Netflix is the streaming home of an incredible Edgar Allan Poe adaptation. Unlike most other direct horror adaptations, though, the one in question does not merely present its take on one singular story or book. Instead, it delivers a mishmash of many stories and poems written by Poe while even drawing subtle references to his real life.
The show, The Fall of the House of Usher, borrows its name from one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most popular horror stories. While it does take aspects of the original short story as well, it spins it into a modern yarn while combining it with elements from Poe’s other works. With its hard-hitting social commentary, the show even draws references to real-world terrors.
Created by Mike Flanagan, The Fall of the House of Usher can be a little divisive among Edgar Allan Poe’s fans. It is, by no means, a direct book-to-screen interpretation of the original short story. It still deserves immense credit for brilliantly honoring Poe and his literary legacy while finding creative ways to etch its own identity in contemporary horror.
Mike Flanagan’s Take On Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall Of The House Of Usher Is Almost Perfect
Edgar Allan Poe’s original story, The Fall of the House of Usher, is a tragic ghost story about illness, familial ties, and grief. Flanagan cleverly borrows its narrative foundation and turns it into a satire of late-stage capitalism and real-world corporate greed.
The show almost turns into a supernatural slasher with a Succession-eseque spin where its central elite members of the Usher family face the consequences of their immoral actions.
As a viewer, it does not take long to realize how the show will eventually end. However, you still stick around to find out how each member of the Usher family will eventually meet their doom. Unlike Flanagan’s more acclaimed horror shows, like The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher has fewer jump scares and less paranormal terror.
However, the show thrives with its slow build up of an immersive gothic atmosphere and traces of psychological terror. There is also something Lovecraftian about its main supernatural villain, Verna. She neither seems to care about human suffering nor does she seem particularly excited about taking the lives of immoral humans.
Like a cosmic being, she merely does her job and imposes the consequences of the curse that rests on the Usher family. Even beyond these elements, The Fall of the House of Usher establishes itself as an exceptional adaptation by drawing references to a copious number of Edgar Allan Poe poems and stories.
Netflix’s Fall Of The House Of Usher Has Record-Breaking References To Poe’s Work
From the beginning itself, Fall of the House of Usher is jam-packed with nods and references to Poe’s works. Episode titles, character names, and even dialogue are drawn from Poe’s stories, poems, and even real figures who changed his life. There are entire sequences in the series where characters recite full poems or excerpts from the author’s long line of work.
If one sits down to count all the Edgar Allan Poe references in The Fall of the House of Usher, the final number will probably be even greater than one hundred. This perfectly captures Mike Flanagan’s genius ability to weave numerous literary influences into one cohesive narrative. He has previously done the same with his other works, but The Fall of the House of Usher takes this formula to new heights.
Instead of also setting the stage for a forced follow-up, The Fall of the House of Usher also tells a complete and satisfying story in just eight episodes. This keeps the Netflix horror show’s narrative taut and allows each episode to focus on the gradual downfall of the titular family with no unnecessary detours.