The Haunting of Bly Manor - Review
Yes, I set up this page for movies, but this Netflix series is so cinematic, it could pass for one. So my review will live here, snug as a bug in a rug.
As someone who watched The Haunting of Hill House, and loved every creepy moment of it, I was more than excited to see the teasers and trailers for The Haunting of Bly Manor. It’s the second installment in Mike Flanagan’s Haunting series (I’m not sure how many he has planned).
I expected Bly to be like Hill, quite unnerving and scary, dark, bloody, creepy, and filled with “blink or you’ll miss them” moments and scares. But what I got, what Flanagan gave us, was an entirely different kind of story; one that involves ghosts, yes, but each with its own heartbreaking origin, and lasting effects.
To quote one of the final lines of the show, “You said it was a ghost story. It isn’t. It’s a love story.” Everything that happens at Bly Manor, good or bad, originates with love.
I won’t spoil any plot elements, but if you’ve read The Turn of the Screw, or seen any of its film adaptations, you’ll already know the basic premise. The rest of the story was fleshed out from there, so it did spin off in new directions, and some other elements were added in.
But I can comment on a few things, and hopefully what I share will make you want to go stream the entire nine episodes in one sitting (or two, like I did).
Story: So many people went into this believing it would be nearly a carbon copy of The Haunting of Hill House (I did). Not surprising, since many of the actors from that series played roles in this one. They did not reprise the same characters at all; this was not a continuing story of Hill House or the Crain family. And because we absolutely DID NOT get a repeat of Hill House, so many folks are out there screaming foul, and crying into their pumpkin cinnamon ales and half-caff, lo fat, espressos with oat milk. But like I stated above, once you realize this series is based on The Turn of the Screw, your expectations take a back seat - or they should. This is a hauntingly heartbreaking story. Yes, there are literal ghosts here, but they aren’t the only kind represented. Regret, guilt, abandonment, death, love, hate, fear - all of these elements create ghosts, too, ones that haunt the living AND the dead. So do me a favor. If you watched this wanting creepy, jump scares galore, blood and gore, and were disappointed, PLEASE re-watch it, and put all that shit to the side. Throw away your 1980’s definition of goth (believe me, that irony is not lost here), and keep the 18th century meaning closer to heart. It will completely change your perspective, and make all the difference. (check this link for some quick descriptions of what makes gothic literature: CHARACTERISTICS OF GOTHIC NOVELS )
Cinematography: It was actually filmed in British Colombia, Canada, but if I hadn’t looked that up, I would have thought for sure it was filmed in England. The grounds of Bly Manor itself were fittingly gloomy, foggy, depressing, and gave us an overall feel of things abandoned and forgotten - which fits the story PERFECTLY. Lighting (or lack there of), composition, color, focus, the way certain scenes were framed gave us a heads up that maybe we didn’t need to watch Dani’s every movement as she walked through the foyer, but instead should have concentrated on that dark corner by the stairs…. All worked seamlessly together to create a visually stunning show.
Style: The beginning and end of the series take place in 2007, but the majority of the story is told in a flashback to 1987. And it represented the time period well. Not everyone had a “Frankie Goes to Hollywood” t-shirt, or bangs up to the ceiling, or shoulder pads for days. It’s much more subtle than that, but stylized enough for anyone who survived that fashion garbage dump of an era (*coughMEcoughcough *) to easily walk in at any time during the entire series, and realize when it took place. But even beyond the costuming, the language, the music, the sets all told us what year it was. You could even see and feel the 2000’s style that started and ended the show.
Acting: Every actor in this series was top notch. Even the two kids exceled as Flora and Miles, two children hiding a BIG secret. I think Kate Siegel, whose part was not as extensive as it was in Hill House, stole the show every time she was on screen. I’ve spied a few comments on-line that dragged T’Nia Miller through the mud for her ‘lacking’ performance as Mrs. Grose. And all I can say is: fuck off, you mouth breathing half-wits. As a viewer, there’s a lot we learned only as the characters did. So as Mrs. Grose evolved, and unearthed her personal truth, it made T’Nia’s performance THAT much more fantastic. But I have to say, overall, Henry Thomas gave one of the best performances of his career in this show. I’ve always liked him, but I never sang his praises from the rooftop. That is all about to change, my dear friends. I’ve already begun to dig a moat around my house to fill with marshmallow fluff, just in case I fall as I scream my little lungs out. He was absolutely phenomenal in this series.
I have a feeling I could almost write a dissertation on this television series if given enough time, and coffee. I know I can get hyperbolic in many aspects of fandom, but for realzies, I’m serious, like totally and fer shure, that this has been one of the best tv shows I’ve watched in a while. I’m excited to see where Mike Flanagan will lead us next, even if he scares me so much to induce a heart attack, even if he grosses me out to the point of puking, or even if he breaks my heart, and reduces me to a blubbering wreck.