Mike Flanagan is well-known for his contributions to contemporary horror storytelling in films and television. He has a notable collection of projects, including several outstanding adaptations of Stephen King’s work. While not his initial foray into writing or directing, Netflix’s 2018 series, “The Haunting of Hill House,” significantly boosted Flanagan’s career and solidified his presence in the horror genre. Based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 gothic horror novel, “The Haunting of Hill House” chronicles the Crain family’s experiences across two time periods. The series skillfully combines spine-tingling scares with emotional depth as it explores the haunted members of the family and the mysterious death of Olivia Crain (Carla Gugino) while they resided at Hill House. Each episode offers numerous frightening sequences, but one in particular leaves a chilling impression.
In Episode 9, titled “Screaming Meemies,” the stage is skillfully set for the conclusion of The Haunting of Hill House, as we learn long-awaited details about Olivia Crain’s (Carla Gugino) fate – both her descent into madness and her eventual demise. As Hill House mercilessly haunts Olivia, the line between dream and reality becomes increasingly indistinct for her. Confronting her deepest fears, she may even transform into another malevolent presence, shaped by the ominous forces lurking within the house.
The Hill House is haunted, induces illusions, and operates autonomously, displaying occurrences that haven’t transpired yet. Olivia’s insanity is partially fueled by being bombarded with glimpses of her deceased offspring. At a certain juncture, the Hill House transports her into the future, where Nell (Victoria Pedretti) is found dead in the morgue. In this vision, Olivia encounters the adult Luke (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), lifeless on the floor due to an overdose. She’s instantly confronted with a chilling spectacle of her departed daughter sitting upright and tearing open the metal wiring in her mouth to cry out, “Mommy!” with vacant, milky eyes.
As a film enthusiast, I must confess the chilling sequence left me shuddering. The unsettling emotional weight of the scene lies in the heart-wrenching sight of a mother facing the lifeless bodies of her own children. For Olivia, the thought of any harm befalling her kids is her deepest fear. The enigmatic Hill House seems to exploit this vulnerability, subtly manipulating her and gradually eroding her mental strength until she reaches a breaking point where she considers taking the lives of her beloved children herself.
Following this event, Olivia experiences a “vision” where the spirit of Poppy Hill (Katie Parker), one of the ghosts from Hill House, shares how her children perished in gruesome manners; this fuels Olivia’s intense desire to safeguard her own kids using drastic means. Poppy attempts to downplay their deaths as terrifying nightmares (“screaming meemies”), and explains that to shield her children from such dreams, she would “wake them up” to ensure their safety. Upon waking, Olivia is discovered in bed with her husband Hugh (Henry Thomas), clutching a screwdriver against his throat.
I stand by, powerless to intervene, as Olivia is gradually dismantled, piece by piece, by Hill House and its insidious psychological manipulations, aiming to push her towards an unthinkable act: the murder of her own children. Her visions are hauntingly vivid, even depicting the young twins, Nell and Luke, warning their mother, “You expose us to the darkness, and the darkness claims us, bit by bit, year after year after year,” until they’re gone – all part of Hill House’s twisted strategy to persuade Olivia into taking the lives of her youngest offspring under the guise of ‘protection’. In a chilling whisper, Poppy and the spectral image of young Nell ominously suggest that Olivia would be “awakening them”.
As a dedicated fan, I must admit it’s unnerving for us viewers to discover that “waking up” in Hill House actually means murder. Despite our deep concern for Olivia and the Crain family, there’s no way we can intervene as Hill House relentlessly draws them in. The tension mounts for Olivia as she grapples with fears about her twins’ future suffering, tormented by nightmares, visions, and manipulations. Eventually, the pressure becomes too much, and she cracks. It’s heart-wrenching to watch Olivia lead the twins from their beds in the dead of night, pretending it’s just a game, while we know something sinister is about to happen. Fortunately, this time the young Crains escape harm, but Hill House doesn’t shy away from claiming an unexpected victim – Olivia poisons and kills Luke’s friend Abigail (previously believed to be imaginary) after she is shockingly revealed to be the real daughter of the Dudleys.
The horror aspects and occasional shocking moments in this episode create an atmosphere of fear, but what truly makes it chilling is the exploration of themes such as mental breakdown, loss of control, manipulation, and the loneliness that comes with these experiences. This is something that parents may find particularly unsettling, especially when considering potential harm to their child.
It’s understandable to fear our minds deceiving us, just as it’s relatable to experience the isolation that often accompanies mental illness. Although the devastating event that split the Crain family might not be as graphically frightening as The Bent-Neck Lady, observing Olivia’s last days and the torment she endured under Hill House’s spectral control – culminating in a child’s blood on her hands and driving her to take her own life – is undeniably more emotionally chilling.
The Haunting of Hill House is available to stream on Netflix.
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2025-02-26 23:17