Review: The Haunting of Hill House (S1). This is Good Horror

What is good horror?

IMHO good horror movies ground the journey in the everyday world, which allows us to feel closer to the unfolding horrific events. Good horror isn’t just about delivering good scares, it is paramount that it makes us care for the protagonist. Good horror understands that what the audience’s imagination conjures up is far more potent than sophisticated special effects or elaborate make-up can produce. Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House is all these and more, so much more.

In the summer of 1992, Hugh (Henry Thomas & Timothy Hutton) and Olivia Crain (Carla Gugino) and their children Steven (Paxton Singleton & Michiel Huisman), Shirley (Lulu Wilson & Elizabeth Reaser), Theodora (Mckenna Grace & Kate Siegel), Luke (Julian Hilliard & Oliver Jackson-Cohen), and Nell (Violet McGraw & Victoria Pedretti), move into Hill House to renovate the mansion in order to sell it and build their own house, designed by Olivia. However, due to unexpected repairs, they have to stay longer, and they begin to experience increasing paranormal phenomena that results in a tragic loss and the family fleeing from the house. Twenty-six years later, the Crain siblings and their estranged father reunite after tragedy strikes again, and they are forced to confront how their time in Hill House had affected each of them.

One of things that occasionally comes up when I discuss movies with friends is that they would stay away from certain genres. Westerns and horror are usually the genres that draw the short end of the stick. I find that baffling because there are great movies in any genre. The point of the game is to watch the good ones. The Haunting of Hill House is a great one.

What is great about the series isn’t the scares, it is how the story unfolds across 10 episodes that makes it a true class act. The narrative structure employs flashback-driven plot mechanics with each episode devoted to one character. When one character opens a door, a door in the past is opened by the same younger character. So the past informs the present and in a brilliant sequence in the last episode, even the future informs the present. The triggers for all the flashbacks are meticulously calibrated for impactful storytelling. It is a technique as old as the first stories told, but in the hands of writer-director Mike Flanagan it becomes inventive and fresh.

There are a few standout episodes that made my jaw drop to the floor; episode 5 comes to mind. It achieved a steady sense of mounting disquiet, slowly unravelling the mystery of the bent-neck lady and the final sequence of revelations sent a cold chill down my spine. It also put me in a place of infinite sadness. Up to that point, it was the high point of the series, but I had no idea Flanagan would up the ante with episode 6. This episode is a technical wonder; done with several long single takes, the longest being 17 minutes. How the camera weaves in and out of characters in two locations, the funeral home and Hill House, is truly stunning. It was profoundly sad, confrontational and explosive. Secrets are revealed, truth is said and the family unit fractures, seemingly beyond repair. The final episode closes with a strong sense of catharsis which left me exhausted, but in a great way. I felt like I have lived a lifetime with the Crains, and I have not even hit on the scares yet.

The Haunting of Hill House has some of the best horror imagery I have seen. None of them feels cheap and derivative, every element serves the story. In fact, this series doesn’t follow the typical game plan with a scare inserted in regular intervals. One of stylistics that stood out is that it also doesn’t rely on music to heighten the nerve-shredding scares, lending it even more authority. There are some scares that don’t even feature horror imagery which is a marvel. These scenes would just focus on a character talking and yet they sent shivers coursing through my veins. Just listen to the lady talking to Steve in the opening episode and tell me you did not steal a glance at your ceiling or the scene where Mr Dudley talks to Hugh about his wife and daughter. The shifting dynamics is sheer masterclass and your imagination is working over-time choreographing the words into action, and that is way scarier than a CGI ghost.

This series is chock full of highs and lows expertly woven through its 10 episodes. Boasting well-written characters and an ever-changing perspective with two plot-lines. The Haunting of Hill House is essential viewing. If you are a film lover worth your salt you have to check this out. This is one house you will want to check in but you won’t be able to check out.

Written by Daniel Chiam