The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

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Haunting carries layers of potential meaning with creator Mike Flanagan exploring a different haunting from the series’ precursor and his extensive filmography of haunted characters and malevolent specters. Those seeking the same scares and frights from Bly Manor will be sorely disappointed, and indeed, my initial impression was one of disappointment. Not that this is bad; au contraire, this is an excellent production, sometimes brilliant, gloriously produced, amazingly acted but with few frights to be found. Within each episode, there is a singular character focus examining what haunts each particular character. While there are literal ghosts haunting Bly Manor, what haunts these characters are memories and personal demons, manifesting in visibly menacing apparitions. There are two standout episodes that come to mind, each focusing upon a particular haunting in Bly manor and the traumas that brought them to their current wretched state. While Hill House’s overall theme was of familial trauma, the characters of Bly are haunted by love, as the characters state this explicitly in one of the more unsubtle moments the series has to offer. Unfortunately, the series is full of similarly ham-fisted moments of exposition, and unlike the precursor series, none of the overlapping perspectives contribute much to the core narrative. The main story itself is an adaption of The Turn of the Screw, whose seminal adaptation The Innocents is still the high bar by which most haunted house films are held, and certainly remains the best adaptation of that story. Despite that, this is still a gorgeous and stunning adaptation on most every front, with special accolades demanded for the casting of the children in this series. Those familiar with Flanagan’s work, know he has an aptitude for child casting, but the child playing Miles drops the kind of unnerving, age-weary performance that drops the jaw and staggers the mind, alternating between moods, persona and menace on a dime. This performance is worth the price of admission alone, with everyone involved giving excellent performances. Unfortunately, where it was easy to relate to the struggling Crain family of Hill House, there are few situations or relatable characters present in Bly Manor, possibly due to the fact updating victorian gothic themes, characters and settings of the source to contemporary times doesn’t necessarily adapt relatability. My major other complaint comes with the last episode, which acts as a coda to the series, but demands far too much unearned sentimentality from the viewers. The majority of the episode is mired in the mundane aspects of an enduring relationship, but coming off far more saccharine than genuine. However, the last episode also delivers an emotionally satisfying closure and wraparound to the series that still manages to hit the heartstrings and satisfy even the most irritated viewers. Despite these complaints, Bly Manor is certainly a glorious adaptation of Henry James’ work, true and keeping to the themes and source material, while serving as a decent if slightly disappointing followup to a truly amazing first season, but at this point, I would be more intrigued should Flanagan and crew chose to abandon gothic romantic literature for something more chilling.

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