The House of Usher

Rating R Formats DVD Genre horror Starring Austin Nichols, Izabella Miko, Beth Grant Directed by Hayley Cloake Publisher Thinkfilm

The Curse Continues

Based on the famous short story The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, The House of Usher encompasses a story of malediction and manipulation of a wealthy family.  Jill Michaelson receives a devastating phone call in which she is told that her best friend from college, Maddy Usher, died.  Jill returns to the Usher household where she is surrounded by engraved memories of abandonment by Maddy and Jills’ former lover, Maddy’s brother Rick.  She soon learns that Rick is infected with the same disease that killed Maddy and is convinced by Rick to stay with him for a little longer than anticipated.  Little did she know the Usher household is buried full of secrets and past traditions; traditions that Rick intends to share with Jill and keep her there forever.

A topsy turvey plot line holds this film together at the core, which allows its viewers to keep interested until the very end.  A constant collection of questions leaves the viewers guessing and confused throughout the film’s entirety.  However, luckily all of the springs are tied together and the majority of the answers are revealed within the last five minutes of the film.  A cliffhanging ending also adds to the film’s success, leaving viewers to feel that one last rush of adrenaline when they witness that Jill has more than one new visitor in her life.  The legacy moves on.

A clustering of different time capsules of series of events leads the film to a suspicious beginning.  Confusion builds as one questions as to what came first or exactly  where the series of events are going.  In retrospect, throughout much of the majority of the film one questions as to the chronological order of the events until the last section of the horror film.

Definitely filled with awkward and uncomfortable topics, this film has its cringe moments.  Many times in the film, various actions are performed that provoke a startle and a flinch, not so much a slasher- like startle, but disturbing and disgusting actions that  trigger abrasive movements from its viewers.

Set in today’s time period, this film definitely showcases the different classes of society existing both today and back a few decades.  The Usher mansion proves to be a very high-class aristocratic household that symbolizes key values held by the family.  When a modern day massage therapist, Jill, comes to the mansion, it appears that two diverse time periods collide and are forced to coexist, even though they are both living in the present.

The score of the film is a very vital part of the overall atmosphere and impact of the film.  When viewing this film, I sensed that I could foresee what was going to happen in the film, just by listening to the music.  The background high pitch and rapid music notes add sentiment and depth to the film’s overall story and message.  It is safe to say that one is on the edge of the piano bench throughout the entire film.

The characters in the film are also very complex and each have their individual meaning and purpose.  The viewers can connect to each of them because of what they represent and bring to the main story.  I feel one can grasp the overall feeling of each character within the first half on the film, which allows for more interest from viewers based on whose side they are going to be on.

The twisty plot line adds depth to the film’s attention and overall success which leads to the conclusion that the film is very entertaining.  A bit risky about society’s core values leaves for a little speculation over one’s morals which could be a downfall.  Overall, listen very closely to every word that is spoken in the film, otherwise you might miss an important clue when discovering the secrets revealed in the Usher family.