(#74) The Haunting of Hill House S1 (2018) - [8.25/10]
A family flees their home and narrates the terrifying events that led to it.
How would I describe this show in one word?
Dark.
Note
Again, I don't like horror movies or shows. I just happen to have a hard time sleeping at night or sitting alone in the dark if I do. But I was forced into watching this. And I gotta say, for the most part, it was worth it eventhough it gave me a few chills (nothing too bad though).
Review
The show's synopsis reads, "Flashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it." It's about a family who fled from their home during childhood and narrates and uncovers the events and reasoning for it throughout the show.
Right off the bat, I gotta say, I expected this show, as I would expect of any other medium of horror, to have plentiful 'jumpscares'. It did have a handful. But only a handful in the course of its 10 hour show. The scares were scary but it didn't come out of nowhere like the sort of technique typical horror movie directors favour to employ. Rather, the director tells you what to expect before hand and no a ghost is gonna appear in give seconds time and frightens you regardless of being surprised or not. But this show isn't just about scares, it's also about the theme. The theme is dark and sad and remorse and pain and sorrow-filled throughout - all to reflect or amplify the actions and emotions felt by the characters. The characters are vulnerable and fragile and the show makes you empathize their situation and circumstance. The story in itself is also very engaging and makes you stick around wanting more. I found myself wanting to understand two things while watching this show: what really happened "that night" and why the house is haunted. The first question was answered steadily throughout the course of the 10 episodes of the show. For the second question however, only a part was answered; that is, you understand what the ghosts are but you don't get answered who and why. Maybe the answer for the second part of that question is being saved up for the second season? Maybe.
All in all, eventhough I found the show to be quite overlong at a certain point, by the end, the final episode's climax made it all worth it because that ended beautifully.
P.S. Episode 6 is purely a work of art. A series of single shots (among my favourite cinematic technique). It's gorgeous. If for nothing else, watch the show for that episode.
RATING: 8.25/10
Creator: Mike Flanagan
Rated: TV-MA
Runtime: 50 min/episode
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Starring: Michiel Huisman, Carla Gugino, Henry Thomas