The Haunting Of Bly Manor (2020) Cre: Mike Flanagan
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One of the best creators on Netflix for just about the last decade, has, without a doubt, been Mike Flanagan. He created two of my favourite series to-date in 'Midnight Mass' and 'The Haunting Of Hill House', both very popular and deserving of their acclaim.
This 2020 limited series, based on the work of Henry James, is less popular than some of Flanagan's other series, but still holds positive ratings online, which certainly was all the encouragement I needed. I knew I would like it, the only question was; how much?
The cinematography was fairly good, although, I felt it lacked some of the strength in imagery that some of Flanagan's other creations have had. I wouldn't say there was anything I was altogether blown away by.
The series didn't quite have the same atmosphere as Flanagan's other series, but it certainly still had some very suspenseful scenes throughout its nine episodes. That suspense was, at times, built so beautifully and effectively. It gave the series a deliciously tense feel at points. There were also some very effective jump scares.
Much like Flanagan's other work, this series has an intimate connection to trauma, specifically around losing loved ones. It binds the series together with a delicate hand, and gives it a vulnerable and tender identity, underneath the rolling horror on the surface.
I think that Victoria Pedretti has a wealth of talent and versatility in ability, and these Flanagan series have been an excellent way to showcase that. She was absolutely wonderful in this leading role, which came as no surprise to me. She showed off so much emotional range throughout each episode, and made her character feel so unique and endearing with such ease.
I was so impressed by the two child actors throughout the show. Both Amelie Bea Smith and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth did a wonderful job playing their spooky roles, particularly during their more innocent scenes. I was especially impressed by Amelie Bea Smith's adorable on-screen personality, which was so delightful.
There were a lot of good performances from the rest of the ensemble cast, but my personal favourites were those provided by the likes of T'Nia Miller, Rahul Kohli, and Tahirah Sharif. These three stood out for their sincere displays of emotion, especially in the second half of the series.
Merit should also go for the likes of Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Amelia Eve, and Henry Thomas, who all did well with their characters, though did not stand out the way those above did. Finally, I'll give some very quick mentions to other contributors worthy of note; Carla Gugino, Alex Essoe, Katie Parker, and Kate Siegel.
Overall, while I do prefer the two series that I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I still found a lot of enjoyment within the shrouds of this show. There are as many beautiful moments as there are scary ones, and I think that's one of the many great strengths of Flanagan's filmmaking ability. It is very much a worthwhile endeavour for those who can stand a little spookiness and a little sadness.
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