by locking himself up in his abbey and holding masquerade balls.
- 10/12/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
For most people, choices made incur consequences. One of the most intriguing components of life is the realization that we all have a tab, and at one point or another, a bill will come due. The 1% who hold the majority of the wealth and influence globally typically don’t abide by these same rules. The upper echelons of society move through life seemingly without repercussions by leaching off the powerless. Mike Flanagan’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” which earns its title from an 1839 Edgar Allen Poe story, showcases the demise of a family who, after being afforded every opportunity, eventually pays the price for their rampant monstrosity.
As the series opens, fans are introduced to Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), the graying CEO of Fortunado Industries — a massive pharmaceutical conglomerate with a signature drug that’s equivalent to the highly addictive opioid OxyContin. Though he has everything at his fingertips,...
As the series opens, fans are introduced to Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), the graying CEO of Fortunado Industries — a massive pharmaceutical conglomerate with a signature drug that’s equivalent to the highly addictive opioid OxyContin. Though he has everything at his fingertips,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Aramide Tinubu
- Variety Film + TV
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