Once again, the master of horror, Edgar Allan Poe, stands as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for contemporary creators. On this occasion, the director Mike Flanaganknown for his previous masterpieces, such as “Midnight Mass”, surprises us with his latest series, “The fall of the House of Usher”. In this exciting project, he pays tribute to the literary genius, weaving an intricate narrative web that fuses several of Poe’s short stories and poems into a plot that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
October 12, 2023 marked the long-awaited premiere of this eight-episode Netflix series.
Flanagan, known for bringing together actors he has collaborated with in the past, surprises us by presenting them in completely different roles than we are used to seeing them. But what works of Poe are woven into this dark narrative?
Spoiler Alert! If you have not yet had the pleasure of diving into the intriguing world of “The Fall of the House of Usher,” we recommend watching it first before continuing. Now, let’s delve into the masterpieces that have served as a common thread in this series.
TRAILER FOR “THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER”
THE WORKS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE THAT WERE USED FOR “THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER”
1. “The Fall of the House of Usher” – 1839
“The Fall of the House of Usher” has been a significant source of inspiration for Mike Flanagan’s creation of the series. The influence is not limited only to the main characters, but also encompasses multiple fragments of the story: the brothers Rodrick and Madeline Usher, the struggle against mental illness, their belonging to a wealthy family and the premature death of their sister, among others. other elements.
However, it is important to highlight that there are notable differences in adaptation. The series chooses not to include elements of an alleged haunted family house, and the original plot has no relation to the disturbing death of the Usher children. These modifications allow Flanagan to develop a unique and captivating narrative.
2. “The Raven” – 1845
Unquestionably, the influential poem “The Raven” is present at various times in the series, not only in the last episode when Rodrick Usher recites the poem shortly before his death and the tragic loss of Lenore is revealed. .
The name of Verna, the mysterious woman with whom Rodrick made a sinister pact, which involved the sacrifice of his offspring, turns out to be an ingenious anagram of “Raven.” Furthermore, in several scenes, the images of the character played by Carla Gugino and that of a crow are superimposed, evoking the figure that pursues the protagonist of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem.
3. “The mask of the Red Death” – 1842
Both the episode of the series and the original story “The Mask of the Red Death” present similarities in their plots. In the series, Prospero seeks to create exclusive parties for elite guests in his family’s abandoned factory, where attendees can forget about all of his problems. However, when he decides to release an artificial rain at midnight, despite the announcement of the mysterious woman with the death mask and a red robe, everyone in attendance dies under a shower of toxic waste.
In Poe’s tale, Prince Prospero shelters nobles from a plague and isolates them for six months of lust and celebration. The Red Death, the disease they were fleeing, manifests itself in the event, and Prospero dies trying to stop it. When the other guests attempt to apprehend the figure, they discover that there is nothing beneath the robe, revealing that the Red Death had infiltrated their midst. In both stories, arrogance and the attempt to escape death result in a fatal outcome.
4. “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” – 1841
The series has taken inspiration from the story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by Edgar Allan Poe and has incorporated elements of the story in episode 3. Although it is not a direct adaptation, they have been including some key characters and concepts, such as Camille L’Espanaye, her death, and the investigation of Detective C. Auguste Dupin.
What is the story really about? focuses on the brutal murder of two women, mother and daughter, in an apartment on a busy street in Paris. Despite the efforts of the police brigade, they are unable to solve the case. Eventually, an amateur detective named C. Auguste Dupin takes up the investigation and, through a painstaking and brilliant process of deduction, offers a surprising explanation for the crimes.
Something a little different from being killed by a chimpanzee, right?
5. “The black cat” – 1843
Both stories share certain elements, such as the presence of a black cat named Pluto, the protagonist who commits violent acts fueled by anger and alcohol, and tragic events involving the death of people and the cat. However, there are also notable differences
In the series, Napoleon Usher is a womanizer who lives with his sweet boyfriend and his cat Pluto. The deaths of his brothers trigger his excessive drug use and he accidentally kills the original cat. He then seeks to adopt an identical cat to hide the mistake from him, but the new cat turns out to be hostile. The story culminates with the chase of the cat and the death of Napoleon.
In the original short story “The Black Cat,” the protagonist is a kind-hearted, animal-loving man who becomes consumed by alcohol, leading him to commit heinous acts, including the murder of his original cat, Pluto. He then adopts another cat similar to Pluto, but his jealousy leads him to try to kill it with an axe, resulting in the death of his wife and a horrific outcome.
Other works that were also adapted:
- “The Tell-Tale Heart” – 1843
- “The Gold-Bug” – 1843
- “The Pit and the Pendulum” – 1842
- “The Premature Burial” – 1844
- “Morella”
- “Annabel Lee” – 1849
- “Lenore” – 1843
- “Tamerlane” – 1827
- “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket” – 1838